A week after Hurricane Debby's rain, Bartow declares emergency as Peace River nears its flood stage

Just a couple of afternoon storms could be enough for the Peace River in Bartow to rise above flood stage, resulting in flooded neighborhoods and a possible shutdown of the city’s wastewater treatment plant.

Under those conditions, Bartow’s elected leaders voted unanimously on Tuesday to declare a state of emergency.

The website for the National Weather Service's office of water prediction Tuesday that the Peace River at State Road 60 in Bartow was at 7.6 feet, which is considered the level when emergency preparations should be made for possible flooding. It also said the river is considered at minor flood stage at 8 feet and major flooding can occur at 10 feet.

The high-water levels in the river are being blamed on runoff from rains dumped by Hurricane Debby last week that have been slowly flowing toward Bartow from other sources such as Lake Hancock via Saddle Creek .

The emergency declaration in Bartow effectively gave city staff and management the authority to go door to door to inform residents about rising river levels and to spend $300,000 on an earthen dam to protect the wastewater treatment plant.

The first homes they will visit will be at Tee Circle and the Peace River Mobile Home Park, which are both residential sections that have flooded after past tropical cyclones such as Hurricane Ian. Residents would also be told where shelters are located should they be evacuated.

Commissioner Leo E. Longworth said churches can be used to inform residents because they have email notifications to deliver information to congregations.

City Manager Mike Herr said a notice for a public meeting to be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday at Carver Recreation Center also will be sent to residents living near the swollen banks of the Peace River.

They would also tell residents where the local shelters would be located, offer them information on the resources the Red Cross can provide as well as other precautions to take should an evacuation of flood-prone areas become necessary.

Alarms of potential impending flooding were raised by city management during an emergency meeting of the City Commission Tuesday in Bartow prior to the vote on an emergency declaration.

Herr said if the wastewater treatment plant is flooded, it would pose a major health and safety issue that would impact city residents and disrupt the local business community.

Fire Services Director Jay Robinson said, “Our first and foremost concern is the wastewater treatment plant because that would affect everyone in Bartow.”

The wastewater treatment plant is located in a flood plain, he said. Attempts to purchase dams from a national product vendor fell through, making the earthen berm a second but necessary choice.

The plant also processes wastewater for Eagle Lake, a portion of Polk County and a Duke Energy facility.

Robinson said this was the earliest in the hurricane season he has seen such high water levels on the Peace River and Florida is only just getting to the peak of its hurricane season.

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The emergency declaration will allow city management to cover expenses and bypass normal purchasing processes such as requirements of three bids for projects at the plant, which is currently being expanded.

Vendors already working on the plant may help to quickly draw up plans and construction documents for the earthen berm system. Sandbags will be used until the berm can fully surround the plant.

The city administration will be sending letters to the Governor’s Office, the Polk County Health Department, U.S. Rep. Scott Franklin, R-Lakeland, and others to possibly secure funding to protect the plant.

The city attorney was to prepare a letter to the governor with a copy of the emergency order attached as well as provide details on the dire situation facing the community.

The emergency declaration may last for the remainder of the hurricane season as securing the plant with a berm could take months − unlike restoring electric power or clearing fallen trees during most hurricanes. But the declaration would be revisited at each upcoming commission meeting to determine its necessity.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: A week after Hurricane Debby's rain, Bartow declares emergency as Peace River nears its flood stage