Radar showed up to 3 inches Tuesday and 2.5 Thursday. The city's fix for the California and Savona floods: $30 million in ponds and pumps, spread over four years.

Updated Oct. 31: the city’s adopted budget confirms the stormwater fee at $195 for a home and $147.75 for vacant property. The adopted capital plan is still not posted, so the project figures below remain the proposed ones.

Heavy storms flooded Port St. Lucie streets twice this week. The city’s long-term fix for one of the worst spots, California and Savona boulevards, is a $30 million project. Its own budget papers spread the money across four years and show nothing spent yet.

More rain is in the forecast. The National Weather Service in Melbourne says showers and thunderstorms are likely Sunday night before a sunny Columbus Day.

What the weather service recorded

The National Weather Service in Melbourne issued four flood advisories and a flood watch covering parts of St. Lucie County. Its rain figures are radar estimates, not gauge totals. The alerts for St. Lucie County show:

  • Tuesday, Oct. 6, 3:39 p.m.: a flood advisory for southeastern St. Lucie County until 5:15 p.m. Radar showed 1.5 to 3 inches had fallen. Port St. Lucie and Tradition were named.
  • Thursday, Oct. 8, 12:18 p.m.: a flood watch for coastal and inland St. Lucie County and much of east central Florida until 11 p.m.
  • Thursday, 2:35 p.m.: an advisory until 4:30 p.m. after half an inch to an inch of rain.
  • Thursday, 4:21 p.m.: an advisory for eastern St. Lucie County until 6:15 p.m. Radar showed 1 to 2.5 inches had fallen, with Port St. Lucie and St. Lucie West among the places named.
  • Thursday, 11:55 p.m.: an advisory until 1 a.m. for southeastern St. Lucie and northeastern Martin counties, after 1 to 2 inches.

Each advisory warned of “minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas.”

The plan for California and Savona

The city’s proposed capital plan for fiscal 2027 to 2031 lists the Oak Hammock Watershed Improvement Project. It is based on a 2015 study. The project sheet says it covers:

  • three new ponds: the Lennox Street Pond, the California Boulevard Pond and the Oxford Pond
  • baffle boxes to catch debris and pollution
  • a new pump station
  • raising the intersection of California and Savona boulevards

The budget is $8 million in each of fiscal 2027 and 2028, then $7 million in each of 2029 and 2030. All of it would come from borrowing. The sheet lists “Amount Spent-to-Date: $0” and says the city is pursuing grants. Peter May, the city’s executive project manager for stormwater, is the named contact.

Oak Hammock is the largest of six stormwater projects the city plans to fund with bonds over the five years. Together they come to $53.1 million.

Bar chart of Port St. Lucie's planned stormwater bond borrowing for fiscal 2027 to 2031, in millions of dollars: Oak Hammock watershed 30.0, Elkcam Basin 7.9, Kingsway/Oakridge Basin 6.2, E-8 downstream repairs 4.7, swale liner and culvert program 4.0, Hog Pen Slough structure 0.3. Total $53.1 million.
Planned stormwater bond borrowing by project, fiscal 2027 to 2031. Chart by Port St. Lucie Daily; data City of Port St. Lucie Proposed Capital Improvement Plan.
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The same plan sets aside smaller sums each year for flooding on streets and driveways:

  • Swale liner and culvert program: $2.2 million this fiscal year, rising to $2.5 million a year through fiscal 2030. The plan says it aims “to reduce flooding in major roadways.”
  • Residential Culvert Assistance Pilot Program: $400,000 a year for “aging and inadequate culverts.”

Who pays

Every property pays a stormwater fee on its county tax bill. The city manager’s proposed budget in brief raised it by $6, to $195 for a home and $147.75 for a vacant lot. The capital plan says the increase supports bond financing for Oak Hammock and four other stormwater projects.

The City Council adopted the budget on Sept. 28. The adopted budget in brief keeps the fee at $195 for a home and $147.75 for vacant property. The adopted capital plan has not yet been posted on the city’s budget page, so the project figures here are from the proposed version.

What it means for you

  • Report standing water and blocked drains to 1PSL, the city’s 24-hour service line, at 772-871-1775. Other city numbers are in our who to call at City Hall guide.
  • Do not drive through water over the road. The weather service warns that it is often deeper than it looks.
  • Check your culvert. If the pipe under your driveway is old or undersized, ask 1PSL about the residential culvert assistance pilot.
  • The $195 fee arrives with your property tax bill, which the county sends out about Nov. 1. Our property taxes guide explains the bill and the early-payment discount.
  • Hurricane season runs to Nov. 30. Our hurricane prep guide covers sandbags, shelters and evacuation zones.