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Tampa Bay Regional Drought Index (October 9, 2007)

CLEARWATER (Oct. 9, 2007)— Inconsistent summer rainfall patterns did not yield expected river flows and continue to negatively affect surface water availability and long-term regional drinking water storage conditions in the Tampa Bay region.  Due to these deficits, the Southwest Florida Water Management District issued two Executive Orders to Tampa Bay Water which increased the amount of surface water the agency has been able to withdraw from area rivers, beginning on July 28 and continuing through September. This allowed the agency to store more water in the C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir for use during drier times of the year.

Regional water facts for September:

  • Twenty-four month rainfall deficits for the Hillsborough and Alafia River watersheds were 19.5 and 13.5 inches.
  • Flows in the Hillsborough and Alafia rivers were 65 and 79 percent below normal. 
  • Regional water demand in September was over 247 million gallons per day (mgd) due to continued inconsistent rainfall, over 9 mgd greater than September 2006.
  • The C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir supplied 11 billion gallons of water for treatment and distribution to the region in Water Year 2007.
  • As of October 8, 2007, more than 9 billion gallons of water was stored in the reservoir, achieving the anticipated storage goal.
  • Reservoir elevation as October 1 was 112 feet, triggering the region down from Level III Water Supply Crisis to a Level II Water Shortage.
  • In September, the amount of water available to send to the reservoir averaged 75 mgd, less than 50% of normal availability for this time of the year.

Above-normal river flow will be needed throughout the fall and spring months to bring the reservoir and river supplies back to pre-drought conditions. Tampa Bay Water is now in Level II Water Shortage, down from a Level III Water Supply Crisis, and continues to request the cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, New Port Richey and counties of Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco to reduce demand and increase enforcement of water restrictions.  The Southwest Florida Water Management District area remains in a Level II Water Shortage.

For more information contact Dave Bracciano or Alison Adams at 727.796.2355.