Aquifer Weekly Water Resource – January 11, 2019

The Southwest Florida Water Management District urges year-round water conservation. Water levels may rise and fall, but our water resources remain limited. The District encourages efficient, non-wasteful uses of water to sustain our high quality of life. For more information about ways to conserve water, contact the District at 1-800-423-1476 or visit the District’s website at WaterMatters.org.

Water Resource Weekly Update

Aquifer* Levels (percentile)

Regions **	Jan. 8 percentile***	Previous week percentile	Same date  last year percentile	Normal range percentile****
North	91	91	60	25 – 75
Central	85	85	59	25 – 75
South	76	78	47	25 – 75

* Aquifers are underground layers of rock and sand that hold water. In southwest Florida, more than 80 percent of the water supply comes from aquifers.

** North (Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Levy, Marion and Sumter counties)

Central (Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk counties)

South (Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Manatee and Sarasota counties)

*** The percentile compares current aquifer levels to historical levels during the same time of year on a scale of 0-100. For example, if the groundwater level is at the 50^th percentile, it means that half of the historical levels for this time of year were higher and half were lower than the current level.

**** Any level that falls between the 25^th and the 75^th percentile is considered normal. Less than the 25^th would be considered below normal and above the 75^th percentile is above normal.

2019 Rainfall (in inches) *

	Jan. 8	January	Year to date	January
	Actual **	Historic Avg.***	Normal Range***	Actual**	Historic Avg.***	Normal Range***
North	0.57	2.79	1.48 – 3.96	0.57	2.79	1.48 – 3.96
Central	0.55	2.49	1.20 – 3.55	0.55	2.49	1.20 – 3.55
South	0.34	2.15	0.95 – 3.16	0.34	2.15	0.95 – 3.16

Historic Rainfall (January – December in inches)

	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011	Jan. through Dec.
	Actual	Actual	Actual	Actual	Actual	Actual	Actual	Actual	Historic Avg.***	Normal Range***
North	66.66	52.41	48.49	52.04	61.12	50.54	55.81	48.35	53.45	48.62 – 58.07
Central	59.62	51.37	55.38	57.27	56.16	47.92	50.30	53.44	52.36	46.77 – 56.55
South	56.53	57.43	56.79	54.24	52.57	52.64	47.36	46.40	52.44	47.04 – 57.17

* The rainfall values for the current month and year are considered provisional and subject to revision. The other annual figures are final.

** Actual rainfall for the time frame referenced at the top of the column.

*** Historical average rainfall for the time frame referenced at the top of the column. The District’s historical rainfall records date back to 1914. The “normal range” is defined as rainfall totals that fall on or between the 25th to 75th percentile values derived from the historical data for each month.