U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Open-File Report 2010-1142

Floods in Florida due to

Tropical Storm Fay,

August 15 through September 26, 2008
Cover: Satellite image of Florida during Tropical Storm Fay, 2008

Image from NASA (National Aeronatics and Space Administration).
Floods in Florida due to Tropical Storm Fay, 

August 15 through September 26, 2008

By Richard J. Verdi and Sandra L. Holt

Open-File Report 2010-1142

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior

KEN SALAZAR, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Marcia K. McNutt, Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2010

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Suggested citation:

Verdi, R.J., and Holt, S.L, 2010, Floods in Florida due to Tropical Storm Fay, August 15 through September 26, 2008: 

U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2010-1142, 18 p.

9781411329317
Contents iii

Contents

Acknowledgments........................................................................................................................................vi

Abstract...........................................................................................................................................................1

Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................2

Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................2

Approach................................................................................................................................................3

Data Collection...............................................................................................................................................6

Storm Track.....................................................................................................................................................7

Rainfall and Runoff.........................................................................................................................................8

Casualties and Damages..............................................................................................................................9

River Discharges and Water Levels .........................................................................................................11

Instantaneous Peak Streamflows and Water Levels....................................................................11

Monthly Mean Streamflows .............................................................................................................16

Summary........................................................................................................................................................18

References Cited..........................................................................................................................................18

Figures

1. Map showing the track of Tropical Storm Fay in August 2008..............................................2

2. Maps showing the locations of the streamgages and weather gages in north 

and south Florida ..........................................................................................................................6

3. Satellite image of Tropical Storm Fay over Florida taken on August 21, 2008 ....................7

4. Map of accumulated rainfall totals during Tropical Storm Fay.............................................8

5–14. Photographs Showing—

5. A flooded building at St. Johns River near Christmas on August 25, 2008.................9

6. A flooded roadway (Highway 46) at the St. Johns River above Lake Harney 

on August 28, 2008 ...............................................................................................................9

7. A flooded structure at Arbuckle Creek near DeSoto City on August 20, 2008...........9

8. Flooded property near the Ochlockonee River near Bloxham on 

August 25, 2008...................................................................................................................10

9. A washed-out road at Weeping Willow Way in eastern Leon County on 

August 24, 2008...................................................................................................................10

10. View looking upstream from underneath the Highway 27 bridge at 

Ochlockonee River near Havana during low flow on June 3, 2008 ...........................11

11. View looking downstream from Highway 12 at the Ochlockonee River near 

Concord on August 25, 2008.............................................................................................14

12. Flooded roadways on the Ochlockonee River near Concord.....................................15

13. Flooded property along the Ochlockonee River near Havana on August 25, 

2008, and the Havana gaging station at Highway 27 on August 26, 2008 .................15

14. The gage at St. Johns River near Sanford during normal conditions on 

April 25, 2008, and after Tropical Storm Fay on August 28, 2008................................17
iv Floods in Florida due to Tropical Storm Faykiisa ub /dkieus SYW RI /REIOUXk /arien /dT

Tables

1. Rainfall amounts recorded at National Weather Service weather stations for 

Tropical Storm Fay........................................................................................................................3

2. National Weather Service and U.S. Geological Survey stations referenced in 

this report.......................................................................................................................................4

3. Rainfall amounts recorded at U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging stations 

for Tropical Storm Fay..................................................................................................................8

4. Peak discharges, river levels, and exceedance probabilities produced by 

Tropical Storm Fay compared to period-of-record peak discharges and 

exceedance probabilities for selected sites in Florida ........................................................12

5. New maximum monthly mean discharges produced by Tropical Storm Fay and the 

previous maximum and year of occurrence ..........................................................................14

6. Relation of period of record August and September combined monthly mean 

discharge to combined mean discharge for August and September 2008 following 

the passage of Tropical Storm Fay ..........................................................................................16

Conversion Factors and Datum

Inch/Pound to SI

Multiply By To obtain

inch (in.) 25.4 millimeter (mm)

foot (ft) 0.3048 meter (m)

mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km)

mile per hour (mi/hr) 1.609 kilometer per hour (km/hr)

cubic foot per second (ft3

/s) 0.028317 cubic meter per second (m3/s)

1 knot = 1.1507 miles per hour

0.01 millibar = 1 pascal

Vertical coordinate information is referenced to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 

(NGVD 29).

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83).
Contents v

Abbrevations and Acronyms

NASA National Aeronotics and Space Administration

NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NWIS National Water Information System

NWS National Weather Service

nmi nautical mile

NWFWMD Northwest Florida Water Management District

USGS U.S. Geological Survey

The Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF Scale) 

Indicating Tornado Intensity

[Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration, 2010, accessed May 12, 2010, at 

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/ef-scale.html. 

EF, Enhanced Fujita Scale]

Operational EF scale

 EF scale 3 second gust

EF 0 65-85 mph

EF 1 86-110 mph

EF 2 111-135 mph

EF 3 136-165 mph

EF 4 166-200 mph

EF 5 Over 200 mph
vi Floods in Florida due to Tropical Storm Faykiisa ub /dkieus SYW RI /REIOUXk /arien /dT

Acknowledgments

The manuscript review and assessment 

from National Weather Service personnel 

Stacy Stewart, Joel Lanier, Irv Watson, 

Paul Duval, and Mike Jamski was much 

appreciated. The input from these 

meteorological experts greatly enhanced 

the scientific merit of this report. Technical 

advisement and manuscript review from 

U.S. Geological Survey personnel Leroy 

Pearman, Stewart Tomlinson, and Eduardo 

Patino strengthened the presentation of the 

material. 
 Abstract 

Weather conditions produced by 

Tropical Storm Fay from August 15 through 

September 26, 2008, caused historic flooding, 

spawned 19 tornadoes, inflicted $390 million 

in damages, and contributed to five deaths in 

Florida. This slow-moving system made four 

separate landfalls accompanied by extensive 

rainfall and some wind-induced effects. 

Major flooding with new period-of-record 

instantaneous peaks and maximum monthly 

mean streamflows were reported throughout 

the Ochlockonee and St. Marks Rivers in the 

Florida Panhandle and the St. Marys, 

St. Johns, Econlockhatchee, and Wekiva Rivers 

in northeastern Florida. A total of 147 field 

crews from the U.S. Geological Survey in 

Florida made flood measurements immediately 

following passage of Tropical Storm Fay and 

continued to monitor high-water conditions for 

the subsequent 24 days. These measurements 

were used to verify and document the ratings 

and the peaks of this climatic event throughout 

the State.

