SUWANNEE RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT MEMORANDUM TO: Governing Board FROM: Darlene Velez, Chief, Office of Water Resources THRU: Tom Mirti, Deputy Executive Director, Water and Land Resources DATE: January 11, 2021 RE: December 2020 Hydrologic Conditions Report RAINFALL • District-wide total rainfall for the month was 2.77” which is 13% lower than the 1932-2019 average of 3.19” (Table 1, Figure 1). The 12-month period ending December 31st reflected a Districtwide rainfall deficit of 2.05”, slightly widening the deficit of 1.57” at the end of November. Central District counties (Taylor and Lafayette) received the most amount of rain this month while the southern part of the District received the least, less than 1.5 inches in Levy and Alachua (Figure 2). • The 12-month rainfall deficits continued in the Santa Fe, Suwannee, and Waccasassa river basins (Figure 3). Both the Aucilla and Coastal river basin surpluses decreased from November. The Santa Fe, Suwannee and Waccasassa river basins stayed in a 3-month deficit from November to December (Figure 4). The Aucilla and Coastal river basins both entered deficits, from previous surpluses in November. SURFACEWATER • Rivers: Most rivers flows were in the normal range (25 – 75th percentiles) during the month of December (Figure 5). In the coastal area, the Fenholloway River stayed above the 75th percentile but the Econfina moved below the 75th percentile. The Little River and the Withlacoochee River at Quitman rose above the 75th percentile after beginning the month in the normal range (Figure 6). • Lakes: Water levels did not dramatically change at any lakes from November to December (Figure 7). At Andrews Lake the water level remained near its long-term recorded maximum level but started to fall. Alligator Lake and Lake Sampson continue to fluctuate around the historic average levels. Water levels are at or above long-term averages except at Palestine, Cherry, Sneads Smokehouse, and Santa Fe lakes. • Springs: Field measurements of flow were made during December at 12 springs by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), District staff, and contractors. At Blue Hole on the Ichetucknee River, flows continued to decline below the 25th percentile (Figure 8), although the Ichetucknee River itself was in the normal range. For Madison Blue Spring, flow dipped below the 10th percentile in December (Figure 9) due to backwater effects from the Withlacoochee River. GROUNDWATER Parts of Taylor, Lafayette, Alachua, and Bradford counties remained above the 75th percentile for December but the rest of the District stayed in the normal 25th to 75th percentile range (Figure 10). Districtwide Upper Floridan aquifer levels stayed relatively stable from the end of November and ended the month at the 58th percentile. Most county index wells ended the month at higher than historic monthly average levels but all levels fell since November except at the Lafayette County well near Mayo (Figure 11). Most District UFA wells with records extending back to the 1960’s ended the month within normal ranges with a few exceptions – both wells in Lafayette County and the DOF Perry Well in Taylor County were above the 75th percentile. Several long-term wells in southern Georgia stayed below normal (Figure 12a). Water levels at five wells with records that extend at least back to 1962 have fallen or stayed static this month (Figure 12b). CLIMATE AND DROUGHT OUTLOOK A La Niña Advisory is currently in effect. The Climate Prediction Center predicts an 95% chance that La Niña conditions will continue January through March 2021 and a potential transition spring 2021 (~50% chance of Neutral during April through June). The NOAA three-month seasonal outlook predicts below normal rainfall and relatively warm temperatures throughout the southeastern United States for January through March. The U.S. Drought Monitor report for the week ending January 5, 2021 indicated that the District area is at an abnormally dry intensity and drought conditions may develop within the next 3 months. CONSERVATION Water conservation continues to be necessary to sustain healthy groundwater levels and flows in District springs and rivers. All users are urged to eliminate unnecessary uses. Landscape irrigation during Eastern Standard Time (November 1st to March 14th 2021) is limited to once per week based on a District water conservation rule that applies to residential landscaping, public or commercial recreation areas, and businesses that are not regulated by a District-issued water use permit. Information about SRWMD’s year-round conservation measures is available at http://www.srwmd.org/index.aspx?NID=337. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Hydrologic Conditions Report is a monthly effort of the Water and Land Resources Division’s Data Collection Program. Acknowledgement is made to the following staff for their contributions to the timely production of this report: Data Collection: Kevin Jones, Henry Richardson, and Vince Robinson QA/QC and Reporting: Tom Mirti, Alexandria Blankenship, Darlene Velez, and Tara Rodgers Administrative Support/Document Preparation/IT: Pennie Flickinger, Tyler Jordan, Paul Buchanan, Andrew Neel, Kelly Wooley, and Alejandro Garcia This report is compiled in compliance with Chapter 40B-21.211, Florida Administrative Code, using rainfall (gage-adjusted radar-derived estimates), groundwater (97 wells), surfacewater (35 stations), and general information such as drought indices and forecasts. Data are provisional and updated as revised data become available. Data are available at http://www.mysuwanneeriver.com/507/Water-Data-Portal or upon request. 2 Table 1: Nexrad Monthly Rainfall Totals by County (inches) County December December Month % Total Last Annual % 2020 Average of Normal 12 Months of Normal Alachua 1.93 2.77 70% 45.92 88% Baker 2.81 2.77 101% 50.91 101% Bradford 2.13 2.95 72% 42.14 82% Columbia 2.96 3.08 96% 49.09 95% Dixie 2.26 3.17 71% 51.54 87% Gilchrist 2.31 3.07 75% 43.89 77% Hamilton 2.31 2.98 77% 52.73 100% Jefferson 2.31 4.25 54% 48.60 82% Lafayette 3.79 3.33 114% 51.09 91% Levy 1.63 3.18 51% 47.71 80% Madison 2.36 3.79 62% 50.88 90% Suwannee 3.03 2.79 108% 53.22 100% Taylor 3.19 3.39 94% 52.16 88% Union 2.45 2.86 86% 44.07 82% December 2020 District Average 2.77 December Long-Term Average (1932-2019) 3.19 Historical 12-month Average (1932-2019) 54.68 Past 12-Month Total 52.63 12-Month Rainfall Surplus/Deficit -2.05 Figure 1: Comparison of District-wide Monthly Rainfall (Rainfall reported in inches) 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 Rainfall (inches) Rainfall 6 4 2 0 Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Past 13 Months Average Maximum Minimum Figure 2: December 2020 SRWMD Gage-adjusted Radar Rainfall Figure 3: 12 - Month Rainfall Surplus/Deficit by River Basin through December 31, 2020 Figure 4: 3 - Month Rainfall Surplus/Deficit by River Basin through December 31, 2020 Figure 5: Daily River Flow Statistics January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020 75 - 100 25 - 75 10 - 25 Percentile Percentile 0 - 10 Past 12 Months Flow Suwannee River at Fargo, GA 10,000 10000 1,000 1000 100 100 10 10 1 Suwannee River at White Springs 0 1 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 100000 100000 Suwannee River at Branford 10000 10000 1000 Suwannee River at Ellaville 100 1000 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 100000 RIVERFLOW,CUBICPER FEET SECOND Withlacoochee River near Pinetta Alapaha River near Statenville, GA 50000 10000 5000 1000 500 100 50 10 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Figure 5, cont.: Daily River Flow Statistics January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020 75 - 100 25 - 75 10 - 25 Percentile 0 - 10 Past 12 Months Flow 30000 Santa Fe River at Worthington Springs Santa Fe River near Fort White above SR47 Bridge 10,000 1,000 100 3000 10 1 0 300 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 800 16000 Ichetucknee River at US 27 Steinhatchee River above US19 700 1600 600 500 160 400 300 16 200 100 1.6 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec RIVER FLOW, CUBIC FEET PER FLOW, SECOND FEETCUBIC RIVER Econfina River on Salt Road above US 98 Aucilla River at Lamont 10,000 1,000 1,000 100 100 10 10 1 1 0 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Figure 6: The Cody Scarp (or Escarpment) is an area of relatively steep topographical change that runs across north Florida. The geology above Streamflow Conditions the Scarp consists of sandy soils over thick layers of mostly impermeable December 2020 sediments such as clay. Streams are well-developed with dendritic (tree- like) drainage patterns. Because of the impermeable sediments, rainfall is collected in ever-growing surface streams as the land elevation falls. Below the Scarp, sandy soils overlay porous limestone. These areas are internally drained, meaning rainfall runs Alapaha directly into the ground or into sinkholes instead of forming streams. In these areas, rainfall directly recharges the aquifer, which in turn discharges into rivers via springs and Alapaha/ river bed seepage.