LAKELAND, Fla. — As the city of Lakeland takes steps to reduce the risk of flooding near Lake Bonny, residents nearby are calling for more transparency.

What You Need To Know

  • Lakeland has signed a 90-day agreement with Southwest Florida Water Management District to begin pumping water from Lake Bonny sooner, at a lower threshold, to mitigate flooding risks

  • Longtime residents are questioning the effectiveness of flood management and have petitioned for an independent investigation into the city’s flood response and drainage systems

  • While the city has hired AECOM for a watershed study, residents are demanding a third-party investigation to ensure transparency and accountability regarding the drainage issues contributing to the flooding

On Monday, the city announced a 90-day emergency agreement with the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD). Rather than waiting until the lake reaches a 10-year flood stage to pump water out, officials can now use the emergency pump much sooner. The new approved permit allows pumping to commence when Lake Bonny reaches 129.60 NAVD.

Following Hurricane Milton in October of last year, city leaders say they teamed up with Polk County officials to inspect Lake Bonny’s drainage system. Their findings show that the system is fully intact and free of debris or obstructions.

City officials also say engineering consultant AECOM has been conducting a watershed study since January. However, longtime resident Jan Morsey and her neighbors created a change.org petition to demand an independent investigation into the lake’s flooding.

Morsey checks daily on one of the main canals that drain water from Lake Bonny to Lake Parker near her home on Lake Bonny Drive East. She says there hasn’t been much progress since Milton.

“You can see that there’s no actual water flowing through here at all. It’s all just stagnant,” Morsey said. “This has not improved. If anything, it’s only gone downhill because we have more debris that has collected since Milton, and with just the recent rainfall we’ve had — we’ve had a few days that we’ve had some rainfalls — this hasn’t improved.”

Morsey believes the blocked canal is a large part of the reason why the street she’s lived on since her childhood was flooded in October.

“We have water levels that FEMA and that we have measured, numerous people have documented of 18 inches. So, we’ve had 18 inches around and inside our home for well over three weeks after Hurricane Milton.”

The water damaged all of the walls in her home and most of her belongings. So far, Morsey says she’s spent nearly $80,000 on repairs. Despite the out-of-pocket costs, she and her neighbors stress that they aren’t looking for money. Instead, they created the petition simply to get answers.

“What we want is a light to be shined on what was broken. Accountability for the process that wasn’t in place or, if they were in place, did not work during this disaster,” she said.

According to city officials, AECOM’s watershed study will review Lake Bonny’s drainage basin and evaluate potential flood relief options. However, community members say they want an investigation by a third-party company not chosen or paid by the city.

“Having that independent entity takes away the possibility of anyone influencing the outcome in a way that they may not intentionally do,” she said.

Morsey says an independent investigation will not only help restore trust within the city, but it will provide a clear path moving forward.

“That’s what we want to see — what happened, and then fix it and make it better,” she said.

Morsey suggests that the county, state, or another agency select and fund the next third-party company. This way, the city won’t have to be involved.