Floods in Florida due to Tropical Storm Fay, 

August 15 through September 26, 2008

By Richard J. Verdi and Sandra L. Holt
2 Floods in Florida due to Tropical Storm Fay

 Introduction 

The prevention and mitigation of flooding and associated property losses are primary objectives of local, State, and Federal 

agencies. Tropical Storm Fay affected Florida from August 15 through September 26, 2008, when it made landfall on four 

separate occasions: 

1. The lower keys near Key West, 

2. South of Naples at Cape Romano, 

3. Near Daytona Beach, and 

4. Near Carrabelle (fig. 1). 

Rainfall was heavy and widespread reaching more than 24 inches (in.) in some places, such as Melbourne (27.65 in.) and 

Cape Canaveral (25.01 in.; table 1). Runoff associated with the storm produced record maximum monthly mean streamflow and 

new period-of-record instantaneous maximum streamflows at the St. Marks River near Newport and the Ochlockonee River near 

Concord in the Florida Panhandle (table 2). Most of the property damage throughout the State was caused by rainfall-induced 

flooding and some wind-induced effects.

Purpose and Scope

The purpose of this report is to document the extreme storm and flood conditions caused by Tropical Storm Fay. The 

objectives of this report are to: 

1. Present an overview of the hydrologic data collected during and after the landfalls of Tropical Storm Fay; 

2. Provide engineers, scientists, emergency management operators and regulators, and the general public with a better 

understanding of the effects of the flooding from this storm; and 

3. Compare this event to historical storm-flood events. 

Figure 1.  The

track of Tropical

Storm Fay in

August 2008.

(Modified from

Stewart and

Beven, 2009.)

20

21

22

23

24

19

FL

AL GA

Lake

Okeechobee

Apalachee

Bay

Key West

Naples

Daytona

Beach

Carabelle

Cape Romano

16

17

18

986 mb

20

21 22

23

24

25

26

27

28

19

15°

20°

25°

30°

35°

20°

25°

30°

40°

90° 85° 80° 75° 70° 65° 60°

95° 90° 85° 80° 75° 70° 65° 60°

PUERTO

RICO

FL

JAMAICA

DOMINICAN

REPUBLIC

HAITI

WV

AR VA TN

NC

SC

TX LA

MS

AL

GA

CUBA

OK KY

MEXICO

0

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 MILES

100 200 300 400 500 600 NAUTICAL MILES

Gulf of Mexico

Atlantic Ocean

Straits of

Florida

Windward

Passage

Mona

Passage

TROPICAL STORM

TROPICAL

DEPRESSION

EXTRATROPICAL

0000 COORDINATED

UNIVERSAL TIME –

Position and date

1200 COORDINATED

UNIVERSAL TIME –

Position

EXPLANATION

16

TROPICAL STORM FAY,

August 15-26, 2008

El Cabo
 Introduction 3

Site 

number

Weather station 

location

Total rainfall 

(inches)

1 Melbourne, Florida 27.65

2 Thomasville, Georgia 27.50

3 Cape Canaveral, Florida 25.01

4 Satellite Beach, Florida 22.87

5 Cocoa Beach, Florida 22.26

6 Sebastian/Scripps Space 

Coast, Florida 22.25

7 Port Canaveral, Florida 21.93

8 Palm Shores, Florida 21.42

9 Palm Bay, Florida 21.00

10 Merritt Island, Florida 19.58

11 Sanford, Florida 18.27

12 DeLand, Florida 17.77

13 St. Marks, Florida 17.67

14 Hobe Sound, Florida 14.80

15 Ft. Pierce, Florida 14.70

16 Okeechobee, Florida 13.82

17 Newton, Georgia 13.50

18 Jacksonville, Florida 12.07

19 Coolidge, Georgia 12.03

20 Monticello, Florida 11.90

21 Valdosta, Georgia 11.67

22 Tallahassee, Florida 11.44

23 Blakely, Georgia 10.85

24 Morgan, Georgia 10.83

25 Wacissa, Florida 10.80

26 Milford, Georgia 10.73

27 Boynton Beach, Florida 9.51

28 Immokalee, Florida 9.11

29 Albany, Georgia 8.68

30 Gainesville, Florida 8.25

31 Naples, Florida 7.96

32 Orlando, Florida 7.46

33 Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 7.12

34 Cudjoe Key, Florida 7.02

35 Big Pine Key, Florida 6.95

36 Miami, Florida 4.11

Table 1.  Rainfall amounts recorded at National Weather Service

weather stations for Tropical Storm Fay.

[Site numbers shown in figures 2A and 2B. Data from the National Weather 

Service (NWS) Hydrometeorological Prediction Center at http://www.hpc.

ncep.noaa.gov]

Approach

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) staff consists of 

highly skilled hydrographers and hydrologists trained to 

respond to flood hazards. A total of 147 USGS field crews 

from Florida—each crew consisting of two hydrographers for 

one day—were dispatched to make flood measurements immediately following passage of Tropical Storm Fay and during 

the subsequent 24 days. These high-water measurements were 

used to verify the ratings and the peaks of this storm event 

throughout the State. Field crews called office personnel at the 

end of each day to provide an update of which sites had been 

measured. Office personnel immediately posted these updates 

to the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) 

where the public could retrieve these data within minutes of 

release. 

Data collected and evaluated by USGS hydrographers 

and hydrologists relative to extreme weather events such 

as Tropical Storm Fay can be used to plan and prepare for 

future storm response efforts. These data are typically used 

by emergency management operators to determine whether 

road closures are necessary. These data also are used by the 

National Weather Service to forecast flooding for a specific 

stream that may adversely impact downstream residents, thus 

alerting emergency management officials of a potential need to 

issue emergency evacuation notices. The Water Management 

Districts in Florida also use these data for regulatory purposes. 

For example, if a substantial amount of rain is forecasted, the 

South Florida Water Management District may determine to 

lower water levels in Lake Okeechobee to prevent possible 

flooding in the area.

Photograph credit: NWS
4 Floods in Florida due to Tropical Storm Fay

Site 

number

Station 

number Station name

1 NWS Melbourne, Florida

2 NWS Thomasville, Georgia

3 NWS Cape Canaveral, Florida

4 NWS Satellite Beach, Florida

5 NWS Cocoa Beach, Florida

6 NWS Sebastian/Scripps Space Coast, Florida

7 NWS Port Canaveral, Florida

8 NWS Palm Shores, Florida

9 NWS Palm Bay, Florida

10 NWS Merritt Island, Florida

11 NWS Sanford, Florida

12 NWS DeLand, Florida

13 NWS St. Marks, Florida

14 NWS Hobe Sound, Florida

15 NWS Ft. Pierce, Florida

16 NWS Okeechobee, Florida

17 NWS Newton, Georgia

18 NWS Jacksonville, Florida

19 NWS Coolidge, Georgia

20 NWS Monticello, Florida

21 NWS Valdosta, Georgia

22 NWS Tallahassee, Florida

23 NWS Blakely, Georgia

24 NWS Morgan, Georgia

25 NWS Wacissa, Florida

26 NWS Milford, Georgia

27 NWS Boynton Beach, Florida

28 NWS Immokalee, Florida

29 NWS Albany, Georgia

30 NWS Gainesville, Florida

31 NWS Naples, Florida

32 NWS Orlando, Florida

33 NWS Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

34 NWS Cudjoe Key, Florida

35 NWS Big Pine Key, Florida

36 NWS Miami, Florida

37 02234435 Lake Jesup Outlet near Sanford, Florida

38 02319800 Suwannee River at Dowling Park, Florida

Table 2.  National Weather Service and U.S. Geological Survey stations referenced in this report.

