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Persistent rain causes flood problems along Michigan Avenue
Seminole County crews worked to clear drains and brush to reduce the flooding risk along Michigan Avenue following days of already heavy rainfall. FOX 35's Marie Edinger talked with a business owner about his flooding concerns, and talked with the county about its long-term plans to address flooding concerns in the area.
SANFORD, Fla. - Residents living along Michigan Avenue in Seminole County are dealing with street and property flooding during heavy rains while waiting for long-term county infrastructure fixes.
Crews rush to clear blocked drains
The backstory:
Seminole County Public Works crews deployed to the area to clear out ditches and drains in an effort to mitigate ongoing flood risks. Officials note that a county drainage improvement project is currently in the final design and permitting stage to address the recurring issue.
Crops face rising waters
Aliredha Walji, who purchased the Farm at Sanford less than a year ago, has filled his property with hundreds of tropical fruit trees, including mangos, bananas, coconuts, and a rare Brazilian grape. While those specific trees thrive in wet conditions, puddle depths rose above his ankles this week and completely overwhelmed his sump pump on Thursday.
"We had a lot water yesterday," Aliredha Walji said. "They love a lot of water. So these are one of the happy trees when it rains."
The equipment failure forced Walji to bring in repair crews.
"The pump was fried," Walji said. "It was all cooked, so they had put in a new pump. And then they evaluated the electrical. I had to call another company to replace the wiring because it was tripping the breaker."
Flood studies highlight historical risks
A 2025 study shows that the area north of Michigan Avenue sits within what the County defines as a "river floodplain," experiencing extreme flooding even during small storms.
Public meetings indicate residents have watched the flooding worsen as local development increases. Furthermore, a 2018 stormwater management study previously noted that certain areas flood every wet season because large rainfall events exceed design standards or involve legacy infrastructure installed before modern standards were implemented.
When will construction start?
Timeline:
While the County confirms that its upcoming drainage improvement project will target storm drains, culverts, and ditch grading on Michigan Avenue, officials have not yet announced an exact start or completion date for construction.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from a FOX 35 broadcast report and interviews conducted by reporter Marie Edinger, as well as county stormwater management studies and public meeting records.