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Panhandle Flood Waters Recede
12/09/09 - 05:35 PM
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Today flood waters are receding in some areas of the Florida panhandle.  Parts of Walton County around the Choctawhatchee River were threatened by strong rain the past few days, but emergency management expects the waters to return to normal quickly.

Emergency management directors from all 10 counties in the Florida panhandle gather once a quarter and one of those meeting is today in Bonifay at the Holmes County Emergency Management Center.  They say that the flood waters aren’t anything the panhandle can’t… handle.

Today in Walton County flood waters still reach high levels. Walton County EOC director Captain Michael Barker says, however, that things are under control:  “Pretty much any time we get a lot of rain that affects the Choctawhatchee River we’ll have some areas around that river that flood most every time we have significant rains.”

Right now the flood stage is at about twelve feet, but according to Holmes County EOC director Wanda Stafford the river only reaches alarming levels when the river gets up to sixteen feet: “It’s already crested and is already coming down.”...so EOC directors are simply monitoring the water levels.  The problem now is waiting for waters to subside and flooded roads to become safe again.

There are several areas that have roads that are washed out just like this one in Walton County. Most of them are confined to the Choctawhatchee River area, but it’s very important to know that if you do come across an road that’s been washed out, never try to cross it in your vehicle.

The panhandle’s 10 EOC directors gathered this morning for their quarterly meeting to discuss the current situation. Roy Dunn serves as the county liaison for the state EOC and says that “…the objective of the meeting really is to make sure that all of the programs are working together to support each other especially in a major disaster.”

Each county’s emergency operations team keeps tabs on threats like floods or fires or any other kind of natural disaster, so the best way to keep track of it yourself is to stay in tune to your local media.

Emergency Operations Offices:
Bay Co.      784-4000
Calhoun Co.  674-8075
Franklin Co.  653-8977
Gulf Co.      229-9110
Holmes Co.  547-1112
Jackson Co.  482-9678
Liberty Co.  643-2339
Walton Co.  892-8065
Washington Co. 638-6203