[Site numbers shown in figures 2A and 2B; NWS, National Weather Service]
 Introduction 5

Site 

number

 Station 

 number Station name

39 02320000 Suwannee River at Luraville, Florida

40 02323000 Suwannee River near Bell, Florida

41 02323592 Suwannee River above Gopher River near Suwannee, Florida

42 02327031 Spring Creek near Spring Creek, Florida

43 02329000 Ochlockonee River near Havana, Florida

44 02358000 Apalachicola River at Chattahoochee, Florida

45 02358789 Chipola River at Marianna, Florida

46 02359000 Chipola River near Altha, Florida

47 02365200 Choctawhatchee River near Pittman, Florida

48 02228500 North Prong St. Marys River at Moniac, Georgia

49 02231000 St. Marys River near Macclenny, Florida

50 02231342 Fort Drum Creek near Fort Drum, Florida

51 02232000 St. Johns River near Melbourne, Florida

52 02232400 St. Johns River near Cocoa, Florida

53 02232500 St. Johns River near Christmas, Florida

54 02233500 Econlockhatchee River near Chuluota, Florida

55 02234000 St. Johns River above Lake Harney near Geneva, Florida

56 02234384 Soldier Creek near Longwood, Florida

57 02234500 St. Johns River near Sanford, Florida

58 02235000 Wekiva River near Sanford, Florida

59 02235200 Blackwater Creek near Cassia, Florida

60 02236000 St. Johns River near De Land, Florida

61 02249500 Crane Creek at Melbourne, Florida

62 02250030 Turkey Creek at Palm Bay, Florida

63 02252500 North Canal near Vero Beach, Florida

64 02256500 Fisheating Creek at Palmdale, Florida

65 02262900 Boggy Creek near Taft, Florida

66 02270500 Arbuckle Creek near DeSoto City, Florida

67 02326900 St. Marks River near Newport, Florida

68 02328522 Ochlockonee River near Concord, Florida

69 02329600 Little River near Midway, Florida

70 02330000 Ochlockonee River near Bloxham, Florida

71 02245500 South Fork Black Creek near Penney Farms, Florida

72 02274010 Taylor Creek near Okeechobee, Florida

73 02272650 Fish Slough near Basinger, Florida

74 02291500 Imperial River near Bonita Springs, Florida

Table 2.  National Weather Service and U.S. Geological Survey stations referenced in this report.—Continued

[Site numbers shown in figures 2A and 2B; NWS, National Weather Service]
6 Floods in Florida due to Tropical Storm Fay

Yankeetown

Monticello

Jacksonville Tallahassee

High

Springs

75

95

Ye w llo Ri r ve

Shoal River

Escambia River

Ch h oc e taw atche

Bal c

R

kwater iver

St.

Suwann ee v Ri er

Ochlocko r nee Rive

San e ta Fe Riv r

River

Johns River

Seminole

Charlton Camden

Ware Brantley

Clinch

Echols Lowndes Lanier Atkinson Pierce

Wayne McIntosh

Glynn

Coffee Bacon

Berrien Cook

Long Appling Liberty Jeff Davis

Irwin

Ben Hill

Brooks Thomas

Grady Decatur

Miller Mitchell

Baker

Colquitt

Tift Dougherty Worth

Early

Clay

Calhoun

Randolph Turner

Lee

Baldwin

Clarke

Escambia

Monroe

Conecuh

Covington

Geneva Houston

Butler

Coffee

Crenshaw

Dale

Pike Barbour

Henry

Terrell

A L A B AM A

Okaloosa G E O R GI A

Escambia

Santa

Rosa

Leon

Wakulla Liberty Jefferson

Gadsden

Franklin Gulf

Bay

Calhoun

Jackson

Washington

Holmes

Walton Nassau Hamilton

Madison

Marion

Levy

Flagler

Putnam

St.

Johns

Clay

Duval Baker

Union

Bradford Alachua

Gilchrist

Columbia

Suwannee

Lafayette

Dixie

Taylor

Volusia

Lake

F L O RI D A

22

18

30

29

23

24

26 17

20

25

21 2

19

12

13

38

40

49

46

44

70

69 48

41

47

45

60

43

68

39

67

42 71

Gulf of Mexico

Atlantic Ocean

31°

30°

29°

87° 86° 85° 84° 83° 82° 81°

0 50 MILES

0 50 KILOMETERS

EXPLANATION

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY SURFACE WATER

GAGING STATION – Site number in table 2

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEATHER

13 STATION – Site number in tables 1 and 2

47

Base modified from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000, 1985

Albers NAD projection 1983

Data Collection

The USGS in cooperation with local, State, and 

Federal agencies operates a network of approximately 

450 continuous-record streamflow-gaging stations in 

Florida. Several types of hydrologic data are collected 

at these gages, including some or all of the following 

properties: 

1. River level, 

2. Water velocity, 

3. Water temperature, 

4. Salinity, 

5. Specific conductance, and 

6. Precipitation. 

Data are recorded at 60-, 30-, or 15-minute 

intervals. All gages are equipped with real-time 

satellite telemetry and transmit data at intervals of 1 to 

4 hours. During critical events, such as floods or 

extreme droughts, data can be transmitted as often as the 

recording interval of the data. These data are essential 

for flood monitoring, emergency response, and control 

operations for dam and reservoir systems. In August 

and September 2008, USGS field crews made discharge 

measurements at several gages during these floods to 

verify the upper end of the stage streamflow ratings and 

to aid in extending the upper end (the part of the rating 

that describes high discharge versus stage) of ratings for 

gages reaching new maximum discharges. These data 

contribute to the understanding of flood characteristics 

and mitigation efforts. Data presented in this report 

include river levels and precipitation data that were 

collected from 34 USGS continuous-record streamflowgaging stations and 36 National Weather Service (NWS) 

Figure 2. The

locations of the

streamgages and

weather gages in

A, north and

B, south Florida.

A

Sarasota

Homestead

Miami

Palmdale

Fort

Myers

Cocoa Beach

Tampa

St. Petersburg

Orlando

Yankeetown

Lake

Okeechobee

Florida Keys

Fort

Lauderdale

Withlacoochee i R ver

Creek

Fisheating

Kissimmee

River

Levy Marion

Charlotte

De Soto

Volusia

Indian

River

Polk

Lake

Osceola Hillsborough

Pasco

Sumter

Hernando

Citrus

Orange

Seminole

Pinellas

Brevard

Manatee Hardee Highlands Okeechobee

St.

