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

CLEARWATER (July 10, 2009) — Surface water availability continued to recover with slightly below normal June rainfall amounts. Rainfall totals across the Tampa Bay region for June were about 1.19 inches below normal.

River flows were sporadic but recovered in late June. Stored water supplies are increasing but due to long-term deficits, the region remains under Critical Water Shortage conditions. Water stored in the regional reservoir remains critically low at about 3.8 billion gallons, but is increasing significantly daily through early July. Approximately 4.9 billion gallons of storage is needed to move out of the Critical Water Shortage and into a Phase III Extreme Water Shortage. Regional water facts for June:

  • Rainfall totals in June averaged about 6.4 inches, or 1.2 inches below the normal of 7.6 inches. This continued the long-term trend of increasing monthly rainfall deficits that stopped in May. Rainfall totals averaged between 4.5 and 10 inches.
  • Long-term rainfall deficits for the Hillsborough River basin increased by about 0.4 inches to 39 inches, and the Alafia River watershed deficit remained the same at 19 inches.
  • River flows increased toward the end of the month. In June, both the Alafia and Hillsborough River flows were 96% of normal.
  • Regional water demand in June averaged about 231 million gallons per day, a 5.9% increase from May demand, but still about 11% below last year for the same period (without Phase IV watering restrictions).

The summer rainy season is expected to bring normal precipitation amounts. River flows are expected to increase through the rainy season and provide opportunity for significant storage.

Following a Tampa Bay Water request, the Southwest Florida Water Management District entered into a Phase IV Critical Water Shortage for the tri-county area on April 3, 2009. 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 optimize enforcement of water restrictions.

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

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