There’s a saying in Florida that if you don’t like the weather, stick around — it will change. Just a month ago, the region was in a Stage 1 Drought Alert after receiving less-than-average rainfall since early 2023. That changed with above-average rains in July, August and September.
Recent rains brought the 12-month average rainfall to a 7.46-inch surplus and the 12-month average Hillsborough River flow to an 8.4 million gallons of water per day (mgd) surplus. In contrast, this time last year the 12-month average rainfall decreased 8 inches in a single month, and the 12-month average Hillsborough River flow dropped almost 100 mgd between August and October 2023.
“The fact that we have managed our system to meet demands while staying under the 90 mgd Consolidated Water Use Permit limit without supply from the desalination plant demonstrates the power of the adaptable, interconnected regional system we have constructed over the past 25 years,” said Warren Hogg, chief science officer for Tampa Bay Water.
During the drought, Tampa Bay Water was able to remain within the 90 mgd annual average permit limit for the Consolidated Water Use Permit and was just slightly above the 24.95 mgd permit limit for the South-Central Hillsborough Regional Wellfield, at 25.18 mgd. Water delivery would have been much higher if it had not been for cooler winter temperatures, a return-to-normal rainfall and the once-weekly water restrictions and enforcement, which combined to reduce demands.
“It is through our partnerships with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, our member governments and the residents and businesses in Tampa Bay that we’re able to successfully manage supply and demand through extreme drought conditions,” said Hogg.
Tampa Bay Water relied heavily on the C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir during the drought to sustain surface water production. Normally, refilling the reservoir would begin in June but drought conditions persisted and prevented refilling until mid-July. Since Tropical Storm Debby, Tampa Bay Water has harvested about 200 mgd from the Tampa Bypass Canal and Alafia River to store in the reservoir. As of Oct. 2, the reservoir is nearly full at 15.2 billion gallons.
“Even though we are now back to normal conditions, it’s important that residents continue to conserve water so we can replenish the reservoir and be prepared for our next dry season,” Hogg said. “As our recent weather has illustrated, it can change in the blink of an eye.”