Hydrologic Conditions in Northwest : 2006 Water Year

ALABAMA Introduction

02375500 02367900 FLORIDA 02365200 02370000 02368000 02365470 National data for streamflow, 02368500 02370500 02365500 ground-water levels, and quality of water 02366996 02358789 GEORGIA 02376033 02370700 02369000 02358000 for the 2006 water year are accessible 303025085350501 02328522 02369600 02365769 02329000 to the public on the U.S. Geological 02359000 02329600 02376100 02330100 Survey’s (USGS) Site Information Man- 02366500 02359500 02358700 02329900 02330000 agement System (SIMS) website (http:// EXPLANATION 02326900 02327033 STREAMGAGING STATION 02359315 web10capp.er.usgs.gov/adr06_lookup/ 02376100 02327022 02330150 02327100 02359051 search.jsp). This fact sheet describes data LAKE GAGING STATION 02330400 300740084293001 02329900 and hydrologic conditions throughout USGS MONITORING WELL LOCATION 303025085350501 02359170 MAP northwest Florida during the 2006 water REPRESENTATIVE STREAMGAGING STATION year (fig. 1), when record-low monthly REPRESENTATIVE USGS MONITORING WELL streamflow conditions were reported at 02040 60 MILES several streamgage locations. Prior to 1960, these data were published in various USGS Water-Supply Papers and included water-related data 02319000 collected by the USGS during the water Suwannee year (October 1 to September 30). In 02319394 River 1961, a series of annual reports, “Water 02319500 Resources Data-Florida,” was introduced 02315500 02319800 that published surface-water data. In 02326000 1964, a similar report was introduced for 02324400 02326550 Suwannee the purposes of publishing water-quality 02320000 02325000 River data. In 1975, the reports were merged Ichetucknee 02321000 River to a single volume and were expanded GULF 02320500 02322800 02321500 to publish data for surface water, water Santa OF quality, and ground-water levels. Formal MEXICO Fe River 02324000 02322500 publication of the annual report series 02323000 was discontinued at the end of the 2005

FLORIDA water year, upon activation of the SIMS

02323500 website database.

LOCATION 02323502 MAP 02323566 Precipitation GULF

OF MEXICO 02323592 Precipitation across northwest

010 02313700 20 MILES Florida during the 2006 water year varied. Precipitation data from seven 010 20 KILOMETERS National Oceanic and Atmospheric EXPLANATION 82°48´ 82°46´ Administration (NOAA) climate stations, STREAMGAGING STATION 02323500 0 1 MILE (Lake City, Perry, Tallahassee, Apalachi- 02322685 REPRESENTATIVE SITE 29°59´ 0 1 KILOMETER 02322687 cola, Panama City, Crestview, and Pensa­ 02322688 cola) indicated total precipitation ranged 02322691 02322694 from 37.26 (in.) inches at Panama City

02322695 to 50.33 in. at Lake City for the water year. The cumulative monthly departures 02322699 02322698 Figure 1. Northwest Florida ranged from 27.50 in. below normal at and monitoring stations. 02322700 29°57´ Panama City to 3.27 in. below normal at River Lake City for the water year (table 1). knee

hetuc Precipitation during the fall quarter Figure 1. Northwest Florida and monitoring stations. Ic (October-December), one of the dryer periods, varied across northwest Florida.

U.S. Department of the Interior Printed on recycled paper Fact Sheet 2007-3054 U.S. Geological Survey August 2007 Table 1. Total precipitation and cumulative monthly departure from the 30-year normal (1971-2000).

[Values shown in inches]

Station name October -December 2005 January-March 2006 April-June 2006 July-September 2006 Water year 2006 Total Departure Total Departure Total Departure Total Departure Total Departure precipita- precipita- precipita- precipita- precipita- tion tion tion tion tion Lake City 10.74 2.54 9.89 -3.14 12.71 -1.06 16.99 -1.61 50.33 -3.27 Perry 11.53 2.44 7.94 -6.09 11.98 -0.69 11.57 -10.32 43.02 -14.66 Tallahassee 9.79 -1.42 10.00 -6.46 13.46 -2.00 11.39 -8.69 44.64 -18.57 Apalachicola 7.75 -3.56 7.12 -6.46 10.63 0.71 16.51 -5.19 42.01 -14.50 Panama City 6.20 -5.89 6.95 -9.72 8.38 -5.22 15.73 -6.67 37.26 -27.50 Crestview 10.32 -0.50 8.39 -10.07 7.59 -9.02 11.54 -6.51 37.84 -26.10 Pensacola 12.22 -0.34 6.99 -9.43 7.39 -7.29 18.93 -1.69 45.53 -18.75

