The annual Atlantic hurricane season begins on June 1, and it is important for all of us living in Florida to plan ahead and start our pre-season preparations.

Did you know there are simple steps you can take now to prepare your home for hurricane season and help reduce the risk of flooding in your community?

National Hurricane Preparedness Week kicks off on Sunday, May 5, serving as an important reminder to all of us to begin proactively preparing for whatever nature may send our way this season. By taking precautions now, you can protect your home and help keep water flowing through our interconnected drainage system. They include:

• Making sure drainage gates, ditches and swales in your neighborhood are clear of debris.

• Trimming your trees and removing dead vegetation in your yard. Do not trim trees if a major storm is in the forecast.

Securing and storing objects that can easily blow away.

• Checking your community retention pond or lake for obstructed pipes and contact the appropriate authority for removal (could be your HOA, city, county, or local drainage district).

• Finding out who is responsible for drainage in your community. Visit SFWMD.gov/FloodControl.

• Making a personal plan for hurricane preparedness. Learn more at Floridadisaster.org.

SFWMD water managers and field stations staff work year-round throughout Central and Southern Florida to make sure the regional water management system operates smoothly and efficiently to provide flood control and protect regional water supplies.

As hurricane season approaches, the SFWMD may take a number of steps to ensure the primary system can receive rainwater from local drainage systems. If a major storm is approaching the region, you may see canals or lakes that are lower than normal. This is because our water managers will temporarily “draw down” the system to create more room for anticipated storm water.