The St. Johns River reached flood stage near DeLand on Thursday, Nov. 5, and was expected to keep climbing through the weekend and into next week. Flood warnings remained active for Cocoa, Geneva, Sanford, DeLand and Astor as runoff from Monday's catastrophic flooding in southern Brevard County and the Treasure Coast continued moving north through the river basin.
Mostly dry weather has brought relief to areas hit by that rainfall, but it has not ended the river flood threat. Water moving through the basin is creating a prolonged flooding event, with conditions expected to deteriorate in some communities over the next several days even without additional local rain. Forecasters anticipated major flooding near Cocoa later in the week, while Geneva could approach major flood stage early next week.
Near DeLand, the National Weather Service recorded a river level of 4 feet at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, matching the location's flood stage. The warning covers parts of Volusia and Lake counties and remains in effect until further notice. The forecast called for a rise to about 4.6 feet early next week, with further increases possible that could bring the river close to moderate flood stage.
The river near DeLand was already above its 3.5-foot bankfull level. According to the weather service, a reading of 4.5 feet brings water into yards and near buildings around Hontoon Island. Another update to the DeLand warning was scheduled for midnight Thursday.
Moderate flooding was underway near Astor, where the river measured about 3.2 feet Thursday, exceeding the 2.3-foot flood stage. Levels were expected to stay high and could reach roughly 3.4 feet early next week. Above Lake Harney, a reading of approximately 8.8 feet also reflected moderate flooding, with forecasts indicating a possible approach to major flood stage early next week.
Near Sanford, the river measured approximately 5.1 feet, with minor flooding forecast. Forecasters projected a level of about 6.4 feet by Monday evening. That would bring the river near the threshold at which water could enter some low-lying homes in Stone Island and Stillbrook.
In Brevard County, the river gauge approximately nine miles west of Cocoa registered 16.9 feet Thursday morning. Moderate flooding was occurring, and major flooding was forecast later in the week. The weather service said a level of 17.2 feet could flood homes around Lake Poinsett west of Cocoa, parts of Rockledge and Cocoa's Shakespeare Park area.
The National Weather Service urged drivers to obey barricades and avoid crossing flooded roads. Residents were also advised to be cautious near riverbanks because rising water and unstable ground can pose hazards. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported boating restrictions along portions of the river, including areas near Astor, Lake Monroe and Mullet Lake. Officials recommended following river forecasts and local emergency management announcements, with further weather service statements expected as levels change.
