FORT WALTON BEACH — Eglin Air Force Base officials say recent flooding in the Willow Bend neighborhood in Wright is not because of conditions on the base’s reservation, despite residents’ concerns.
Officials say the flooding has come from heavy rains and nothing more that can be done.
Clay Simmons, road division manager for Okaloosa County public works, says Willow Bend, which is prone to flooding, received several inches of rain Tuesday evening.
“We have received complaints about the flooding that is a result of a pretty serious event,” Simmons said. “We did have water flowing into the neighborhood and that water comes off of Eglin, but there’s nothing I would blame Eglin for; it’s natural flows.”
Dan Robeen, chief of programs with the 96thCivil Engineer Group at Eglin, said the drainage problems stem from homes that were built on wetlands.
He said recent rains have saturated the ground and has aggravated flooding in low areas such as Willow Bend.
“If you add impervious areas such as building a parking lot or putting in packed dirt, it will generate more storm water, but we haven’t done any of those things,” Robeen said. “This is just a natural occurrence because of near record-breaking rainfall.”
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Angel McCurdy at 850-315-4432 or amccurdy@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @AngelMnwfdn.
