News Flash

LIVE OAK, FLA., SEPTEMBER 19, 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 August.  

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.  

While Hurricane Idalia brought strong winds to the District at the end of August, rainfall was less than originally expected. The District average for rainfall during Idalia was approximately 1.75 inches of rain, though some areas of Taylor and Madison counties received more than five inches of rain.  

Other notable highlights from the month of August:  

• The District received an average rainfall of 7.07 inches of rain during the month, which is approximately 7 percent lower than the 1932-2022 average of 7.61 inches.
• Most counties in the District received between 5 and 8 inches of rainfall on average, with some areas of Jefferson, Madison, Hamilton, Taylor, Lafayette, Dixie, and Bradford counties receiving more than 10 inches of rainfall.
• The 12-month period ending August 31 reflected a rainfall deficit of 4.70 inches, a slight increase from the previous month. 
• River gages across the District finish in either the normal (25^th to 75^th percentile) or above normal (75^th to 100^th percentile) flow ranges. 
• Upper Floridan Aquifer levels across the District reflected mainly normal (25^th to 75^th percentile) or high (75^th to 90^th percentile) groundwater levels in August. 
• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) three-month seasonal outlook favors above normal temperatures along with above normal precipitation throughout the District from September through November.

 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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