Drought

[ZoneTenNut]

Drought conditions have worsened dramatically in the last few weeks, with higher temps and breezy days. There was supposed to be a 60% chance of thunderstorms today, but so far, sunny and windy. Below is an excerp from todays SunSentinel.

"The South Florida Water Management District's new restrictions for residential and business use in Broward, Palm Beach, Miami-Dade and monroe counties. It goes into effect March 22:

Landscape irrigation and maintenance for homes with under five acres

Watering permitted Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 4-8 a.m. for addresses ending in an odd number.

Watering permitted Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday for addresses ending in an even number or with no address.

Hand watering with one hose and an automatic shut-off nozzle permitted from 5-7 p.m. on the same days.

No watering allowed on Fridays.

New landscaping planted for less than 30 days may be watered Monday through Friday from 2-8 a.m. or by hand at any time with an automatic shut-off nozzle."

[SubTropicRay]

Hi Roger,

Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties are down to once a week watering.  The water nazi patrols are on the job 24 hours a day.

Ray

[surgeon83]

Sorry guys.  Sounds like a huge PITA to me.

[NBTX11]

I've had a fairly wet spring so far.  5.58 inches of rain in March, and nearly 12 inches (11.98) for the year to date.  Good news after a bad drought year last year.

[ZoneTenNut]

Jim,

Those are some pretty good rain totals. Bet you're loving that.

Our water restrictions start today, so have reset all my sprinklers and been watering heavily up to now, so hopefully we will get some good drenching rains soon and break this drought we're in. I did receive about 1/2" a few days ago, but that was like putting a bandaid on a gusher.

Roger

[ZoneTenNut]

(Ray, Tampa @ Mar. 17 2007,19:05)

QUOTE

Hi Roger,

Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties are down to once a week watering.  The water nazi patrols are on the job 24 hours a day.

Ray

Ray,

I was surprised with your post, as I thought you guys were getting a fair number of storms up there. And you're down to once a week? Our drought index here is something like 650-660. Do you have any idea what yours is?

Roger

[spockvr6]

(ZoneTenNut @ Mar. 22 2007,08:18)

QUOTE

(Ray @ Tampa,Mar. 17 2007,19:05)

QUOTE

Hi Roger,

Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties are down to once a week watering.  The water nazi patrols are on the job 24 hours a day.

Ray

Ray,

I was surprised with your post, as I thought you guys were getting a fair number of storms up there. And you're down to once a week? Our drought index here is something like 650-660. Do you have any idea what yours is?

Roger

Roger-

I dont have any such restrictions here in Tarpon Springs on the recalimed side.  We are still dumping excess into the Anclote River last I heard.  So, demand for the water is less than production (although I am doing my best to help with that ).  I have heard talk of them wanting to increase storage, but not sure when/if that will happen.

[Kathy]

(ZoneTenNut @ Mar. 22 2007,08:18)

QUOTE

Our drought index here is something like 650-660. Do you have any idea what yours is?

Roger

What the heck is a "drought index" ??

[redant]

(spockvr6 @ Mar. 22 2007,08:32)

QUOTE

(ZoneTenNut @ Mar. 22 2007,08:18)

QUOTE

(Ray @ Tampa,Mar. 17 2007,19:05)

QUOTE

Hi Roger,

Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties are down to once a week watering.  The water nazi patrols are on the job 24 hours a day.

Ray

Ray,

I was surprised with your post, as I thought you guys were getting a fair number of storms up there. And you're down to once a week? Our drought index here is something like 650-660. Do you have any idea what yours is?

Roger

Roger-

I dont have any such restrictions here in Tarpon Springs on the recalimed side.  We are still dumping excess into the Anclote River last I heard.  So, demand for the water is less than production (although I am doing my best to help with that ).  I have heard talk of them wanting to increase storage, but not sure when/if that will happen.

S. FL is totally screwed up water wise. They dump billions of gallons of treated waste water a day directly into the ocean f'ing up the reefs. They also do deep well injection with who knows what long term effects, then put us on water restrictions for irrigation.  

[ZoneTenNut]

(spockvr6 @ Mar. 22 2007,08:32)

QUOTE

Roger-

I dont have any such restrictions here in Tarpon Springs on the recalimed side.  We are still dumping excess into the Anclote River last I heard.  So, demand for the water is less than production (although I am doing my best to help with that ).  I have heard talk of them wanting to increase storage, but not sure when/if that will happen.

