MERRITT ISLAND, Fla. — Residents near a canal in Brevard County are concerned over a flooded road, and they say it’s getting worse and worse.

  • Rising water levels on road near canal getting worse, residents say
  • Brevard officials: Banana River currently at its highest elevation this year
  • Rising waters attributed to rain, high tides, and king tides

Veteran Thomas Huffman has called Monterey Avenue on Merritt Island his home since the late 1950s.

He told Spectrum News 13 although the water rises during hurricane season, flooding hasn't been this bad and long-lasting in the area for decades.

“(Officials) let the canal go … now it's a mosquito trap, and (they) have not kept it cleaned out or any of that,” Huffman said.

According to Brevard County officials, the Banana River is at its highest elevation this year (1.45ft higher than in January 2019), because of last week’s rain (5 1/2 inches of rain recorded at Merritt Island last week), astronomical high tides, and on top of that, king tides, which is set to peak this week.

Huffman says the water is about 12-inches deep, and if you're not careful or have a tall-enough truck, you could end up with a hefty car-repair bill.

“If (you’re) down too fast you're going to whip water up. If a fan gets it, it can very well drown your car,” Huffman explained.

While Waste Management is not skipping a beat on their rounds driving over the flooded roads, some residents are making the best out of the situation, like going fishing.

According to Brevard County official Susan Jackson in an email, strong onshore winds have been pushing the water inland too, the only thing residents can do is wait for the water levels to recede.

“We’ve not had any flooding complaints on these roadways over the past seven years, except during Hurricane Irma,” Jackson said.