SFWMD Governing Board Issues Water Shortage Warning
Dry conditions forecast to persist
March rainfall was well below average.
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West Palm Beach, FL - Falling water levels and extremely dry conditions that are expected to linger led the
South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Governing Board to issue today a water shortage warning to all 8.1 million residents in the agency's 16 counties.
"
The purpose of this warning is to urge South Florida families to voluntarily conserve more water," said SFWMD Governing Board Chairman Dan O'Keefe. "This effort will help your water supply last through the remainder of the dry season."
The most beneficial conservation practice is compliance with the District's year-round landscape irrigation conservation measures and any local landscape irrigation ordinance. These rules can be found at
www.sfwmd.gov/mywateringdays. If voluntary water conservation efforts prove insufficient, the Governing Board may consider further mandatory water use restrictions to equitably distribute the remaining water supplies and prevent serious harm to water resources.
On Tuesday, the Governing Board
issued a temporary ban on all open fires and campfires on District lands. The ban includes lands open for recreational purposes in Hendry, Glades, Okeechobee, Osceola and Polk counties. Additionally, SFWMD's prohibitions could be expanded to other locations throughout the District if drought conditions continue.
The wet season typically begins June 1.
Current Conditions:
March only saw 34 percent of average rainfall District-wide
This is 1.88 inches below average
Miami-Dade County was the only area from Orlando to the Keys that received near normal rainfall
Since the start of the dry season on Nov. 1, SFWMD has only seen 44 percent of average rainfall
Randy Smith |
[email protected] | Office: 561-682-2800 | Cell: 561-389-3386
The South Florida Water Management District is a regional governmental agency that manages the water resources in the southern part of the state. It is the oldest and largest of the state's five water management districts. Our mission is to protect South Florida's water resources by balancing and improving flood control, water supply, water quality and natural systems.
