Finally, St. Johns River Flood Ends

    For just the second time since the end of September, the St. Johns River in Astor has lowered below flood stage. The river has been impacted by high water throughout the fall, bringing about restrictions for usage throughout the river chain, but recent declines in river levels raise hopes that normalcy could soon return.
   The river first rose to flood stage on September 26 in Astor, and remained there since except for on December 10 and 11 when it briefly dipped below 2.00 feet, the level historically described as ‘actionable’.
   A flooding river slows the economic engine that is the St. Johns River. Access ramps have been closed in some cases during the floods, and while others, like the popular Butler Street Boat Ramp in Astor, have remained open they have been home to signs posted noting the river has been under idle-only designations. When boaters are required to travel much slower than normal for safety reasons, it makes it hard to reach popular recreation areas or desired fishing locations. Many boaters have stayed away this fall due to the conditions.
   The river is a cornerstone of the Astor economy, and any slowdown of activity on the waterway has ripple effects in the local economy. Less boaters means less business in local restaurants, less weekend campers in the community’s many campgrounds, and less customers at area grocery, boating, and other supply outlets.
   River level fluctuations, sometimes coming very suddenly, are no stranger to Astor area residents. The community’s location makes for a unique circumstance where the northerly flowing river can get backed up anytime winds from the north slow, or even reverse the river’s flow. The condition is created by the fact that Astor is just south of Lake George, a wide water body that supports high, unbroken winds that when coming from the north provide a powerful push against the river. At times when the river is already at or near flood stage, a strong wind from the north can cause conditions to worsen in just a few hours.
   While this fall's flooding has brought negative impacts, the conditions are improved over last year, when during October the river rose to a record flood, at over 4.60 feet. Then, emergency response efforts from a variety of agencies, including the Lake County Sheriff's Office, responded to the community with temporary offices that supported those impacted by the water, including conducting emergency evacuation support.