State water managers shared with Osceola officials on Thursday that East Lake Tohopekaliga appears to have peaked. During Thursday meetings with South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), it was reported that rising levels have stalled with an indication of gradual recession in East Lake Toho. Additionally, the rise of Lake Tohopekaliga appears to be slowing down. In the coming days, SFWMD will monitor levels closely to determine when the western lake has reached its peak.

Osceola County, the cities of Kissimmee and St. Cloud and SFWMD are continuing to work in partnership to reduce flows of water into the regional lake system and provide relief to impacted communities.  Other regional lakes, including Lake Mary Jane and Lake Hart in Orange, appear to have reached their peak, meaning that SFWMD can continue to move water out of those lake systems to lower lake levels.

To further lower lake levels, additional high-volume pumps are deployed at strategic locations with more pumps being staged and prepared for operation.

Residents are still urged to avoid floodwaters and pay attention to local alerts from Emergency Management. Boaters are encouraged to exercise caution when navigating waterways and avoid creating a wake that could impact homes and businesses.

Flood At-Risk Mapping Updated Online
Osceola County continues to update an interactive map to provides a visual reference for residents to identify areas bordering or close to both East Lake Toho and Lake Toho that may be affected by rising lake levels. The map identifies any area at or below the elevation where lakes are expected to reach and does not reflect any guarantee that such areas would see flood waters. Officials ask residents to review the map and take any necessary action to keep themselves, families, and property safe as we continue monitoring water levels. For more information and to check the County’s interactive map, visit www.osceola.org/go/hurricane.

Safety Precautions and Reminders
The Florida Department of Health in Osceola County (FDOH-Osceola) reminds everyone to:

  • Avoid flood waters as it poses health risks and people should avoid playing, swimming or standing in it.
  • Remain diligent in their personal mosquito protection efforts, as heavy rains and flooding can lead to an increase in mosquitoes. Remembers the “5 D’s” for prevention:
  • Dusk and Dawn – Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are most active.
  • Dress – Wear clothing that covers most of your skin.
  • DEET – When the potential exists for exposure to mosquitoes, repellents containing DEET are recommended. Picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus are other repellent options.
  • Drain – Check around your home and drain standing water when possible.

Shelters
Two shelters are operating in the County, both located at Osceola Heritage Park.

  • Events Center/Osceola Heritage Park (Special Needs, pet friendly)
    1901 Chief Osceola Trail, Kissimmee, FL 34744
  • Silver Spurs Arena/Osceola Heritage Park (General population, pet friendly)
    1875 Silver Spur Lane, Kissimmee, FL 34744

Residents and business owners can apply for disaster assistance at disasterassistance.gov, by calling 800-621-3362 from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern Time, or by using the FEMA mobile app. If you use a relay service such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service.

Boil Water Alerts
The Florida Department of Health’s Osceola County office has issued several boil water alerts which are available online here.

Boat Ramps
All boat ramps operated by Osceola County will remain closed until further notice. Please contact 407-742-8653 for further information.

Volunteering and Donations
For information on how you can help, to sign up to become a volunteer or to make donations, please visit our website here