Lucie

Martin

Miami-Dade

Collier Broward

Hendry Lee

Monroe

Glades Palm

Beach

Sarasota

Everglades

36

32

63

47

27

33

1

3

4

5

8

9

10 7

28

31

6

14

35

34

16

11

15

12

64

66

51

52

65

6162

59 60

50

53

37

54

55

56

57

58

73

72

74

95

Gulf of Mexico

Atlantic Ocean

29°

83° 82° 81°

28°

27°

26°

25°

80°

0

0

50 MILES

50 KILOMETERS

EXPLANATION

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY SURFACE WATER

GAGING STATION – Site number in table 2

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEATHER

31 STATION – Site number in tables 1 and 2

64

75

95

75

Base modified from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000, 1985

Albers NAD projection 1983

weather gages (table 2; fig. 2). The term water year refers to 

the time period between October 1 and September 30. 

B
Storm Track 7

Storm Track

Tropical Storm Fay began as a fast-moving disturbance with little thunderstorm activity as it emerged 

off the coast of Africa in the Atlantic Ocean on August 6, 2008. However, convection increased as the storm 

speed decreased from 20-25 knots (kt) (or 23 to 29 miles per hour (mph)) to 10 to 15 kt (or 12 to 17 mph) on 

August 14 (Stewart and Beven, 2009). A strong subtropical ridge of high pressure to the north caused the storm 

to move westward through the Mona Passage and to make landfall as a tropical depression in the Dominican 

Republic near El Cabo on August 15 (fig. 1). Although the storm was moving over land, it gained tropical 

storm strength nearly 4 hours after landfall in the Dominican Republic with wind speeds near 40 mph 

(Stewart and Beven, 2009). The cyclone moved through the Windward Passage on August 16. Tropical Storm 

Fay continued to gain strength with sustained winds of 60 mph as it crossed the western part of Cuba and into 

the Florida Straits on August 18 (Stewart and Beven, 2009). 

The center of Tropical Storm Fay made the first of four Florida landfalls during late evening on 

August 18 over the lower keys near Key West with sustained winds of 60 mph. Tropical Storm Fay then 

turned to the northeast and made its second Florida landfall early on August 19 at Cape Romano, south of 

Naples on the southwest coast of Florida (fig. 1). After crossing the western shores of Lake Okeechobee, the 

system strengthened to maximum wind speeds of 65 mph and displayed a well-defined eye in radar and 

satellite imagery (Stewart and Beven, 2009; fig. 3). East of Lake Okeechobee, Tropical Storm Fay weakened 

over land but re-entered the open Atlantic waters off the northeastern coast of Florida. The atmospheric steering 

currents weakened as a broad mid-level trough eroded the high pressure of the subtropical ridge over Florida 

causing the storm to turn northward at a speed of 3 to 4 kt (3.4 to 4.6 mph) and eventually making the third 

Florida landfall near Daytona Beach on August 21 (Stewart and Beven, 2009). Tropical Storm Fay tracked 

to the west-northwest and entered the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico at Apalachee Bay, thus making the 

fourth and final landfall in Florida on August 23 near Carrabelle in the Florida Panhandle. Tropical Storm Fay 

moved slowly to the west-northwest, then turned north and subsequently weakened to a tropical depression 

over land. The storm eventually deteriorated into a remnant low-pressure system over northern Alabama on 

August 26 (Stewart and Beven, 2009). 

.

F LORIDA

Satellite photo courtesy of NASA.

Figure 3.  Satellite

image of Tropical

Storm Fay over Florida

taken on August 21,

2008. (Image credit:

NASA)
8 Floods in Florida due to Tropical Storm Fay

Rainfall and 

Runoff

The slow movement 

of Tropical Storm Fay 

produced damaging winds 

and extensive flooding across 

parts of Florida. Total rainfall 

amounts ranged from 4 to 

greater than 24 in. across 

parts of east-central Florida 

and southern Georgia during 

August 19-29 (tables 1 and 

3; fig. 4). For example, the 

NWS weather gage 

at Melbourne recorded 

27.65 in. of rainfall during the event (table 1). The 

rainfall and runoff associated with Tropical Storm 

Fay in the Kissimmee River 

Valley and Lake Okeechobee 

recharged the lake storage 

(Stewart and Beven, 2009). 

The Florida Panhandle, Big 

Bend area, and extreme 

southern Georgia received 

substantial amounts of rainfall that caused floods in the 

Ochlockonee River basin and 

peak-of-record streamflow in 

the St. Marks River basin. Figure 4

30°

40°

90° 80° 70°

TROPICAL STORM FAY

TRACK – August 19-29, 2008,

at 4,431 sites.

RAINFALL, IN INCHES

EXPLANATION

>7 – 10

>10 – 15

>15 – 20

>20 – 25

1 or less

>1 – 3

>3 – 5

>5 – 7

FL

GA

AL

MS

LA

AR

TN

KY

SC

NC

VA

WV

MO

IL

IN

OH

PA

MD

NJ

DE

WI MI

Gulf of Mexico

Atlantic Ocean

0

0 100 200 300 MILES

100 200 300 NAUTICAL MILES

Site 

number

USGS station 

number Streamflow-gaging station Total rainfall (inches)

37 02234435 Lake Jesup Outlet near Sanford, Florida 19.31

71 02245500 South Fork Black Creek near Penney Farms, Florida 12.29

72 02274010 Taylor Creek near Okeechobee, Florida 17.75

73 02272650 Fish Slough near Basinger, Florida 12.14

38 02319800 Suwannee River at Dowling Park, Florida 5.41

39 02320000 Suwannee River at Luraville, Florida 9.29

40 02323000 Suwannee River near Bell, Florida 6.48

41 02323592 Suwannee River above Gopher River near Suwannee, Florida 8.52

42 02327031 Spring Creek near Spring Creek, Florida 10.44

43 02329000 Ochlockonee River near Havana, Florida 14.73

44 02358000 Apalachicola River at Chattahoochee, Florida 4.90

45 02358789 Chipola River at Marianna, Florida 6.07

46 02359000 Chipola River near Altha, Florida 5.84

47 02365200 Choctawhatchee River near Pittman, Florida 4.03

Table 3.  Rainfall amounts recorded at U.S. Geological Survey streamflow gaging stations for Tropical Storm Fay.

[Site numbers shown in figure 2B. USGS, U.S. Geological Survey. Data from unpublished files of the U.S. Geological Survey]

Figure 4.  Map

of accumulated

rainfall totals

during Tropical

Storm Fay.

(Modified from

Stewart and

Beven, 2009.)
Casualties and Damages 

9

Casualties and Damages

Floods associated with Tropical 

Storm Fay caused five deaths in Florida 

and eight deaths throughout the 

Dominican Republic and Haiti in 

addition to considerable property 

damage (Stewart and Beven, 2009). The 

storm spawned 19 tornadoes in Florida 

and 62 others across Georgia, North 

Carolina, South Carolina, and Alabama. 

