Significant rainfall deficits continue despite Florida’s rainy season; water conservation remains critical
Press release from the St. Johns Water Management District
ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Recent rainfall has provided some welcome relief to portions of central Florida, but significant rainfall deficits remain, and full recovery of water resources is a long-term process. The St. Johns River Water Management District (District) is reminding residents, businesses, and large water users that despite recent storms, significant rainfall deficits persist and water conservation remains essential.
Florida typically relies on its summer rainy season to replenish water resources and help offset deficits that accumulate through drier times of the year. However, rainfall has remained below average during most of the past year across much of the District, allowing deficits to persist despite some recent storms.
While isolated storms can temporarily improve local conditions, it will take sustained periods of above-average rainfall across the region to replenish groundwater supplies, restore river flows, and fully recover from the accumulated rainfall deficit. Until that occurs, water conservation remains one of the most important tools available to help protect water resources.
Conservation efforts remain especially important as the region continues working to recover from rainfall deficits that have accumulated over the past 12 months. Reducing water use today helps protect groundwater resources and ensures supplies remain available for residents, businesses, agriculture, and the environment while the region waits for the consistent rainfall needed to close the deficit.
“The rainfall we’ve received recently is certainly welcome, but we’re still working to overcome deficits that have accumulated over the last year,” said District Director of the Division of Water Supply Planning and Assessment Clay Coarsey. “Florida’s rainy season plays an important role in helping replenish our water resources, but so far we haven’t seen enough widespread, above-average rainfall to make up the difference. That’s why conserving water remains so important as we continue to monitor conditions.”
Counties within the District continue to experience varying levels of drought recovery. As of Aug. 18, Alachua County has a 17.31-inch rainfall deficit.
The District’s Phase III Extreme Water Shortage declaration remains in effect throughout the affected areas. The declaration was issued in response to prolonged drought conditions, declining groundwater levels and reduced surface water flows.
Mandatory restrictions remain in place, including:
- Residential and commercial properties are limited to one day per week of landscape irrigation.
- Landscape irrigation is prohibited between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily.
- Commercial and industrial users must suspend certain non-essential water uses.
- Golf course fairway irrigation is limited to one day per week.
- Aesthetic water use, such as decorative fountains, is prohibited.
- Street and pressure washing activities face additional restrictions.
- Irrigation restrictions for new plantings, including sod, have been tightened.
Outdoor irrigation continues to represent one of the greatest demands on potable water supplies. Residents are encouraged to verify that irrigation timers are set correctly to ensure that irrigation occurs only on their designated watering day and only during allowable hours. Irrigation systems should also be checked for leaks, and sprinklers should only water landscaped areas, not streets, sidewalks, or driveways.
District staff continue to monitor rainfall totals, groundwater levels, river flows, and other drought indicators to evaluate recovery and determine when water shortage restrictions can be modified or lifted.
To view the complete water shortage order, including detailed requirements for each water use category and water conservation tips, visit sjrwmd.com/wateringrestrictions.
Residents may occasionally see irrigation systems operating in public spaces such as parks, medians, and common areas during the water shortage. In many cases, these systems use reclaimed water, which is a highly treated recycled water source that helps reduce demand on potable groundwater supplies. While conservation remains important across all water sources, some reclaimed water systems must continue operating to maintain system function or manage storage capacity.
To learn more about reclaimed water and its beneficial uses, visit https://floridadep.gov/water/domestic-wastewater/content/floridas-reuse-program.
To view current rainfall deficit information across the District, including county-specific data and downloadable high-resolution graphics, visit the District’s Media Library at www.sjrwmd.com/newsroom/media-library.
Rainfall deficits SHOULD become a direct constraint on future development in Alachua County, particularly when a deficit persists long enough to lower the Floridan Aquifer. The important point is that development demand continues to rise even while the water supply available from rainfall temporarily falls.
Limits on Growth
1. Withdrawal capacity
How much additional water can be pumped without damaging rivers, springs, wetlands and aquifer levels?
Alachua County’s 2025 Climate Action Plan states that current groundwater pumping is already contributing to failure to meet adopted Minimum Flows and Levels (MFLs) for the Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers.
2. Recharge capacity
How much land and rainfall infiltration can be preserved to maintain the aquifer’s long-term water budget?
This is especially relevant now: in May 2026, Alachua County reported an Extreme Water Shortage, citing ongoing drought and declining aquifer levels.
Should development approvals be based on water availability during an average year, or should they account for the County’s ability to supply water during extended rainfall deficits?
– the problem gets worse as development increases
– development also increases sensitivity to drought
– climate change makes rainfall deficits more important
Alachua County is simultaneously experiencing population growth + new development + increasing water demand + declining rainfall/recharge + declining aquifer levels.
The sustainable rate of development SHOULD DECREASE unless conservation, reuse, alternative supplies and recharge protection compensate for the deficit.
With kindness: Water doesn’t disappear when we use it. It is pumped, used, and eventually returned to the environment through wastewater, infiltration, runoff, or evaporation, although it may not return to the same place or on the same timetable. The Floridan Aquifer is a huge regional system, and development does not automatically mean less recharge; thoughtful development can preserve recharge through retention areas, permeable surfaces, stormwater infiltration, reclaimed water, and lower irrigation demand.
I don’t think we should reflexively conclude that development is necessarily bad for our aquifer and springs. Water is continually moving through a much larger hydrologic system, and both withdrawals and recharge occur across a region and over time, not simply within the boundaries of a particular development or even a particular county. A year or two of drought certainly warrants conservation and careful monitoring, but I don’t think a temporary rainfall deficit, by itself, establishes that long-term development must be reduced. The better question is whether long-term net withdrawals are sustainable after recharge, conservation, reuse, drought conditions, and the needs of our springs and rivers are all taken into account.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to determine those who are violating water restrictions—drive through the neighborhoods. Those that have lush, green lawns are extremely likely to be watering multiple times a week.
Really sad part is I know some of them. They’re all about save the planet and environmental protection—just start with someone else’s environment first.