JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After months of little to no rain, the clouds opened up over the past three days and sent barrelsful of rain to our drought-stricken counties.
The National Weather Service in Jacksonville released a Public Information Statement on Wednesday, highlighting rainfall totals from Sunday, May 10, at 7 a.m. through 7 a.m. on May 13.
While every little drop helps, our region is still in an exceptional to extreme drought with over 25″ year over year of rainfall deficit.
Phase III Extreme Water Shortage
The St. Johns River Water Management District bumped up its Phase II restrictions to Phase III on Wednesday, May 13.
“The move to Phase III reflects the severity of current drought conditions and the need for immediate action to reduce water demand,” said St. Johns River Water Management District Director of Water Supply and Assessment Clay Coarsey, “Protecting our water resources requires a collective effort. Residents, businesses, agricultural operations and large water users all play an important role in helping conserve supplies during these prolonged dry conditions.”
According to the release:
Under Phase III restrictions, landscape irrigation continues to be limited to one day per week for residential, commercial and institutional properties, including managed landscapes and athletic fields. Restrictions on irrigation for new plantings, including sod, have also been tightened.
Additional Phase III measures include:
- Commercial, industrial and institutional users must suspend certain non-essential water uses.
- Irrigation for golf course fairways is limited to one day per week.
- Aesthetic water use is prohibited, and additional restrictions apply to activities such as street and pressure washing.
- Landscape irrigation is prohibited between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
A detailed report can be found here.