Nearly a year after Hurricane Milton brought devastating floods to neighborhoods around Lake Bonny, the City of Lakeland has released a long-awaited independent report analyzing what went wrong—and what must change to prevent future disasters.

The storm left streets underwater and homes inundated, forcing families to evacuate and sparking concerns about the city’s ability to handle major weather events.

Outraged by the damage, residents pushed for an outside investigation, saying the city failed to act on warning signs.

“They just didn’t keep up with it,” said resident Ron Capps. “They saw the lake was high last year, but nobody chose to do anything about it.”

The independent report, conducted by engineering firm AECOM, points to inadequate pump capacity as a major factor. The lake’s current system can move only about 10 cubic feet of water per second—far below the 50 to 400 cubic feet per second that experts say may be necessary during significant storm events.

“We knew we were right,” said neighbor Dan Pultz, calling the report both “validating and frustrating.”

AECOM outlined three potential solutions:

• Pump excess water from Lake Bonny to Lake Parker
• Redirect it to a nearby mine
• Route the water downstream through Lake Parker

“We’re just anxious to get the problem fixed,” said Dorothy Drinkwater, who was displaced from her home for a month after Milton hit.

City officials say implementing any of the options will be costly and complex, requiring coordination across city, county, and state agencies. Polk County has taken the lead on the response, submitting a $12 million grant application to the Florida Department of Emergency Management for flood mitigation efforts.

Still, some residents remain doubtful.

“I hope they actually do something with this study,” said Capps. “Not just put it on the back burner because the water’s low and there’s no storm right now.”

As peak hurricane season arrives, Lake Bonny’s current levels offer some relief—but neighbors warn the opportunity to act won’t last.

“Do something about it,” Pultz said. “What else can you do? We’re powerless here.”

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(Image credit: WTSP)

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