Drought Assessment Webinar Summary
ACF Basin Precipitation and Climate Conditions and Outlooks
- Active start to hurricane season in numbers, ACE near normal.
- Pockets of D0 (abnormally dry) starting to appear in SE Alabama, central Georgia, and West Florida coast.
- Rainfall above normal across the FL Panhandle over the last 30 days, drier and scattered over inland Georgia and Alabama
- 90-day rainfall generally normal to above normal
- 7-day forecast for heavy rain across Tennessee, Mississippi Valley. perhaps even the headwaters of the ACF. Lesser amounts and scattered the remainder of the basin.
- ”La Nina Watch” now issued by NOAA, 55 percent chance by this fall
- NOAA seasonal hurricane forecast strongly favors above normal activity
- CPC seasonal forecast (Aug. – Oct.) favors higher chances for warm temperature and above normal rainfall across the southern US
- ACF likely to remain mostly drought-free, but watch for pockets of quickly developing drought as fall approaches
Alabama Drought Status
- Widely scattered rainfall has occurred and is being driven by both a normal seasonal pattern of weather as well as influence by tropical weather systems
- This pattern is expected to continue with widely scattered showers
- No reported drought or water availability issues
- OWR continues to monitor conditions
Real-Time Streamflow & Forecasts
- Real-time streamflow in the ACF basin are currently in the normal to low range.
- Lower 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 normal range.
- 28-day average streamflow for the Flint River are currently in the normal range.
- Real-time groundwater levels across the ACF basin range from much above normal to low, with the majority of stations in the normal range.
- 1 Month Streamflow forecast - Normal
- 3 Month Streamflow forecast - Normal
ACF Basin Reservoir Conditions
- Inflows into the projects are normal.
- Lanier and West Point are operating above guide curve.
- WF George is operating in Zone 1, with official drawdown beginning for upstream dam repairs.
- Expect projects to approach guide curve over the next few weeks.
- The ACF system conservation storage is in Zone 1 and is forecasted to stay in Zone 1 for the next few weeks.
Coastal Salinity Index (CSI)
Acknowledgments
Speakers
David Zierden, FSU
Paul Ankcorn, USGS
Troy Ephriam, USACE-Mobile District
Jeff Dobur, SERFC
Kirsten Lacksrom, CISA
Matt Petkewich, USGS
Additional Information Provided by:
Tom Littlepage, ADECA OWR
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: