Tampa Bay Regional Water Supply and Drought Index March 2010 - Final Update

CLEARWATER (March 3, 2010) — Due to long-term increased surface water availability that continued in February, this is the final water supply and drought index update.

River flows continued within a normal range for the Hillsborough and Alafia River basins allowing regional supply withdrawals to continue. Regional water supply conditions improved to normal.

Under Tampa Bay Water’s water shortage mitigation plan, shortage conditions can improve or worsen by at most one phase per month, even if trigger conditions dictate larger changes. Therefore, conditions have improved to a Phase I Drought Alert, and will remain there for at least one month.

The region’s water restrictions were modified but continue at Phase II, based on Southwest Florida Water Management District extension of a previous declaration.

Water stored in the regional reservoir is at capacity with approximately 15.4 billion gallons stored.

Regional water facts for February

• Rainfall totals in February January averaged about 2.5 inches, about 0.2 inches below normal. Pockets of heavier rainfall, over 3 inches, occurred in central Pasco and Hillsborough County. Lighter rainfall, around 2 inches, occurred in southern Hillsborough and western Pasco County.
• Long-term rainfall deficits increased negligibly for the Hillsborough River basin to 32.9 inches and to 20.2 inches in the Alafia River basin.
• Alafia River flow was 64% of the mean monthly flow for February, while the Hillsborough River flow was 94% of normal.
• Regional water demand in February averaged about 203 million gallons per day, a 5% decrease from relatively low January demand.

Rainfall conditions are expected to be wetter than normal during March due to the continued strong El Nino condition. Regional demands are expected to remain below historic levels and river flows are expected to remain within seasonal normal ranges.

Tampa Bay Water continues to request the cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, New Port Richey and counties of Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco enforce water restrictions.

For more information contact Dave Bracciano or Alison Adams at 727-796-2355.