GENEVA, Fla. — A stormwater project to help with flooding in Seminole County is now complete.

What You Need To Know

  •  Seminole County completes stormwater retrofit project which included clearing of property to dig a dry pond for water retention

  • This project was funded through a combination of the One-Cent Infrastructure Sales Tax and FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program

  • The area affected by this project consists of homes in the following locations: Retreat Road from its intersection with Mullet Lake Park Road to a point approximately 3,520 feet to the east

County officials say the project in Geneva off of Retreat Road included the clearing of a property to dig a dry pond for water retention, upsizing the existing ditches and re-grading low spots in the existing road.

Homes in the area of Retreat Road from its intersection with Mullet Lake Park Road to a point approximately 3,520 feet to the east are expected to see relief impacts.

The project was a 75% – 25% split between FEMA and the county. FEMA put over $1.3 billion toward the project, while Seminole County used around $450,000 of its own funds. The county says the project was needed after major storms flooded that area.

Just last year during Hurricane Ian, John Carter, who is now living in a mobile home, says he had to use canoes to get in and out of his property and that’s not the first time he’s had to rely on a boat to get out of his flooded driveway.

“12.6 feet was what the St. Johns River came up to and it completely overtopped the sand ridge, got in to the house, the roads were way under water," Carter said.

Right now, Carter is living in a mobile home unit as he starts the process of rebuilding his home.

Carter says the stormwater project is a step to help in that area with ditch drainage, but he believes the county should be doing more throughout other parts of Geneva because that project will not stop other areas from flooding.

"The ditches are full. They don’t drain. There’s some sort of blockage between here and the river,” he said.

Seminole County officials say they were looking into a project on Whitcomb Drive to help with flooding in the area, but according to a spokesperson, the county will likely not "get all the right of ways that we would require to move forward."