Stone Island residents prepare for flooding as St. Johns River levels rise

Volusia County leaders are keeping a close eye on communities along the St. Johns River as water levels continue to rise following heavy rainfall across Central Florida.The recent rain is pushing more water into the river, raising concerns for residents in low-lying areas, including Stone Island.Jane Rourke has been watching water creep into parts of her backyard for days. She says an RV sitting on a raised platform is now just about a foot away from being overtaken by the water.“You can see the RV is on a platform that is about 3 or 4 feet high, and we only got about a foot left before it goes over there,” Rourke said. The rising water isn’t her only concern. Rourke says she’s now keeping an eye out for three alligators in the area. Living on Stone Island, Rourke is familiar with flooding. In 2022, Hurricane Ian left her and dozens of other residents trapped for about a month.“Scary… you had to come and see me by boat,” Rourke said, recalling that experience.After a relatively quiet h