HOBE SOUND, Fla. — Flood-prone areas in Martin County are on high alert year-round for excessive rain but especially during hurricane season.
Flooding concerns don't get much worse than in Hobe Heights — a neighborhood in Hobe Sound where residents are still reeling from a deluge nearly three years ago.
Historic rains rocked the community in June 2020, but those who lived through it, like David and Lori Scholl, said the memories are still fresh.
"We have PTSD," Lori Scholl said.
"When a heavy storm comes through I'm like, 'OK, how bad is it going to be,' especially when it's hurricane season," David Scholl said.
More than a foot of rain fell during a 12-day stretch in 2020 along areas of the Treasure Coast.
Communities like Hobe Heights couldn't handle all the water, flooding many people's homes.
"Was it the most stressed out you've been in recent memory?" WPTV reporter Chris Gilmore asked.
"Oh, yes," David Scholl, who has lived with his wife in the community since 1988, said.
"What's going through your head?" Gilmore asked.
"Am I going to lose my home?" David Scholl said. "Am I losing everything?"
Hobe Sound
Martin County working on permanent fix to flood damage
Multiple Hobe Heights residents ended up losing their homes to the flooding.
However, the Scholls were one of the fortunate families with the water stopping 8 feet from their home.
"The next day, there were people with a boat getting stuff out of their house," David Scholl said.
If the floodwaters, which lingered for days, weren't enough to deal with, it ended up causing other problems like backed-up septic tanks and contaminating water.
"Yes, it was a catastrophic rain, I'll grant them that, but I think there's still more that could've been done," David Scholl said.
Following the disaster, Martin County purchased and then demolished 13 homes at risk for future severe flooding. That land now serves as drainage fields.
William Bell, 82, said his home, which he has lived in since 1984, was lucky to be spared.
"There used to be houses adjacent to mine," Bell said. "I saw them go up, and I saw them come down."
The county has also worked on creating an outfall for the neighborhood that would ideally guide floodwater to a stormwater treatment area before making its way to the Intracoastal Waterway.
WPTV contacted Martin County officials about what has been done to deal with flooding threats in the area. They said it's an ongoing effort but so far the county has done the following:
- Restored land in Jonathan Dickinson State Park to help stormwater recede at a faster rate
- Secured three hazard mitigation grants. Part of that is helping pay for a Hobe Heights neighborhood permanent outfall project. So far the project has been permitted and is under review by the Florida Department of Emergency Management