News Flash

LIVE OAK, FLA., JANUARY 15, 2026 – To help enhance public awareness of water levels and the impact rainfall has on current conditions in North Florida, the Suwannee River Water Management District (District) has released its Hydrologic Conditions Report for the month of December.  

This monthly report highlights rainfall, surface water and groundwater levels, a climate and drought outlook, as well as other scientific data that can be utilized to help educate the public about the impact rainfall has on North Florida.  

Notable highlights from the month of December include:  

• The District received an average rainfall of 2.73 inches, which was approximately 14 percent lower than the 1932-2024 average of 3.19 inches. The 12-month period ending December 31 reflected a Districtwide rainfall deficit of 11.54 inches, which was a decrease from the 12.94-inch deficit seen at the end of November.
• District averages ranged from 1.6 inches to 3.5 inches of rainfall, with parts of Hamilton, Jefferson, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee, and Taylor counties receiving more than 4 inches of rainfall. 
• Most of the river gages in the District finished December in the below normal (10^th to 25^th percentile) flow ranges, with two gages on the Santa Fe and one gage on the Withlacoochee showing extremely low (below 10^th percentile) flow ranges. 
• Upper Floridan Aquifer levels across the District ranged from extremely low (less than 10^th percentile) to normal (25^th to 75^th percentile) levels for the month and ended December with a Districtwide average around the 24^th percentile.  
• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) three-month seasonal outlook suggests above normal temperatures along with below normal precipitation from January through March. 
• The U.S. Drought Monitor report released on January 8^th shows most counties in the District with Moderate or Severe Drought conditions. A large portion of Jefferson County also shows Extreme Drought conditions. 

The full report can be found on the District’s website under the Science & Data tab. It is typically updated the second week of each month, and reports from the previous five years are available for viewing.  

The mission of the Suwannee River Water Management District is to protect and manage water resources using science-based solutions to support natural systems and the needs of the public. Headquartered in Live Oak, Florida, the District serves 15 surrounding north-central Florida counties. 

For more information about the District, visit www.MySuwanneeRiver.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X. 

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