Residents press River Ridge CDD on drainage and stormwater; Premier Lakes reports maintenance work

Residents raised drainage and stormwater concerns at the Aug. 27 River Ridge CDD meeting as staff and consultants described recent maintenance and storm impacts.

Bill Kurth of Premier Lakes, Inc. told the board "the lakes appear to be in very good shape," and reported that preserves and dry-retention work were underway, that crews had removed fallen trees from the FPL ditch and outfall prior to an impending tropical storm, and that the Lake H1‑B nano‑bubbler repairs would be completed the following day. Premier Lakes said it had increased service frequency from quarterly to monthly during the rainy season.

District Engineer Charlie Krebs reported that MRI’s Pinehurst inlet‑grate replacement project is about 80% complete and that he would confirm the schedule for the asphalt patch. He said parts of the community received "almost 8 inches of rain in two or three days" during Tropical Storm Debbie while the roads were designed for 5½ inches of rain over 24 hours. To relieve pressure at inlets, Mr. Krebs suggested The Club could add a drainage connection to E1‑A to bypass pipes and inlets and discharge directly to the lake.

A resident reported standing water coming up through a slab and suggested mold in a unit. Mr. Krebs responded that the stormwater system "flowed unobstructed" during Debbie and added that he "does not believe the standing water is the cause of the resident’s problem, as none of the other units reported a similar issue." Mr. Schultz asked for the matter to be placed on the next agenda and for Mr. Long to comment.

Resident Anita Bachragh requested that a downed tree by River 9 Catch Basin #134 be brought upright and asked for further clearing of a conservation area; Mr. Willis said staff would review past minutes and that a contractor previously cleaned invasive materials and that the area remains in compliance. Resident Christine Mantilia asked whether fire trucks could draw water from the lakes to lower levels; Mr. Krebs said that is not typical, could pull in plants and fish, and would require approval from the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD).

Why it matters: the engineer’s assessment and consultant maintenance plans inform how the district will address ongoing drainage and potential property impacts after heavy rains; residents asked the board to follow up with inspections and possible repairs.

The board scheduled a follow-up on drainage and resident-reported issues for a future agenda; the next meeting is Sept. 4, 2024 at 1 p.m.