Windmill Plantation residents’ reaction to serious flooding in their neighborhood

EVANS, Ga. (WJBF) – After serious flooding Saturday in Columbia County, many ask why this keeps happening.

After flooding in several areas Saturday night, people living in Windmill Plantation say they are nervous about getting more rain.

“Every year around this time, sometimes spring. Definitely, once a year to flood this bad, I would think is a big enough problem,” said Melinda Chapman, Windmill Plantation Resident.

Windmill has been known to flood along William Few Parkway and Windmill Parkway.

“Harry has contacted just about all agencies, starting with the county, the DNR, and yeah, FEMA, but really nobody has the answer,” said Chapman.

Some homeowners have to have flood insurance because they’re in a flood zone. Creeks and streams run so close to houses that they can cause flooding when they overflow.

“The whole Windmill property prior to it being developed had a lot of springs already in the property, and if you look at it prior to its development there were creeks and streams running throughout. So, when the developed the land, the springs remained,” said Ryan Heritage, Windmill Plantation Resident.

Although the area is known to flood, property owners feel something can be done with better drainage and irrigation systems to keep the creeks from overflowing.

“I can’t imagine that the county can’t do something. Harry says dig the ditch deeper, clean out wherever the water ends up,” said Chapman.

Neighbors told us this was the first time they had seen flooding go up to doors and into garages.

“It’s funny because sometimes you know the creek is just barely there and slowly moving, but then when it does this, it’s pretty scary,” said Chapman.

Heading into this week, there will be more rain, but not as much as Saturday.

“It’s a matter of time before one of the houses gets flooded, and it doesn’t matter if it is half an inch or two feet,” said Heritage.

Due to the already saturated ground, it could cause flooding and small trees to go down.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF.