News Flash

LIVE OAK, FLA., APRIL 14, 2023 – 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 March.  

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 March:  

• The District received an average of 4.05 inches of rain during the month, which is approximately 9% lower than the 1932-2022 average of 4.43 inches.
• The 12-month period ending March 31 reflected a rainfall deficit of 10.11 inches. This means the District has received less rainfall during the previous 12 months than the historical average.  Much of this decrease is due to higher-than-average rainfall in March 2022 that is no longer included in the average. 
• Many of the river gages finished the month in the normal (25^th to 75^th percentile) flow range. However, the Santa Fe River at Worthington Springs gage was below normal (10^th to 25^th percentile ) at the beginning and end of March. 
• Upper Floridan Aquifer (UFA) levels across the District reflected mostly normal levels, while portions of Taylor, Madison, Alachua, and Bradford counties showed high (75^th to 90^th percentile) levels. 
• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) three-month seasonal outlook favors above-normal temperatures with equal chances of above or below-normal rainfall changes throughout the District from April through June. 
• The U.S. Drought Monitor report released on April 6 shows most of the District in either the abnormally dry or moderate drought categories. However, much of Levy County is included in the severe drought category, while Madison and Jefferson counties are not currently experiencing drought. 

The full report can be found at 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. The District holds true to the belief of water for nature, water for people. 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 Twitter. 

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