The majority of the tornadoes in Florida 

were classified as an Enhanced Fujita 

Scale rating of EF0; although a few were 

classified as EF1 and EF2, including an 

EF2 tornado that caused $1.25 million 

in damages to an equine clinic and other 

structures in Wellington and east of 

Wellington (Stewart and Beven, 2009). 

The primary causes of damage through-

out Florida were rainfall-induced flood-

ing that damaged residential structures, 

and wind speeds that resulted in downed 

trees and utility lines and minor roof 

damages to some structures. 

An estimated $562 million was 

reported in damages as a result of 

Tropical Storm Fay from across the 

Southeastern United States: Florida 

($390 million), Georgia ($50 million), 

Alabama ($50 million), with additional 

losses reported by the National Flood 

Insurance Program ($72 million) 

(Stewart and Beven, 2009). Damaged 

and flooded roadways and structures near 

streams in northeastern Florida and the 

Florida Panhandle are shown in figures 5 

through 9. 

Eastern Leon and Wakulla Counties 

experienced weeks of extensive closed 

basin flooding due to this tropical event 

(Joel Lanier, National Weather Service, 

oral commun., 2009). A closed basin is 

a basin with a closed drainage area 

and no natural surface outlets. Road 

damage caused by Tropical Storm Fay 

is shown in figure 9. The photograph 

view is facing east and shows water 

moving from south to north along 

Weeping Willow Way in eastern Leon 

County. A sinkhole to the south of 

Weeping Willow Way began discharging 

groundwater that subsequently caused the 

road destruction (Joel Lanier, National 

Weather Service, oral commun., 2009).

.

Figure 5.  A flooded

building at St. Johns

River near Christmas

(02232500) on

August 25, 2008.

(Photograph credit:

USGS)

Figure 6.  A flooded

roadway (Highway 46)

at the St. Johns River

above Lake Harney

(02234000) on

August 28, 2008.

(Photograph credit:

USGS)

Figure 7.  A flooded

structure at Arbuckle

Creek near DeSoto

City (02270500) on

August 20, 2008.

(Photograph credit:

USGS)
10 Floods in Florida due to Tropical Storm Fay

Casualties and 

Damages—Continued

Storm-drainage systems were 

overwhelmed by the widespread flooding 

associated with Tropical Storm Fay in 

several counties and towns across central 

and northeastern Florida. More than 

130 residential homes in De Bary 

were damaged by floodwaters because 

the storm-drainage system could not 

accommodate the high volume of water 

(Jackson, 2009). Officials for the City 

of De Bary were awaiting new pumps to 

be delivered and installed at the time of 

the storm, thus prompting city workers to snake hoses along roadways in 

an effort to help carry water away from 

the overflowing ponds (Jackson, 2009). 

As a result of this flood associated with 

Tropical Storm Fay, the City of De Bary 

was granted $6.6 million in Federal aid to 

build a bigger and stronger drainage 

system (Jackson, 2009). Residents in 

Seminole County experienced flooding 

along Lake Harney, which rose to record 

levels, as did Lake Monroe and Mullet 

Lake. In Chuluota, a culvert collapsed 

and destroyed part of the road above it 

(Jackson, 2009); thus, a new 70-acre 

retention pond is being constructed as 

well as a new pump station that can 

manage up to 12 in. of daily rainfall to 

alleviate future flooding (Jackson, 2009). 

Residents in Casselberry experienced 

flooding along Gee Creek (Jackson, 

2009). In response to this storm event, 

the U.S. Department of Agriculture 

provided $1 million to line Gee Creek 

with erosion-preventing plants and wiremesh boxes of rocks to alleviate future 

flooding along this waterway. Damages 

at Altamonte Springs included a lift 

station (that is, a tank or chamber 

accompanied by a pump and controls 

that are used to retain and periodically 

discharge wastewater effluent) that was 

flooded, which threatened to backup 

sewage into homes. An amphitheatre 

near the Altamonte Mall also flooded 

(Jackson, 2009). 

.

Figure 8.  Flooded

property near the

Ochlockonee River

near Bloxham

(02330000) on

August 25, 2008.

(Photograph credit:

Bob Duggan, NWS,

Tallahassee, Florida)

Figure 9. A washedout road at Weeping

Willow Way in

eastern Leon County

on August 24, 2008.

(Photograph credit:

Jason Elliot, NWS,

Huntsville, Alabama)
River Discharges and Water Levels 11

River Discharges and Water Levels

River and stream conditions across Florida averaged below normal during the months leading to the landfall of Tropical 

Storm Fay. Most streams in northeastern Florida and the Florida Panhandle area had below average monthly mean streamflow 

during the months prior to this storm event. Monthly flow at the St. Marys River near Macclenny gage (station 02231000; period 

of record 1927-2008) averaged 17 percent of normal in May and 12 percent of normal in June. The Arbuckle Creek near DeSoto 

City gage (station 02270500; period of record 1939-2008) averaged 8 percent of normal in May and 5 percent of normal in June. 

The Ochlockonee River near Havana gage (station 02329000; period of record 1926-2008) averaged 30 percent of normal in 

May, 20 percent of normal in June, and 21 percent of normal in July (fig.10). Some gage sites even reached zero flow for at least 

part of the event time, such as the Santa Fe River at Worthington Springs gage (station 02321500), which reached zero flow for 

the period from June 7-11. Several sites recorded peak-of-record river levels and discharges during the event (table 4) and(or) 

period-of-record maximum monthly mean discharges during August or September 2008 following the event (table 5).

.

Figure 10.  View

looking upstream

from underneath the

Highway 27 bridge at

Ochlockonee River

near Havana during

low flow on June 3,

2008. (Photograph

credit: Erik Ohlson,

USGS, Tallahassee,

Florida)

Instantaneous Peak Streamflows and Water Levels

Instantaneous peak is defined as a local maximum value in the continuous time series of streamflow or river-level 

measurements, preceded by a period of increasing values, and then followed by a period of decreasing values (U.S. Geological 

Survey, 2004). Peaks from floods caused by rainfall associated with Tropical Storm Fay were among the highest for the periods 

of record for several gages across northeastern Florida and the Florida Panhandle. 