SUWANNEE RIVER AT ELLAVILLE, FLORIDA (02319500) SANTA FE RIVER AT WORTHINGTON SPRINGS, FLORIDA (02321500) NEAR CROSS CITY, FLORIDA (02324000) 10,000 5,000 50,000 MAXIMUM MAXIMUM 5,000 MAXIMUM 2,000 2,000 20,000 1,000 1,000 500 MEAN 10,000 200 500 MEAN 100 5,000 50 2006 Water Year 200 MEAN 2006 Water Year 20 100 10 2,000 50 5 2006 Water Year 1,000 2 MINIMUM 1 20 0.50 500 10 MINIMUM 0.20 0.10 5 200 0.05 MINIMUM 0.02 2 100 0.01 1 Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep WATER YEAR WATER YEAR WATER YEAR

40,000 5,000 2,500

35,000 2,250 4,000 2,000 30,000 1,750 25,000 3,000 1,500

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND 20,000 1,250

15,000 2,000 1,000 750 10,000 1,000 500 5,000 250

0 0 0 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 CALENDAR YEAR CALENDAR YEAR CALENDAR YEAR

Figure 2. at Ellaville water year 2006 monthly mean discharge Figure 3. Santa Fe River at Worthington Springs water year 2006 monthly compared to the maximum, minimum, and mean monthly mean discharge for mean discharge compared to the maximum, minimum, and mean monthly mean the period 1927-2006, and the monthly mean discharge for the period discharge for the period 1932-2006, and the monthly mean discharge for October 1996 to September 2006. the period October 1996 to September 2006.

During this period, the cumulative departure ranged from 10.07 in. below storm season. The monthly cumulative monthly departure ranged from 5.89 in. normal at Crestview to 3.14 in. below departure, however, was well below nor­ below normal at Panama City to 2.54 in. normal at Lake City (table 1). mal ranging from 10.32 in. below normal above normal at Lake City. Pensacola Precipitation during the at Perry to 1.61 in. below normal at Lake reported near normal conditions during quarter (April-June 2006) had a large City (table 1). this quarter (0.34 in. below normal) variation. The cumulative monthly (table 1). departure ranged from 9.02 in. below Surface Water For the winter quarter (January- normal at Crestview to 0.71 in above Table 2 provides data from seven March), normally a wet period, precipita- normal at Apalachicola (table 1). representative sites in northwest Florida tion was well below normal at all seven The summer quarter (July-Septem- showing 2005 and 2006 water year mean locations. The cumulative monthly ber 2006), normally is the wet thunder- discharge and percent of mean of the Table 2. Relation of period-of-record mean annual discharge to mean discharge for the 2005 and 2006 water years.

Mean Mean Mean discharge discharge for Station name annual for the 2005 the 2006 water Station Period of discharge water year Percent of year Percent of number record mean mean Value Value Value Representative streams in (cubic feet per (cubic feet (cubic feet per northwest Florida second) per second) second) 02319500 Suwannee River at Ellaville, FL 1927-2006 6,380 11,800 185 3,650 57 02321500 Santa Fe River at Worthington Springs, FL 1932-2006 419 560 134 256 61 02324000 Steinhatchee River near Cross City, FL 1950-2006 310 496 160 69.6 22 02329000 near Havana, FL 1926-2006 1,040 1,930 186 433 42 02359000 near Altha, FL 1913-2006 1,490 2,110 142 965 65 02369000 Shoal River near Crestview, FL 1938-2006 1,110 1,790 161 616 55 02375500 Escambia River near Century, FL 1935-2006 6,250 8,910 142 3,250 52

STEINHATCHEE RIVER NEAR CROSS CITY, FLORIDA (02324000) OCHLOCKONEE RIVER NEAR HAVANA, FLORIDA (02329000) 5,000 10,000 MAXIMUM 2,000 5,000 MAXIMUM 1,000 2,000 500 MEAN 1,000 200 MEAN 500 100 50 2006 Water Year 200 2006 Water Year 20 100 10 50 MINIMUM 5

