Drought Assessment Webinar Summary
ACF Basin Precipitation and Climate Conditions and Outlooks
- Flooding continues on the Apalachicola and Flint Rivers
- Severe drought has been introduce just one county over in Florida’s Wakulla and Leon counties
- Weekly to 30-day rainfall extensive over the upper and middle ACF, below normal over the Florida coast.
- Pattern shift to bring colder temperatures and clearing to the area later this week
- Neutral conditions in the Pacific, forecast to continue through winter. Forecast for summer transition are highly uncertain.
- CPC seasonal forecast (Mar. – May) favors higher chances for warm temperature and above normal rainfall across the southern US
- Only drought remaining is localized along the lower ACF coast, favorable forecast for the remainder of the basin
Real-Time Streamflow & Forecasts
- Real-time streamflow in the ACF basin are currently in the high to above normal range.
- No portions of the ACF Basin are currently ranked as below normal flow for the 7-day average streamflow.
- 28-day average streamflow for the Chattahoochee River are currently in the much above normal range with new extremes recorded at Cornelia and Chestatee River near Dahlonega.
- 28-day average streamflow for the Flint River are currently above normal with a new extreme recorded at Carsonville.
- Real-time groundwater levels across the ACF basin range from high to much below normal, with a majority of stations in the normal range.
- 1 Month Streamflow forecast - Above Normal
- 3 Month Streamflow forecast - Above Normal
ACF Basin Reservoir Conditions
- Inflows into the projects are above normal.
- Lanier, WF George, West Point, and Jim Woodruff are operating above guide curve.
- Expect projects to approach guide curve over the next few weeks as summer refilling begins
- The ACF system conservation storage is above to top of conservation and is forecasted to stay above the top of conservation for the next few weeks.
Acknowledgments
Speakers
David Zierden, FSU
Paul Ankcorn, USGS
Jeff Dobur, SERFC
Additional Information Provided by:
Tom Littlepage, ADECA OWR
Troy Ephriam, USACE-Mobile District
Summary prepared by:
Rachel McGuire, Auburn University
Resources
General Drought Information:
Drought Impact Reporter:
Southeast Climate Perspectives Map
General Climate and El Niño Information:
Streamflow Monitoring & Forecasting
Groundwater Monitoring
The Complete Set of Briefing Slides From the ACF River Basin Drought Webinar:
Additional Information From the Southeast River Forecast Center: