Drought conditions persist in Central Florida, despite recent summer rains.
Not enough rain has fallen to compensate for the existing “deficit” in the underground aquifer system that provides most of the state’s drinking water, according to the St. Johns River Water Management District. An “extreme” water shortage declared by the district in May remains effective, requiring all water consumers — residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural — to take steps to conserve the critical natural resource.
Diving into the data
In Marion County specifically, total annual rainfall is nearly two feet short of where it should be by this time of year.
“When you’re that short on rainfall, it takes more than just a few afternoon thunderstorms … to be able to start to refill the aquifer,” said Clay Coarsey, the district’s director of water supply planning and assessment…