Acreage water officials address flooding

THE ACREAGE, FLA.  Officials with the Indian Trail Improvement District met with the media Tuesday to address the extreme flooding in The Acreage.

ITID District Administrator Tanya Quickel said the district is pumping water 24 hours a day right now and will continue to pump until the flooding subsides.   She says it will take several days.

Quickel added the district began to bring down the canal water levels last week in preparation for the storm and it has been pumping around the clock since Sunday.

Meteorologists estimate it's possible The Acreage could have received more than 20 inches of rain.

Michelle Damone, ITID Board of Supervisors' president, urged people in the flooded areas to stay out of the water; she asked parents to keep kids from playing in the water and she asked that people not use boats, airboats, kayaks or rafts in the overflow of water.

ITID's engineer Lisa Tropepe said during Tuesday's press conference crews have barricaded several dangerous locations on the roads.  On Monday night, crews set up 128 different barricades to prevent drivers from entering dangerously flooded areas.

The district has asked the National Guard, the Red Cross and the Salvation Army for help.