Some record peak discharges and other notable peaks were observed at sites in the Ochlockonee and St. Marks River basins 

in the Florida Panhandle and the St. Marys, St. Johns, Econlockhatchee, and Wekiva River basins in northeastern Florida. In the 

Florida Panhandle area, the St. Marks River near Newport gage (station 02326900) recorded a peak discharge of 5,890 cubic 

feet per second (ft3/s) and a river level of 17.39 feet (ft) above the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 on August 25. 
12 Floods in Florida due to Tropical Storm Fay

Site 

number

USGS 

station 

number

Streamflow-gaging station

Period 

of record 

through 2008

Peak of event

Peak 

discharge 

(ft3

/s)

Date

Peak 

river level

(feet above 

NGVD 29)

Date

Exceedance 

probability1

48 02228500 North Prong St. Marys River at Moniac, 

Georgia 1921-2008 5,740 08/24/08 108.55 08/24/08 0.04-0.02

49 02231000 St. Marys River near Macclenny, Florida 1927-2008 20,500 08/24/08 61.14 08/24/08 0.1-0.04

50 02231342 Fort Drum Creek near Fort Drum, Florida 1977-2008 2

2,360 08/20/08 39.88 08/20/08 <0.01

51 02232000 St. Johns River near Melbourne, Florida 1939-2008 3

6,800 08/28/08 419.34 08/31/08 0.2-0.1

52 02232400 St. Johns River near Cocoa, Florida 1954-2008 3

6,510 09/06/08 417.11 08/31/08 0.2-0.1

53 02232500 St. Johns River near Christmas, Florida 1933-2008 3

8,500 08/22/08 412.09 08/31/08 0.10

54 02233500 Econlockhatchee River near Chuluota, 

Florida 1936-2008 8,730 08/23/08 19.68 08/23/08 0.04-0.02

55 02234000 St. Johns River above Lake Harney near 

Geneva, Florida 1941-2008 3

10,800 09/06/08 411.15 08/30/08 0.1-0.04

56 02234384 Soldier Creek near Longwood, Florida 1972-2008 2

762 08/21/08 14.48 08/21/08 --

57 02234500 St. Johns River near Sanford, Florida 1941-2008 3

12,800 09/01/08 47.89 09/03/08 0.1-0.04

58 02235000 Wekiva River near Sanford, Florida 1936-2008 1,800 08/22/08 11.25 08/22/08 0.02

59 02235200 Blackwater Creek near Cassia, Florida 1967-2008 811 08/26/08 28.68 08/26/08 0.04-0.02

60 02236000 St. Johns River near DeLand, Florida 1934-2008 3

14,700 09/02/08 45.44 09/04/08 0.04

61 02249500 Crane Creek at Melbourne, Florida 1951-2008 2

1,550 08/20/08 15.29 08/20/08 <0.01

62 02250030 Turkey Creek at Palm Bay, Florida 1981-2008 2,35,530 08/20/08 9.05 08/20/08 --

63 02252500 North Canal near Vero Beach, Florida 1951-2008 3

915 08/20/08 12.06 08/20/08 --

64 02256500 Fisheating Creek at Palmdale, Florida 1931-2008 4,560 08/22/08 34.93 08/22/08 0.5-0.2

65 02262900 Boggy Creek near Taft, Florida 1959-2008 1,150 08/24/08 68.72 08/24/08 0.2-0.1

66 02270500 Arbuckle Creek near DeSoto City, 

Florida 1939-2008 3

2,660 08/20/08 42.91 08/20/08 0.5-0.2

74 02291500 Imperial River near Bonita Springs, 

Florida

1940-1954;

1988-2008 1,430 08/26/08 13.08 08/26/08 0.2-0.1

67 02326900 St. Marks River near Newport, Florida 1957-2008 2

5,890 08/25/08 17.39 08/25/08 <0.01

68 02328522 Ochlockonee River near Concord, Florida 1999-2008 2

54,400 08/25/08 115.52 08/25/08 --

43 02329000 Ochlockonee River near Havana, Florida 1926-2008 37,400 08/25/08 93.04 08/25/08 0.02-0.01

69 02329600 Little River near Midway, Florida 1965-2008 24,500 08/24/08 83.52 08/24/08 0.1-0.04

70 02330000 Ochlockonee River near Bloxham, 

Florida 1926-2008 46,600 08/26/08 50.31 08/26/08 0.04-0.02

1

Based on period of record data to 2006.

2

Indicates new period-of-record maximum instantaneous discharge.

3

Indicates value is a daily mean.

4

Indicates peak river level occurred on a different day than peak discharge. Data computed using index-velocity method.

Table 4.  Peak discharges, river levels, and exceedance probabilities produced by Tropical Storm Fay compared to period-of-record peak

discharges and exceedance probabilites for selected sites in Florida.

[Site locations shown in figures 2A and 2B. USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; NGVD 29, National Geodetic Vertical Datum 

for 1929; --, no data]
River Discharges and Water Levels 13

Instantaneous Peak Streamflows and 

Water Levels —Continued

The discharge is the peak of record for this site for the period 

of record from 1957-2008. Personnel from the USGS and 

Northwest Florida Water Management District (NWFWMD) 

made four streamflow measurements—two measurements on 

August 25, one measurement on August 26, and one measurement on August 28—that verified this highest period-of-record 

peak. These high river levels can be attributed to backwater 

affects from State Road 98. The peak runoff occurred during a 

7-day period that was followed by an extended supplemental 

recession at the New Port gage (Joel Lanier, National Weather 

Service, oral commun., 2009). An event of this magnitude has 

a less than 1 percent chance of being exceeded in any given 

year (table 4). Peak discharges, river levels, and exceedance 

probabilities at selected sites in Florida produced by the 

flooding associated with the landfall of Tropical Storm Fay 

are shown in table 4. 

The Ochlockonee River near Concord gage (station 

02328522; period of record 1999-2008) recorded a peak-ofrecord discharge of 54,400 ft3

/s on August 25 (figs. 11 and 12; 

table 4). The Ochlockonee River near Havana gage (station 

02329000; period of record 1926-2008) had its second 

highest peak-of-record discharge, 37,400 ft3/s, on August 25 

(fig. 13). Field crews from USGS made a discharge measurement on August 26 that verified the upper end of the rating 

and the peak. An event of this magnitude has a 1 to 2 percent 

chance of being exceeded in any given year (table 4). 

Previously, the peak-of-record discharge at the gaging 

station on the Ochlockonee River near Havana was 

55,900 ft3/s recorded on April 4, 1948 (table 4). An event 

of this magnitude has a less than 1 percent chance of being 

exceeded in any given year (table 4). The loss of water 

between the gaging station near Concord and the gaging 

station near Havana is most likely attributed to attenuation 

or storage between the two locations, although further 

research is needed to substantiate this process.