Larry,

Good to hear you are in the land of good and plenty, water wise.    Like I said, could sure use some of that down here. You have no restrictions and you're what, 30-40 minutes north off Tampa/St. Pete. Is their rainfall so dramatically different or is it more of a usage issue with them? What do you think?

Roger

[spockvr6]

(ZoneTenNut @ Mar. 22 2007,14:01)

QUOTE

(spockvr6 @ Mar. 22 2007,08:32)

QUOTE

Roger-

I dont have any such restrictions here in Tarpon Springs on the recalimed side.  We are still dumping excess into the Anclote River last I heard.  So, demand for the water is less than production (although I am doing my best to help with that ).  I have heard talk of them wanting to increase storage, but not sure when/if that will happen.

Larry,

Good to hear you are in the land of good and plenty, water wise.    Like I said, could sure use some of that down here. You have no restrictions and you're what, 30-40 minutes north off Tampa/St. Pete. Is their rainfall so dramatically different or is it more of a usage issue with them? What do you think?

Roger

Roger-

The reason that Tarpon Springs is in a different "boat" in that we do not run off of the county water system.  Tarpon Springs has its own systems (both for reclaimed and potable water), so we dont fall under the Pinellas county rules.

And, in a vote last year, a huge reverse osmosis plant was approved (something like $40M I believe) which will further give "water independence" according to the city.

[ZoneTenNut]

(Kathy @ Mar. 22 2007,08:50)

QUOTE

(ZoneTenNut @ Mar. 22 2007,08:18)

QUOTE

Our drought index here is something like 650-660. Do you have any idea what yours is?

Roger

What the heck is a "drought index" ??

Kathy,

Its a scale developed to gauge the severity of drought conditions. Below is a current map for Florida and below that a link for more information on the index.

About the Keetch-Byram Drought Index

Roger

[ZoneTenNut]

(redant @ Mar. 22 2007,09:46)

QUOTE

S. FL is totally screwed up water wise. They dump billions of gallons of treated waste water a day directly into the ocean f'ing up the reefs. They also do deep well injection with who knows what long term effects, then put us on water restrictions for irrigation.  

Redant,

How right you are. Those deep well injections are what scare me. I'm on well water!    Granted, my well isn't deep, but who knows what might be percolating into it.

Roger

[ZoneTenNut]

(spockvr6 @ Mar. 22 2007,14:20)

QUOTE

Roger-

The reason that Tarpon Springs is in a different "boat" in that we do not run off of the county water system.  Tarpon Springs has its own systems (both for reclaimed and potable water), so we dont fall under the Pinellas county rules.

And, in a vote last year, a huge reverse osmosis plant was approved (something like $40M I believe) which will further give "water independence" according to the city.

Sounds like a fortunate place to be situated Larry and if they're still dumping excess into the rivers, you seem to be getting alot more precep than us down here.

As Redant mentioned, seems crazy to even have to put us down here, on restrictions, when they are simply wasting so much water. But hopefully we'll be out of the woods shortly, as the rainy season is just about upon us.

Roger

[SunnyFl]

(Ray @ Tampa,Mar. 17 2007,19:05)

QUOTE

Hi Roger,

Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties are down to once a week watering.  The water nazi patrols are on the job 24 hours a day.

Ray

What?  Even with a garden hose?  EEEK!

This is not happy news - I have just planted a new garden out front (have very, very little lawn left) and it needs water.  I don't have sprinklers though.

I thought handwatering with an automatic shutoff on the hose was okay.

Bad, bad drought - there was a wildfire in Miami yesterday.

[spockvr6]

(ZoneTenNut @ Mar. 22 2007,14:55)

QUOTE

Sounds like a fortunate place to be situated Larry and if they're still dumping excess into the rivers, you seem to be getting alot more precep than us down here.

Its not the rain that keeps the reclaimed water supplies restocked.......its the fact that there is a reclaimed system!

The process is ingenious where the sewer water which comes back is cleaned in various stages until it is suitable for either use in irrigation or dumping back into the river.  I believe the limiting factor for the reclaimed water is the ability to store it, more than the ability to "make" it.

And, as I understand it, the organic solids which are left as a result of the process are sold off as fertilizer.

[ZoneTenNut]

(spockvr6 @ Mar. 22 2007,21:56)

QUOTE

(ZoneTenNut @ Mar. 22 2007,14:55)

QUOTE

Sounds like a fortunate place to be situated Larry and if they're still dumping excess into the rivers, you seem to be getting alot more precep than us down here.

Its not the rain that keeps the reclaimed water supplies restocked.......its the fact that there is a reclaimed system!

The process is ingenious where the sewer water which comes back is cleaned in various stages until it is suitable for either use in irrigation or dumping back into the river.  I believe the limiting factor for the reclaimed water is the ability to store it, more than the ability to "make" it.

And, as I understand it, the organic solids which are left as a result of the process are sold off as fertilizer.

Larry,

Using the reclaimed water is a great way to go and nice that you have that option.

Forgive my ignorance, this isn't available to me here, how exactly does this work? How do you sign up for it and how do they pipe it around town? Lets say there were water restrictions in place, if you are using reclaimed water, is this restricted as well or can you continue watering to your hearts content?

Roger

[spockvr6]

Roger-

Heres a quick wikipedia entry----

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reclaimed_water

[spockvr6]

(ZoneTenNut @ Mar. 23 2007,05:38)

QUOTE

Lets say there were water restrictions in place, if you are using reclaimed water, is this restricted as well or can you continue watering to your hearts content?

Yes...reclaimed water use can still be restricted depending on supply.

[SubTropicRay]

Reclaimed water will never make it to south Tampa.  Coincidentally, it may be the most heavily irrigated area of town.

[SunnyFl]

The KBDI was a scary graphic.  Had no idea the drought had gotten to that point in S. FL.  Central FL isn't in good shape either.  Possibly this accounts for the smoke we saw on I-4 yesterday.  Wish we could get some rain.

But I'm not optimistic.  There are reports of a La Niña forming, and for our state, that means more drought

[SubTropicRay]

A large area in Polk County was on fire yesterday.  By May, it will smell like everyone has a bonfire going.

[ZoneTenNut]

Fire is definitely a big concern right now. Around here, we have had a week straight of very gusty winds, which have contributed to drying everything out even further. We REALLY need some rain.

Roger

[steve 9atx]

redant

With as much surface water as you have in Florida, having so many of y'all on wells surprises me.  In the Houston area, we've been under a mandate to convert from mostly well water to totally surface sources.  At this point, some smaller municipalities in the County are still on wells, but Houston proper has almost totally converted to surface water.  In fact, it's almost impossible to get a well permit without some substantial acreage within the city limits.  Since our major growth spurt in the 70's the pumping of ground water for domestic, agricultural, and industrial uses has caused substantial subsidence: up to 8' in elevation in localized areas.  For an area that ranges only to about 50' in elevation that was substantial enough for everyone to wise-up about our water table.

Steve

[NBTX11]

I really hope you FL guys don't take this the wrong way, it is tongue in cheek.  But, I have to be amused to hear FL talking about drought.  I am sure it can be devastating, especially with the wildfires and drying vegetation.  But, most areas of the country would kill to get the amount of rain you guys get.  The entire western half of the US can go literally months and months without ANY rainfall.  My area averages 28-36 inches of rain, depending where you are at around town.  To you guys, 30 inches would be a severe, severe drought of historic proportions, but to us it's just normal.  We see long extended periods of little to no rainfall just about every year, and we're somewhat wet, compared to many areas of TX.  I guess getting 50 inches a year instead of 60 is a drought in FL.

[alex_7b]

for GA

[steve 9atx]

alex

Am I reading your map wrong, or, if "400" is "normal", isn't the vast majority of GA wetter than normal?

Relative to the east and left coast posters on this site, the la Nina/el Nino cycle doesn't seem to affect our drought cycle much in SE Texas.  It does affect the number of hurricanes, though.

I can't remember manditory water conservation here since the early 70's.  It may be that the 30's was the prior prolonged drought event for us.  Leads me to believe that the drought cycle for us is much longer than Nina/Nino but tends to affect several years in a row instead of just one off-year here or there.  So far we're 2.3" above normal for this time of year and 6.3" above YTD last year.  Last year we caught up and ended the year something like 6" above normal.

