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Gulf County Prepares for Flood
12/17/09 - 05:10 PM
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As flood water encroaches on parts of Gulf County, residents at the river’s edge head for higher ground.  The county is under a local state of emergency because of heavy rainfall flowing down from the Chiploa and Apalachicola Rivers.

“It’s going to come up,” said Gulf County property owner Billy Adams, “It’s going to be a bad one it looks like.”

He’s one of many who are packing up and moving out of campsites near Willis Landing.  What used to be dry land now sits underneath about 2 feet of water.

“This is not an unusual flood we already had one that was this high earlier this year,” said Adams, “Everyone in here has a travel trailer and motor home so they just move them out to higher ground.  We just live with it.”

The Chipola River measures 6 feet above flood stage, but it’s expected to get even higher on Saturday when it crests.  Wewahitchka City Manager Donald Minchew says he’s working with the county and search and rescue to prepare.

“With this event coming out of Texas we’re real concerned it may be 24 or 25 feet before it’s all over,” he said, referring to river levels, “Just making sure that we have logistically have the equipment we need.”

Minchew says they don’t expect any Federal or state help, so it’s important for individuals to plan ahead.

“Start getting prepared just like you would for a hurricane or something like that, they need to stock up food at the houses,” he said, “We’ll do the things we need to do as far as securing the area and stuff like that but they really need to help themselves as much as possible.”

Gulf County does have sandbags for any residents who need them.  They are available at City Hall locations near Howard’s Creek and Wewahitchka.