LAKE COUNTY, FL (352Today.com) – On Oct. 26, 2025, Mount Dora and Eustis each received 15 to 19 inches of rain in a matter of hours, overwhelming roads and stormwater systems. Wolf Branch Road, which successfully reopened Oct. 23, 2024, following Hurricane Milton, was among those damaged, but the County estimates the road will reopen in about four weeks. It will be improved by increasing drainage capacity and by modifying the road itself.
“We understand the frustration our residents feel,” said Lake County Board of County Commissioners Chairman Leslie Campione. “These closures are such a disruption to our daily commutes and routines, especially since this same road washed out last year during Hurricane Milton, but Lake County is working to rebuild this segment with drainage enhancements and modifications to the road elevation that will accommodate increased runoff from businesses upstream.”
In the immediate aftermath of the Oct. 26 rainfall, Lake County declared a local State of Emergency, activated the Emergency Operations Center, and deployed Public Works crews and state partners to install barricades and pump 30 million gallons of floodwater.
Wolf Branch Road repairs are already underway, and the completion date hinges on work that must be completed by the gas and power companies first. Additionally, this stormwater basin has been the subject of a comprehensive hydrogeological study due to its extreme topography, ponds at high elevations, and springs in various locations, which contribute to the volume and velocity of runoff that flows downstream. The County’s goal is to ensure natural drainage patterns are maintained while protecting residents’ safety and preventing property damage, which will require ongoing implementation of a variety of engineering strategies to enhance stormwater retention and conveyance.
Campione said, “The Lake County Commission has been unanimously committed to seeing through the full implementation of comprehensive improvements in this basin, but the completion of a project of this significance requires coordination with and approval of State and Federal agencies.”
Campione added, “Numerous residents have asked me why the County can get Wolf Branch Road reopened relatively quickly, yet Britt Road, which has similar topographical features and artesian springs, has still not been opened.”
The answer is straightforward and relates to property ownership: The County owns sufficient land on both sides of Wolf Branch to conduct the work necessary to modify and enhance drainage capacity and to rebuild this road. Still, the County did not own the area needed to reconstruct the 20-foot-deep washout on Britt Road. It has taken months to secure crucial right-of-way access, which will allow for repairs engineered to last for decades, including a complex culvert system.
If Britt Road had been just patched, stability and safety would have been threatened. Campione said the only silver lining of that delay is that the County has been able to work with FDOT and the Federal Highway Administration to obtain grants to buy the necessary right-of-way and land and to pay for construction costs.
Lake County recognizes that road closures and detours add hardships, and the County is committed to providing realistic timelines and daily efforts to move these projects along.
“Concerning a completion date for Britt Road, I don’t want to give false hope,” Campione said. “Britt Road experienced additional damage during this storm, and every modification of the engineering plans requires involvement by multiple agencies. But the County will continue to work on Britt Road diligently in the coming months, and updates will be provided as we start to see major progress. These repairs are a top daily priority, and we won’t stop until this road is restored.”