Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Report - November 2007

Date: December 7, 2007
To: Southwest Florida Water Issues Network; FFBF Water & Natural Resources Advisory Committee
From: Cara Martin, Assistant Director of Government and Community Affairs
Re: Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Report-November 2007

Modification to Water Shortage Order No. SWF 07-02

Rainfall during the 4-month wet season (June through September) was statistically normal within the northern and central regions of the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD). However, the southern region experienced below normal rainfall and the rainfall received was insufficient to improve hydrologic conditions.

As of October 30, 2007, the US Drought Monitor indicates parts of Highlands County are experiencing “severe drought” conditions, while the remainder of the District is experiencing “abnormally dry” to “moderate drought” conditions. Below-normal rainfall is predicted for the period of December 2007 through May 2008, due to strengthening of La Nina conditions in the Pacific Ocean. This would accelerate deterioration of already dry hydrologic conditions and increase water resource related impacts.

Since January 2007, the District has declared a water shortage throughout the District and is currently in a Phase II Severe Water Shortage Restrictions for the entire sixteen county area. As previously reported, the Phase II Severe Water Shortage Restrictions include the following:

Lawn and Landscape Watering

All counties within the District must adhere to a one-day-per-week watering schedule. Certain limited exemptions are available, such as allowances for new plant material.

Agricultural Operations and Other Water Users

• Fountains and other aesthetic-only water features may only operate 8 hours per day.
• Car washing is limited to once per week; except for health and safety (such as to prevent the spread of plant and animal diseases).
• Comply with all Water Use Permit conditions, including allowable drought quantities.
• Reduce off-site discharge and mobile equipment washing.
• Follow applicable best management practices, including watering times and applications.

At the November 2007 governing board meeting, the board voted to extend the Phase II Severe Water Shortage Restrictions through June 30, 2008. In addition, at the December 18, 2007 governing board meeting, the board will discuss if declaring a Phase III or Phase IV Water Shortage for all or parts of the District is warranted. Phase III Extreme Water Shortage Restrictions, which would include once-per-week watering on the same days but fewer hours than the current measures, limitations on the current exemptions (such as new plant establishment), and additional restrictions for other water users. A full Phase IV Critical Water Shortage Restrictions would include stricter water hours than Phase III, time-of-day and day-of-week limitations on micro irrigation, and the ability to ban lawn watering use not immediate to immediate public health and safety.

The District is conducting a grassroots campaign to spread the water conservation message. They have speakers available to talk to county Farm Bureau boards, churches or other local organizations on what the District is doing to ensure water supply needs are met and what people can do to help conserve water. They are also seeking newsletters that will publish information concerning drought information. If your county is interested, please contact me and I will help obtain any needed information.

Polk County Delegation Water Supply Workshop

Florida Farm Bureau participated on a panel of speakers at the Polk County Delegation Water Supply Workshop on Nov. 29, 2007 in Bartow.

The delegation included: Senator JD Alexander, Senator Paula Dockery, Speaker Marty Bowen, Rep. Frank Attkisson, Rep. Dennis Ross, Rep. Seth McKeel and Senator Rhonda Storms.

Presentations regarding future water supply conditions were given by:

• Dave Moore, Director of Southwest Florida Water Management District
• Gene Heath, Polk County Consultant
• Peter Hubbell, Principal, Water Resources Association, Inc.

In the presentations a future ground water deficit was forecasted for Polk County by the year 2025. This information was part of the Southern Water Use Caution Area (SWUCA) plan that was passed several years back. Polk County feels that they are at a disadvantage due to their inability to produce alternative water supplies that are available to coastal counties. Dave Moore presented the District’s plan for Polk County to meet water demand and the significant part of presentation included agricultural lands transitioning to residential development and having excess water that would go towards meeting the water deficit. A panel discussion was held after the presentations were made.

The panel discussion included:

• Frank Bernardino, The Wren Group
• Neil Combee, SWFWMD Board Member
• Harkley Thornton, SFWMD Board Member
• Bob English, Polk County Commissioner
• Jura Zibas, President, Clear Springs
• Cara Martin, Florida Farm Bureau
• Jeff Greenwell, DEP, Southwest District

Each member of the panel spoke to their viewpoint of water sources as related to their industry. Farm Bureau’s comments included thoughts that the District was taking a very narrow view of what is occurring in today’s agricultural industry and that the District was planning on fixing the ground water deficit in Polk County on the backs of agriculture water use permits. The real estate market has changed since the SWUCA rules were passed and segments of the agriculture industry continue to grow. Farm Bureau shared concerns regarding individual agriculture water use permit holders having trouble renewing permitted quantities if the District believed the solution to the water deficit was taking water from land transitioning from agriculture to residential.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Cara Martin at (352) 316-2382 -- caramartin@tampabay.rr.com or cara.martin@ffbf.org