Severe Florida Water Restriction Begin Today

Severe Florida Water Restriction In Place - Florida Drought 2008

Today marks the beginning of the most strictest landscape irrigation in Florida history, as South Florida Water Management District starts Phase III water restrictions. The following counties are now down to one day a week lawn and outside watering, Dade, Broward, Palm Beach Martin, St Lucie, Okeechobee, Glades, Monroe, Hendry, Lee, Collier, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Highlands, and Charlotte. The Florida drought of 2007 has continued into 2008, and even though the summer rains of 2007 were more active along the Florida east and west coasts, the interior locations had one of the driest on record. The inland water levels at area lakes, ponds, and canals are well below normal already, and many months of the dry season are still ahead.

You Can read more about the severe water restrictions from Water Management agencies listed for each Florida county.

South Florida Water Management District: Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, Okeechobee, Monroe, St Lucie, Glades Hendry

St. Johns River Water Management District: Orange, Osceola

Southwest Florida Water Management District: Lee, Charlotte, Highlands

Lake Okeechobee Drought Continues - 2008

Florida wildfires of 2007 - Looking Back Lake Okeechobee, South Florida main backup water supply, continues to be almost 4 feet below normal for this time of year, and is much lower than this time last year as we were heading into the worst of the drought in 2007. Were well into the dry season here now, and the lake level continues to slowly drop, but is expected to drop more rapidly as we move into the warmer spring months. The Florida rainy season does not begin until May, so several long months ahead of low rain will only add to the major drought issues.

I plan to monitor Lake Okeechobee water levels like I did in 2007, with pictures and video segments here in 2008, and I’m already seeing changes in the last few weeks. The lake water level as of this morning (January 15, 2008) is 10.13 Feet, making the lake more than 4 ft. below historical average for this time of year. Just last week, meteorologists at the South Florida Water Management District released that 2006 and 2007 rainy seasons were the driest back-to-back calendar years in South Florida since rainfall record-keeping began in 1932.

“The District’s rainfall data confirms that South Florida is still in the grips of a severe regional drought, which has led to a multi-year water shortage the likes of which we have never experienced,”

It’s going to be a interesting late winter and spring to see how the severe drought and water restrictions pan out. Not only will be have to deal with cutting back on water usage, but having to deal with another very active wildfire season March through May. Last years wildfires were pretty widespread over Florida and the Southeast, and I can only imagine what wildfires in 2008 will bring. You’ll be seeing a lot about the Florida drought, Lake Okeechobee levels and wildfire coverage here on my blog like in 2007, so be sure to check back for updates on this continuing severe dry weather over the South and Florida.

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