Tampa Bay Regional Drought Index (January, 2008)

CLEARWATER (January 14, 2008)— Surface water availability and long-term regional drinking water storage conditions began to decline in the Tampa Bay region in December. Significantly below-normal surface water flows in the Hillsborough River required the City of Tampa to increase purchase of water from the Tampa Bay Water system.

As anticipated, lack of surface water required withdrawal of water from the C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir.  Regional water facts for December:

• Rainfall averaged slightly less than 1 inch throughout the region (less than 0.50 inches in southern Hillsborough County to more than 2.75 inches in northern Pasco County) in December (about 1 inch below normal).
• Twenty-four month rainfall deficits for the Hillsborough and Alafia River watersheds both averaged about 16 inches.
• Flow in the Hillsborough River was about 75% below normal. 
• Alafia River flow is about 80% below normal in December (average flow conditions provide little regional water during the fall and spring months). 
• Regional water demand in December was about 249 million gallons per day (mgd), a 14 mgd decline from November 2007.
• As of January 13, 2008, more than 10 billion gallons of water remain in the C.W. Bill Young Regional reservoir, a reduction of about 400 million from December due to increased use.

La Niña conditions have minimized river flow available for withdrawal.  This condition may continue through the dry spring months keeping the reservoir and river supplies from returning to pre-drought conditions.

Tampa Bay Water is in a Level II Water Shortage, 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 entire 16-county Southwest Florida Water Management District area remains in a Level II Water Shortage.