In northeastern Florida, the Wekiva River near Sanford 

gage (station 02235000; period of record 1936-2008) had a 

peak discharge of 1,800 ft3

/s on August 22. USGS personnel made three additional measurements between August 23 

and September 8 that verified the rating at the peak and the 

subsequent decline in water levels after the event. An event 

of this magnitude has a 2 percent chance of being exceeded 

in any given year (table 4). The Econlockhatchee River near 

Chuluota gage (station 02233500; period of record 1936-2008) 

had a peak discharge of 8,730 ft3/s on August 23 that was 

the fifth highest peak in the 74-year period of record and the 

highest peak discharge since March 18, 1960. A streamflow of 

this magnitude has a 2 to 4 percent chance of being exceeded 

in any given year (table 4). The St. Johns River near Sanford 

gage (station 02234500; period of record 1941-2008) had a 

peak daily discharge1

 of 12,800 ft3/s on September 1 that was 

Period-of-record peak discharges

Magnitude 

(ft3

/s)

Date

Peak 

river level

(feet above 

NGVD 29)

Date

Exceedance 

probability1

11,600 04/05/73 112.38 04/05/73 <0.01

28,100 09/25/47 63.25 09/13/64 0.04-0.02

1,470 09/27/04 39.09 09/27/04 0.1-0.04

3

18,000 10/18/56 20.86 09/30/60 <0.01

3

10,700 10/11/53 16.96 10/11/53 0.04-0.02

3

11,600 10/11/53 12.43 09/28/60 0.04-0.02

11,000 03/18/60 20.83 03/18/60 0.02-0.01

3

14,500 09/26/04 10.62 10/13/53 <0.01

605 11/25/92 14.41 09/13/73 --

17,500 10/14/53 8.5 10/14/53 0.02-0.01

2,060 09/17/45 11.05 09/12/60 <0.01

835 10/01/04 28.48 09/01/68 0.02

3

17,100 10/15/53 45.97 10/11/53 0.02-0.01

831 09/26/04 13.98 10/24/05 0.1-0.04

3

4,050 09/26/04 8.16 09/26/04 --

3

1,580 09/24/60 11.94 10/04/00 --

31,400 10/03/51 39.63 10/03/51 <0.01

3,680 03/18/60 69.72 03/18/60 <0.01

7,380 09/23/48 44.22 09/23/48 0.02-0.01

2,890 09/12/40 13.68 10/15/95 0.04-0.02

4,750 04/07/73 15.34 04/07/73 0.04-0.02

23,700 07/13/05 111.31 07/13/05 --

55,900 04/04/48 94.44 04/04/48 <0.01

49,200 09/22/69 86.25 09/22/69 0.02-0.01

89,400 09/25/69 53.89 09/23/69 <0.01

Table 4.  Peak discharges, river levels, and exceedance

probabilities produced by Tropical Storm Fay—Continued
14 Floods in Florida due to Tropical Storm Fay

Site 

number

USGS 

station 

number

Streamflow-gaging station

Period 

of record 

through 

2008

Month of 

occurrence 

of maximum 

monthly 

mean 

discharge

Discharge 

(ft3

/s)

Previous 

maximum 

monthly 

mean discharge for 

the month

(ft3

/s)

Year of 

occurrence

48 02228500 North Prong St. Marys River at Moniac, Georgia 1921-2008 August 1,360 726 1971

49 02231000 St. Marys River near Macclenny, Florida 1927-2008 August 4,490 3,300 1945

50 02231342 Fort Drum Creek near Fort Drum, Florida 1977-2008 August 363 222 1995

51 02232000 St. Johns River near Melbourne, Florida 1939-2008 August 2,910 2,700 2002

52 02232400 St. Johns River near Cocoa, Florida 1954-2008 September 5,410 5,050 1960

54 02233500 Econlockhatchee River near Chuluota, Florida 1936-2008 August 1,900 1,440 2003

55 02234000 St. Johns River above Lake Harney near

 Geneva, Florida 1941-2008 September 8,520 7,420 2004

56 02234384 Soldier Creek near Longwood, Florida 1972-2008 August

September

 90.6

 93.4

44.0

80.2

2003

2004

58 02235000 Wekiva River near Sanford, Florida 1936-2008 August 627 592 2003

59 02235200 Blackwater Creek near Cassia, Florida 1967-2008 August 236 166 2005

60 02236000 St. Johns River near DeLand, Florida 1934-2008 September 12,100 1960

61 02249500 Crane Creek at Melbourne, Florida 1951-2008 August 146 49.0 1966

62 02250030 Turkey Creek at Palm Bay, Florida 1981-2008 August 874 725 1995

63 02252500 North Canal near Vero Beach, Florida 1951-2008 August 168 119 1981

67 02326900 St. Marks River near Newport, Florida 1957-2008 September 1,660 1,560 1957

68 02328522 Ochlockonee River near Concord, Florida 1999-2008 August 4,630 2,600 2003

69 02329600 Little River near Midway, Florida 1965-2008 August 1,740 1,620 1994

Table 5.  New maximum monthly mean discharges produced by Tropical Storm Fay and the previous maximum and year of occurrence.

[Site locations shown in figures 2A and 2B. USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; ft3/s, cubic feet per second]

.

Figure 11. View

looking downstream

from Highway 12 at

the Ochlockonee

River near Concord

on August 25, 2008.

(Photograph credit:

Erik Ohlson, USGS,

Tallahassee, Florida)

Instantaneous Peak 

Streamflows and 

Water Levels —Continued

the fourth highest in the 67-year period 

of record (table 4; fig. 14). An event of 

this magnitude has a 4 to 10 percent 

chance of being exceeded in a given 

year (table 4). The peak daily mean 

discharge1 from the event at the 

St. Johns River near DeLand gage 

(station 02236000; period of record 

1934-2008) was 14,700 ft3/s recorded 

on September 2. USGS field crews made 

three measurements between August 25 

and September 9 that verified the rating 

and peak for this gage. A streamflow of 

this magnitude has a 4 percent chance 

of being exceeded during a given year 

(table 4).
River Discharges and Water Levels 15

In southwestern Florida, the 

Imperial River near Bonita Springs gage 

(station 02291500; period of record 

1940-1954 and 1988-2008) had a peak 

discharge of 1,430 ft3

/s on August 26. 

An event of this magnitude has a 10 to 

20 percent chance of being exceeded in 

any given year (table 4).

Other basins, such as the Suwannee 

River basin, were not severely affected 

by the flooding associated with 

Tropical Storm Fay. Although rainfall 

from the storm did not affect the upper 

part of this basin, river levels returned 

to near normal conditions as a result of 

rainfall associated with Tropical Storm 

Fay. These normal conditions occurred 

because extremely dry conditions had 

persisted throughout the region prior to 

the storm. 

1

 Station is tidally affected; therefore, the 

published peak discharge is a daily mean.

.

Figure 12. Flooded

roadways, A and B,

on the Ochlockonee

River near Concord.

(Photograph credit:

Erik Ohlson, USGS,

Tallahassee, Florida)

A

B

.

Figure 13.  Flooded

property along the

Ochlockonee River

near Havana on

August 25, 2008, and

the Havana gaging

station at Highway 27

on August 26, 2008. 

