Rainfall Report: Drought Concerns Cited But Rain Totals Continue To Rise

The Tampa Bay area by the end of July had registered 80 percent of the area's typical rainfall for the year, according to an analysis of the latest monthly report from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Still, on July 13, Tampa Bay Water reported that the "regional water supplies continue in Phase 2 drought warning status "due to the very dry spring and June, with below-normal river flows and below-normal rainfall counting."

RAINFALL TOTALS

The Florida department's reports shows that at the end of July, the Tampa Bay area had registered 32.51 inches of rain, or 80.59 percent of the area's yearly normal rainfall of 40.34 inches.

Of the nine areas reported, that was good enough for a second-place showing in a listing of rainfall totals from most to least.

Staking claim to the top spot is Jacksonville, with 28.92 inches of rain through July, placing it at 86.59 percent of the area's normal year-end total.

Staking claim to the bottom spot is Tallahassee, with 21.75 inches of rain through July, placing it at just 37.15 percent of the area's normal year-end total.

In all, four areas were below 60 percent of their respective normal year-end totals: Tallahassee (37.15 percent), Miami (45.08 percent), Pensacola (45.33 percent) and Melbourne (59.20 percent).

LATEST TAMPA BAY WATER REPORT

As for the July 13 report from Tampa Bay Water, a "Phase 2" drought warning is triggered by "drier-than normal hydrologic conditions during the past 12 months."

The report found that "in spite of overall dry conditions this spring and early summer, regional water supplies remain adequate to meet demands."

Water restrictions, enacted by the Southwest Florida Water Management District in December, remained in effect.

Tampa Bay Water noted that in June, rainfall totals averaged about 1.5 inches, about 2.2 inches below normal, with heaviest rainfall amounts occurring in a few spots in northwest Hillsborough County, with about 8 inches of rain. Over half the region received rainfall less than 4 inches, with some spots in Pasco County receiving less than 3 inches.

The report further noted that the long-term rainfall deficits in both the Hillsborough and Alafia River basins continued at more than 10 inches.

The Hillsborough River flow was 26 percent of the mean monthly flow for June; the Alafia River, at 23 percent of normal monthly flow.

Meanwhile, "regional water demand in June averaged about 257 million gallons per day, similar to the dry May demand."

LOOKING AHEAD

The July 23 report noted that "rainfall conditions are expected to be above normal throughout the remainder of the summer."

"Regional demands have declined as rains began in late June, while river flows are beginning to increase toward long-term normal flows," the July 13 report noted.

The July report on rain totals from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services appears to be bearing this out.

Meanwhile, Tampa Bay Water continues to ask the officials of Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties, and of the cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg and New Port Richey, to "reduce demand and enforce water restrictions."

A LOOK BACK AT JUNE

• According to a June 10 report from Tampa Bay Water, regional water supplies were in a "Phase 2 drought warning status due to a very dry spring season, below-normal river flows and below-normal rainfall." The report adds that "in spite of overall dry conditions this spring, a period of heavy March rains allowed the regional reservoir storage to increase nearly 2.5 billion gallons during April."
• As of June 10, regional water supplies were reported "adequate to meet demands."

WATER SHORTAGE MITIGATION PHASES

For the record, Tampa Bay Water's water shortage mitigation plan has four phases, rated from 1-4, advancing from "moderate" to "severe" to "extreme" to "critical."

The Phase 2 drought warning, "severe," is when "drier-than-normal conditions are present and will create a surface water shortage if dry conditions persist."