SANFORD, Fla. — Residents and business owners along Lake Monroe in Sanford say delayed flooding after a storm like Hurricane Milton is inevitable. 

What You Need To Know

  • Residents and property owners along Lake Monroe in Sanford say they expect flooding in the next few days as water from Hurricane Milton flows into the St. Johns River

  • On Friday, water from Lake Monroe was already starting to spill over the edges

  • Shiah Goldberg, the operating partner and co-owner at Blend and Barrel, said it’s just a matter of time before Lake Monroe floods onto Seminole Boulevard

They are now expecting water levels to rise to that level in the next few day, as the water from Hurricane Milton continues to flow into the St. Johns River basin.

Soon, the entrances to businesses like Blend and Barrel, formerly known as Executive Cigar, will be flooded, which owners say also happened during Hurricane Ian in 2022.

Shiah Goldberg, the operating partner and co-owner at Blend and Barrel, said it’s a matter of time before Lake Monroe floods onto Seminole Boulevard.

On Friday, the Sanford Fire Department put up a Tiger Dam barrier at the Sanford Marina on Palmetto Avenue in preparation for flooding from Lake Monroe. 

While that’s in the works, and as parts of Seminole County continue to recover from Hurricane Milton, others are still waiting for the flooding that Milton is expected to bring them.

“You’re starting to see already, the lake increasing and rise,” said Goldberg.

He said that Lake Monroe is one of the most advantageous parts of his business location, but also a disadvantage during hurricane season. 

“We’re expecting any day now the water to crest over the wall and to fill into the street,” he said.

But along with that, he says it's still possible to see a silver lining.

“Last time, when Ian came and we had the flooding, it was actually more people coming out to see the lake overflowing," he said. "So in all things, we deal with the challenges that face us."

Friday is Blend and Barrel’s first day back after closing due to Hurricane Milton.

Officials from Sanford's Police and Fire departments say they’re continuing to remove trees out of roadways.

Sandbag locations will continue to open Saturday ahead of that flooding at the old Geneva volunteer fire station and Wayside Park in Sanford.