(Photograph credits:

A and B, Kelly Godsey,

NWS, Tallahassee,

Florida; C, Erik Ohlson,

USGS, Tallahassee,

Florida)

A

B

C
16 Floods in Florida due to Tropical Storm Fay

Monthly Mean Streamflows

Monthly mean streamflow is defined as the arithmetic average of the daily mean discharges during a given month. Rainfall 

and runoff associated with Tropical Storm Fay produced higher than normal monthly mean streamflows for many gage sites 

across northeastern Florida and the Florida Panhandle. Several gaging stations recorded peak-of-record, monthly mean streamflows for August and(or) September. For example, The St. Marys River near Macclenny gage (station 02231000) in northeastern 

Florida reached a new August maximum monthly mean streamflow of 4,490 ft3/s. The previous record was 3,300 ft3/s set in 

1945 (table 5). The St. Johns River near DeLand gage (station 02236000) reached a new September maximum monthly mean 

streamflow of 12,800 ft3/s. The previous record was 12,100 ft3/s set in 1960 (table 5). The St. Marks River near Newport gage 

(station 02326900) in the Florida Panhandle reached a new September maximum monthly mean streamflow of 1,660 ft3/s. 

The previous record was 1,560 ft3/s set in 1957 (table 5). 

Site 

number

USGS 

station 

number

Streamflow-gaging station

Period 

of record 

through 

2008

Period 

of record 

combined 

monthly 

mean 

discharge

(ft3

/s)

2008 

combined 

monthly 

mean 

discharge

(ft3

/s)

Percent of 

average

48 02228500 North Prong St. Marys River at Moniac, Georgia 1921-2008 406 1,620 399

49 02231000 St. Marys River near Macclenny, Florida 1927-2008 1,970 5,810 295

50 02231342 Fort Drum Creek near Fort Drum, Florida 1977-2008 201 412 205

51 02232000 St. Johns River near Melbourne, Florida 1939-2008 2,300 6,700 291

52 02232400 St. Johns River near Cocoa, Florida 1954-2008 2,930 8,060 275

53 02232500 St. Johns River near Christmas, Florida 1933-2008 3,780 10,300 272

54 02233500 Econlockhatchee River near Chuluota, Florida 1936-2008 1,160 2,600 224

55 02234000 St. Johns River above Lake Harney near Geneva, Florida 1941-2008 5,810 13,400 231

56 02234384 Soldier Creek near Longwood, Florida 1972-2008 46.9 184 392

57 02234500 St. Johns River near Sanford, Florida 1941-2008 6,480 16,000 247

58 02235000 Wekiva River near Sanford, Florida 1936-2008 701 1,030 147

59 02235200 Blackwater Creek near Cassia, Florida 1967-2008 177 484 273

60 02236000 St. Johns River near Deland, Florida 1934-2008 7,710 18,400 239

61 02249500 Crane Creek at Melbourne, Florida 1951-2008 58.1 195 336

62 02250030 Turkey Creek at Palm Bay, Florida 1981-2008 583 1,350 232

63 02252500 North Canal near Vero Beach, Florida 1951-2008 98.4 218 222

64 02256500 Fisheating Creek at Palmdale, Florida 1931-2008 1,260 2,040 162

65 02262900 Boggy Creek near Taft, Florida 1959-2008 248 503 203

66 02270500 Arbuckle Creek near DeSoto City, Florida 1939-2008 1,170 1,500 128

67 02326900 St. Marks River near Newport, Florida 1957-2008 1,520 3,310 218

68 02328522 Ochlockonee River near Concord, Florida 1999-2008 1,600 5,460 341

43 02329000 Ochlockonee River near Havana, Florida 1926-2008 1,430 5,460 382

69 02329600 Little River near Midway, Florida 1965-2008 627 1,940 309

70 02330000 Ochlockonee River near Bloxham, Florida 1926-2008 2,790 8,330 298

Table 6.  Relation of period of record August and September combined monthly mean discharge to combined mean discharge for

August and September 2008 following passage of Tropical Storm Fay.

[Site locations shown in figures 2A and 2B. USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; ft3/s, cubic feet per second]
River Discharges and Water Levels 17

Combined monthly mean streamflows for August and September 2008 averaged above normal in the Ochlockonee and 

St. Marks River basins in the Florida Panhandle and in the St. Marys, St. Johns, and Ocklawaha River basins in northeastern 

Florida. Combined monthly mean streamflows ranged from 128 percent of average (1,500 ft3

/s) at the Arbuckle Creek near 

DeSoto City gage (station 02270500; table 6) to 392 percent of average (184 ft3/s) at the Soldier Creek near Longwood gage 

(station 02234384; table 6). Combined monthly mean streamflow was 382 percent of average (5,460 ft3/s) at Ochlockonee River 

near Havana (station 02329000; table 6). Combined monthly mean streamflow was 295 percent of average (5,810 ft3/s) at the 

St. Mary’s River near Macclenny gage (station 02231000; table 6).

.

Figure 14. The gage

at St. Johns River near

Sanford during A, normal

conditions on April 25,

2008, and B, after Tropical

Storm Fay on August 28,

2008. (Photograph credits:

USGS)

A

B
18 Floods in Florida due to Tropical Storm Fay

Summary

Rainfall-induced flooding and wind-induced effects 

from four separate landfalls made by Tropical Storm Fay 

in Florida during 2008 caused most of the $390 million in 

property damage throughout the State. The slow movement of 

Tropical Storm Fay produced damaging winds and extensive 

flooding across parts of Florida. All gages are equipped with 

real-time satellite telemetry and transmit data at intervals of 

1 to 4 hours. During critical events, such as floods or extreme 

droughts, data can be transmitted as often as the recording 

interval of the data. These data are essential for flood monitoring, emergency response, and control operations for dam and 

reservoir systems. 

Rainfall totals, discharge comparisons, flood statistics, 

and river-level data from Tropical Storm Fay provided 

valuable comparisons with historical storm-flood events and 

validated new rainfall and flood records for many areas in 

Florida. Rainfall totals during Tropical Storm Fay ranged from 

4 to more than 24 inches in some locations throughout the 

State. Peaks of record occurred at the St. Marks River near 

Newport and the Ochlockonee River near Concord. The 

second highest peak of record occurred at the Ochlockonee 

River near Havana. River levels reached new maximum 

monthly means for August and September throughout the 

St. Marys, St. Johns, Econlockhatchee, and Wekiva basins 

in northeastern Florida and the Ochlockonee and St. Marks 

basins in the Florida Panhandle. Hydrologic data that is 

collected and evaluated by the USGS relative to this storm 

and other extreme weather events contributes to a better 

understanding of flood characteristics and flood mitigation 

efforts. 

References Cited

Jackson, R., 2009, Can Fay happen again? Cities, 

counties ramp up flood control: Orlando Sentinel, 

accessed August 5, 2009, at http://www.orlandosentinel.

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For additional information, contact:

Richard J. Verdi, Hydrologist

U.S. Geological Survey

2639 North Monroe Street, Suite A-200

Tallahassee, FL 32303

(850) 553-3676 Phone

(850) 553-3641 Fax
Verdi, R.J., and Holt, S.L.—Floods in Florida due to Tropical Storm Fay, August 15 through September 26, 2008 —Open-File Report 2010-1142

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