📞 (813) 730-8940
📞 (813) 730-8940
Chokoloskee sits at 18 to 20 feet above sea level on a Calusa shell mound, making it literally the highest ground anywhere in the Everglades, yet even this naturally elevated position couldn't fully protect the community from Hurricane Irma's devastating 9-foot surge of floodwater that rose from the Ten Thousand Islands and Chokoloskee Bay in September 2017. The National Weather Service's official survey documented a maximum inundation value of 8 feet at the historic Smallwood Store in Chokoloskee, with 3 to 5 feet of flooding common across most of the island. Builder Hitchcock, who constructed a home on 20-foot pilings specifically to keep the upper level dry during flooding, still lost 20,000 dollars worth of tools, tackle, and appliances stored underneath, noting still, in a high-velocity flood zone, water will come in with drastic force, illustrating how even elevated, purpose-built construction faces genuine risk from the storage areas beneath these raised structures. We are a Florida state-licensed mold remediation team.
Chokoloskee occupies a genuinely unique geographic position, sitting on a Calusa shell mound at 18 to 20 feet above sea level, making it literally the highest naturally occurring ground anywhere in the Everglades. This distinctive elevation, built up over centuries by indigenous shell deposits, has historically provided this small island community with meaningful protection compared to surrounding lower-lying areas. Yet even this remarkable natural advantage proved insufficient against Hurricane Irma's devastating impact in September 2017, when a 9-foot surge of floodwater rose from the Ten Thousand Islands and Chokoloskee Bay, leaving the island shin-deep in slimy sludge despite its elevated position.
The National Weather Service's official post-storm survey provided precise scientific documentation of this severity, recording a maximum inundation value of 8 feet at the historic Smallwood Store in Chokoloskee, with 3 to 5 feet of flooding common across most of the island. This kind of detailed, location-specific measurement confirms the genuine severity Chokoloskee experienced despite its naturally elevated terrain.
The experience of one local builder, identified as Hitchcock, illustrates an important nuance for understanding flood risk even on elevated property. Having constructed his home on 20-foot pilings specifically to keep the upper living level dry, he still lost 20,000 dollars worth of tools, tackle, and appliances stored in the space underneath during Irma. Still, in a high-velocity flood zone, water will come in with drastic force, he observed, a direct acknowledgment that even thoughtfully elevated construction faces genuine risk in ground-level and under-structure storage areas. For Chokoloskee homeowners, this combination of the island's documented highest-ground status still proving insufficient against a 9-foot surge, and the specific lesson about under-home storage vulnerability even with elevated construction, means professional mold inspection following any significant storm event is an essential consideration for protecting affected property.
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Most jobs range from $2,800 to $9,000. Properties with documented 3-to-5-foot flooding from Hurricane Irma, or under-home storage areas affected by surge, often fall in the $3,500 to $8,000 range. Free on-site inspection and written estimate before any work begins.
Yes, particularly for the space underneath your elevated living area. As specifically documented by builder Hitchcock's experience, even thoughtfully elevated construction with the main living level kept dry can still suffer significant moisture and storage losses underneath during high-velocity flood events, with water entering this lower area with drastic force despite the home's overall elevated design. Professional inspection should specifically include these under-home spaces, not just the elevated living areas.
This documented outcome illustrates that even significant natural elevation advantages can be overwhelmed by sufficiently severe storm surge, Irma's 9-foot surge exceeded what Chokoloskee's 18-to-20-foot elevation could fully protect against in lower-lying portions of the island and ground-level structures. This is valuable context for understanding that elevation reduces but doesn't eliminate flood risk during historically severe storm events, even in naturally advantaged locations like this Calusa shell mound community.
Serving all of Chokoloskee including the Calusa shell mound, Smallwood Store area, downtown, Chokoloskee Bay, and all of Collier County. Same-day appointments available. 24/7 emergency response.