Steve

[SubTropicRay]

Hi Jim,

It's all relative.  A drought year for Bo in Hawaii is 200% what we get here annually.  If the average rainfall tally is 60", 40" is a drought.  It may seem insignificant but some of the native vegetation does start to suffer with what seems like a negligible difference.  In 2001, thousands of native Slash pines died from the "severe" drought.

Ray

[junglegalfla]

I find myself going into a depression when I don't see rain for extended periods of time.     I hate dragging the hose around all the time.  Time for a rain barrel but it may take months to fill it!

[spockvr6]

(syersj @ Mar. 27 2007,10:18)

QUOTE

I really hope you FL guys don't take this the wrong way, it is tongue in cheek.  But, I have to be amused to hear FL talking about drought.  I am sure it can be devastating, especially with the wildfires and drying vegetation.  But, most areas of the country would kill to get the amount of rain you guys get.  .

I believe "drought" also implies a some reference to the amount of population in a given area relative to the normal water supply.  In the end, this is what we really care about.

[SubTropicRay]

Very true Larry.  It's all about the mcmansions getting enough water to satisfy their tree-free 1/4 acre of recently planted SOD.

[spockvr6]

(Ray, Tampa @ Mar. 29 2007,06:20)

QUOTE

Very true Larry.  It's all about the mcmansions getting enough water to satisfy their tree-free 1/4 acre of recently planted SOD.

Im doing my part to help with that

Im now down to probably 25-30% of the area originally sodded by the builder.

I will admit I do like a pristine St. Augustine lawn, but with the way things are, large grassy areas in residential yards are not very practical (nor ethical if we really get down to brass tacks).

[Jeff Searle]

(Ray, Tampa @ Mar. 29 2007,06:20)

QUOTE

Very true Larry.  It's all about the mcmansions getting enough water to satisfy their tree-free 1/4 acre of recently planted SOD.

Ray,

  Do you ever notice how HOT those yards look too? I mean come on, throw a few trees in the yard!!

Jeff

[BobbyinNY]

We've been pretty rain-free for awhile now too - yesterday the humidity was so low (18%) that they had a Brush-Fire Advisory... I don't think I've EVER seen that here on Long Island... But April Showers are coming, and we will, unfortunately, get those dreary all-day showers that never seem to end...

[www.dadluvsu.com]

It is finally raining!!!!  HOORAY!!

:laugh:  :laugh:  :laugh:

[Alan_Tampa]

Ray said:

Very true Larry.  It's all about the mcmansions getting enough water to satisfy their tree-free 1/4 acre of recently planted SOD.

1/4 acre, right more like 1/8th acre.  With grass and no trees except one live oak, which will be a monster in 10 years and bigger than the lot in grows on and whacking the power lines and when spring time comes releasing pollen on the winds and causing yellow rain and sinus pressure for miles and miles.  The flower isn't even pretty, it makes no fruit and is a crappy tree for a small yard.  If a too big tree is planted it should at least make a pretty flower or some fruit.

But until that tree grows to some size, those yards have as much character as a blank sheet of paper.  Plus, the 'green lawn' rules of the Home Holder's Gestapation is an affront to water conservation and makes big fat hypocrites out of many. (the I care about nature types who are blind)

Alan

[www.dadluvsu.com]

ok so it was only about 1/10 of an inch but it was nice

[SubTropicRay]

Jeff,

You're right.  That sod requires daily water when there is no shade.  The sun just bakes it for 12 hours straight.

Alan,

The developers should try to build around the existing trees instead of whacking it all down and starting from scratch.  It really pisses me off.

Ray

[SoLando]

It poured for about 15 minutes and drizzled from 3:30 until 6. Not bad. =D

[ZoneTenNut]

(PiousPalms @ Mar. 30 2007,18:01)

QUOTE

ok so it was only about 1/10 of an inch but it was nice

Bill,

I really felt kind of left out when you mentioned about the rain. We got a little wisp up here and that was it. Still VERY DRY around my place. Just read this article in the Sun Sentinel about our drought here getting kicked up another serious notch in the last 7 days. Here's a link.

Tougher water restrictions could be on the way

Roger