The discretionary discharges, intended to lower the systems pre-storm, were halted on Sunday pursuant to the instruction of
the SFWMD. It seemed clear that Isaac and its rainfall would pass to the south and west of Palm Beach County. Then on
Monday a large band of the tropical storm separated and passed directly over Palm Beach County. Most of our area experienced
8” to 12” of rainfall. The southern and western areas were hardest hit. Wellington, Loxahatchee and the Acreage had much
greater rainfall amounts up to and exceeding 18”. In some areas this rainfall exceeded the 100 year event which theoretically
will cause structure (building) flooding.
Unit 15, Villages of Palm Beach Lakes-The system had water stored in Village Boulevard
and many other roads for several hours in the southern most basin.
Unit 5C, Baywinds-Initially there was street flooding
throughout Baywinds. The eastern areas responded to the pumping and the roads dried out. The western areas remained inundated
for several days. We determined that the street drainage (owned by the Baywinds POA) was compromised in some way. We are
working with the POA the rectify the problem.
There also occurred a breach of a levy separating the Baywinds Preserve
owned by West Palm Beach and the Pond Cypress Preserve owned by Palm Beach County. This breach introduced water from outside the Baywinds
Preserve basin which is never a good thing. The discharge system (gravity and pumps) is only designed for the basin area.
The breach was plugged by the City of West Palm Beach Monday afternoon.
Unit 5D, Andros Isles-A storm water pump failed after
the impeller bound up with aquatic vegetation. The pump station has redundant capacity, the second pump was run and there were
no adverse impacts due to the event.
Unit 18, Ibis-There was some street flooding on Monday.
Unit 11, PGA-There was some
street flooding on Monday.
Unit 43, Mirasol-There was a significant event wherein two (of three) 84” corrugated metal culverts
that feed the storm water pump station floated out of the water due to buoyancy. The ends of the pipes were covered with vegetation,
the pump lowered the water and introduced air into the pipes causing them to float. A contractor was immediately mobilized to
the site and the pipe ends were separated allowing the pump station to function properly at full capacity. There was no flooding
in this unit.