2 MINIMUM 20 1 10 Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep WATER YEAR WATER YEAR

2,500 8,000

2,250 7,000 2,000 6,000 1,750 5,000 1,500

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND 1,250 4,000

1,000 3,000 750 2,000 500 1,000 250

0 0 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 CALENDAR YEAR CALENDAR YEAR

Figure 4. Steinhatchee River near Cross City water year 2006 monthly mean Figure 5. Ochlockonee River near Havana water year 2006 monthly mean discharge compared to the maximum, minimum, and mean monthly mean discharge compared to the maximum, minimum, and mean monthly mean discharge for the period 1950-2006, and the monthly mean discharge for the discharge for the period 1926-2006, and the monthly mean discharge for the period October 1996 to September 2006. period October 1996 to September 2006.

period of record. Discharge hydrographs Annual mean streamflow across 1957 (table 3). Table 3 provides a com- for these representative streams in north- northwest Florida averaged well below parison of record-low monthly stream- west Florida are shown in figures 2 to 8. normal for the 2006 water year. Several flows observed during the 2006 water The upper graph shows the 2006 water streamgage locations registered record- year and previous records for the period year monthly mean discharge compared low monthly streamflows during the year. of record for representative streamgages. to the maximum, minimum, and mean For example, the monthly streamflow monthly mean discharge for the period during August at the Santa Fe River at Ground Water of record at that site. The lower graph Worthington Springs (02321500) was shows the monthly mean discharge for 1.51 ft3/s (cubic feet per second). The Data are collected from two ground- the period from October 1996 to previous August record was 9.86 ft3/s set water wells equipped with data record- September 2006. during the 9-year drought from 1949 to ers that measure 60-minute interval CHIPOLA RIVER NEAR ALTHA, FLORIDA (02359000) SHOAL RIVER NEAR CRESTVIEW, FLORIDA (02369000) 10,000 10,000 MAXIMUM MAXIMUM 5,000 5,000

2,000 2,000 MEAN MEAN 1,000 1,000 2006 Water Year 2006 Water Year 500 500

MINIMUM MINIMUM 200 200

100 100 Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec JanFeb Mar Apr May JunJul Aug Sep WATER YEAR WATER YEAR

6,000 6,000

5,000 5,000

4,000 4,000

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND OCHLOCKONEE RIVER NEAR HAVANA, FLORIDA (02329000) DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND 10,000 3,000 3,000 5,000 MAXIMUM 2,000 2,000 2,000 MEAN 1,000 1,000 1,000 500 0 0 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002220032004 005 2006 200 2006 Water Year CALENDAR YEAR CALENDAR YEAR 100 50 MINIMUM Figure 6. Chipola River near Altha water year 2006 monthly mean discharge Figure 7. Shoal River near Crestview water year 2006 monthly mean discharge compared to the maximum, minimum, and mean monthly mean discharge for compared to the maximum, minimum, and mean monthly mean discharge for the 20 the period 1913-2006, and the monthly mean discharge for the period period 1938-2006, and the monthly mean discharge for the period October 1996 10 Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep October 1996 to September 2006. to September 2006. WATER YEAR

8,000 ESCAMBIA RIVER NEAR CENTURY, FLORIDA (02375500)

7,000 50,000 MAXIMUM 6,000 20,000 5,000

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND MEAN 10,000 4,000

5,000 3,000 2006 Water Year

2,000 2,000 1,000 1,000 MINIMUM 0 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 500 CALENDAR YEAR Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep WATER YEAR

35,000

30,000

25,000

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND 20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

0 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 CALENDAR YEAR

Figure 8. Escambia River near Century water year 2006 monthly mean discharge compared to the maximum, minimum, and mean monthly mean discharge for the period 1935-2006, and the monthly mean discharge for the period October 1996 to Streamgage on the Suwannee River at Ellaville, September 2006. Florida, on February 20, 1939. Table 3. Record-low monthly streamflows during the 2006 water year compared to previous records for the period of record.

