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Tampa Bay Regional Water Supply and Drought Index March 10, 2009

CLEARWATER (March 10, 2009) — Surface water availability continues to decline as storage in the regional reservoir nears depletion.  Rainfall totals across the Tampa Bay region in February were about 70% below normal for the month.
Surface water flow conditions are critically low. C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir water began flowing into the regional water supply distribution system about six months ahead of average condition needs and supplies are almost exhausted.  Regional water facts for February:

  • The region is at the end of the fall-winter season when rainfall totals are normally low and temperatures are cool. The trend of individual monthly rainfall deficits continued throughout the region, averaging about 70% or 1.89 inches below the normal of 2.70 inches. Rainfall deficits ranged from 1.34 inches to 2.26 inches across the tri-county area.
  • Long-term rainfall deficits for the Hillsborough River basin increased more than two  inches to about 44 inches and the Alafia River watershed the deficit also increased by 2  inches to  23 inches.
  • River flows continue to decline, flow in the Hillsborough River was about 78% below normal; daily flow remains below the 5th percentile. 
  • Alafia River flow was about 80% below normal in February; daily flow remains near the 5th percentile. 
  • Regional water demand in February averaged about 230 million gallons per day (mgd), a 1% increase from January demand.
  • As of March 9, 2009, only 160 million gallons of usable water remained stored in the Regional Reservoir. The surface water treatment plant is expected to shutdown in mid-March 2009 due to a lack of surface water.

Significant surface water flow deficits and the current trend of long-term below normal rainfall are expected to plague conditions in the region through the spring dry season. To eliminate the current surface water flow deficit problems and provide flows for treatment, consistent and well above normal rainfall is needed throughout the spring dry season, which is not anticipated.

Following a Tampa Bay Water request, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) entered in to a Phase III Extreme Water Shortage for the tri-county area on October 28, 2008. Following a request from Tampa Bay Water for the District to declare a Phase IV Critical water shortage for Tampa Bay Water and its member governments, on February 25, the District issued a modified Phase III.  Tampa Bay Water continues to request the cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, New Port Richey and counties of Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco reduce demand and increase enforcement of water restrictions. 

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

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