2006 water year Year of Historical Station Station Period of Record-low streamflow previous streamflow number name record month (cubic feet record-low (cubic feet per second) month per second) 02313700 near 1963-2006 October -42.5 1985 46.0 , FL November -77.4 2002 -59.7 June -88.3 2004 -39.2 July -46.4 1977 55.5

02321000 New River near 1950-2006 July 0.31 1999 1.06 Lake Butler, FL August 0.28 1999 1.32 September 0.52 1999 0.73

02321500 Santa Fe River at 1932-2006 July 2.39 1981 9.05 Worthington Springs, FL August 1.51 1954 9.86 September 1.37 1990 10.3

02324000 Steinhatchee River near 1950-2006 September 10.1 1956 29.5 Cross City, FL

02327100 near 1961-2006 April 2.97 2004 4.77 Sopchoppy, FL July 2.68 1977 3.06 August 2.91 1990 6.14

02330000 Ochlockonee River near 1926-2006 April 312 1999 327 Bloxham, FL

02359000 Chipola River near Altha, FL 1913-2006 April 750 1968 757

02365500 at 1929-2006 July 1,000 1986 1,190 Carryville, FL

Table 4. Minimum and maximum instantaneous ground-water elevation conditions at two wells in northwest Florida.

[NGVD, National Geodetic Vertical Datum]

2006 Instantaneous 2006 Instantaneous Station Station minimum elevation Date and time Date and time of maximum elevation number name (feet above of minimum maximum (feet above NGVD 1929) NGVD 1929) 300740084293001 USGS Observation Well 30.06 Nov. 20, 2005 33.84 Jan. 5, 2006 near Crawfordville, FL at 03:00 at 14:00 303025085350501 USGS Observation Well 53.20 Sept. 30, 2006 61.83 Oct. 1, 2005 near Wausau, FL at 21:00 at 00:00 (422A)

water elevations as part of the Climate water elevations, and date and time of the maximum water levels compared to the Response Network (http://groundwater- peaks for the water year for both of the maximum, minimum, and mean monthly watch.usgs.gov/). The daily maximum Climate Response Network wells. Water- maximum water levels for the period water-level elevations presented in annual level elevations for the USGS monitoring of record. The lower graph shows the data on SIMS are derived from these well near Wausau (303025085350501) monthly maximum water level for measurements. Table 4 provides the are shown in figure 9. The upper graph the period of October 1997 to instan­taneous minimum and maximum shows the 2006 water year monthly September 2006. Lake Elevations derived from these measurements. Water minimum for near Bloxham elevations for Lake Talquin are controlled (02329900) was 68.15 feet above Data are collected from one lake, by C.H. Corn Hydroelectric Dam located NGVD 1929 on July 22, 2006, at 17:30. Lake Talquin near Bloxham (02329900), on the Ochlockonee River. The Hydro- The instantaneous maximum at this site equipped with a data recorder that mea- electric Dam also regulates the flow was 68.89 feet above NGVD 29 (National sures 15-minute interval water elevations. into the Ochlockonee River near Geodetic Vertical Datum on January 3, The daily mean water-level elevations Bloxham. For 2006, the instantaneous 2006, at 11:15. presented in annual data on SIMS are

USGS WELL NEAR WAUSAU, FLORIDA (303025085350501)

68 MAXIMUM 66 64 For additional information, 62 MEAN 60 contact: 58 56 2006 Water Year Richard Jay Verdi, Hydrologist 54 52 U.S. Geological Survey 50 2010 Levy Ave. 48 46 MINIMUM Tallahassee, Florida 32310 44 (850) 942-9500, ext. 3045 42 (850) 942-9521 Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep WATER YEAR [email protected]

70 68

TION, IN FEET NGVD 29

A 66 Cooperation 64

ELEV 62 The USGS and agencies in Florida have 60 58 had cooperative agreements for the collection of 56 water-resources records since 1930. Agencies 54 52 that had cooperative agreements with the USGS 50 during the 2006 water year are the: Florida 48 46 Department of Environmental Protection, 44 County of Walton, Florida Department of 42 40 Transportation, Suwannee River Water 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 CALENDAR YEAR Management District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mobile District, Northwest Florida Figure 9. USGS well near Wausau monthly maximum water level for the 2006 Water Management District, County of Okaloosa, water year compared to maximum, minimum, and mean monthly maximum City of Tallahassee, and County of Santa Rosa. water levels for the period 1963-2006 and the monthly maximum water level for the period October 1997 to September 2006. (NGVD 29, National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929)

Construction crew on February 20, 1939. The new streamgage house on the Suwannee River at Ellaville, Florida, was completed this day.