DEP Publishes Being Drought Smart Report 

“It is likely that such responses will always be necessary in times of severe water shortage brought on by drought, but we can reduce the frequency of drought crises by being more ‘drought smart’ in our usage every day,” said DEP Secretary Michael W. Sole. “In times of water shortage, effective conservation allows more users to share the limited water available.”

Being Drought Smart identifies a number of short- and mid-term recommendations evaluated in terms of drought responsiveness, water saved, cost-effectiveness and ease of implementation. Recommendations include more Mobile Irrigation Labs to improve water use efficiency in agriculture, providing goal-based water conservation plans for public water utilities, and installing rain sensors on automated irrigation systems.

In response to the 2007 drought, DEP, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the South Florida Water Management District and the Florida Division of Emergency Management, produced the Florida Drought Action Plan in April. The agencies worked closely with Conserve Florida, a group established to provide information and tools to improve water conservation through the development of utility-specific, goal-based water conservation programs, to develop the Action Plan recommendations.

Among the tasks in that plan is the development of practical recommendations and policy changes to alleviate the severity of future droughts in Florida. Implementation of the recommendations in both the Florida Drought Action Plan and the Being Drought Smart Report will require collaborative efforts by many federal, state and local agencies as well as other organizations such as the Florida Section of the American Water Works Association, the Florida Water Environment Association and the Florida Rural Water Association.

The necessity for such measures is highlighted by current drought conditions throughout the state, particularly in South Florida. In past droughts, the region has been able to rely on the storage capabilities of different regions of the watershed, such as the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, the Water Conservation Areas and Lake Okeechobee. Never before have all three of these regions had critically low water levels at the same time. In response to the current drought, the South Florida Water Management District, for the first time in its history, issued Phase III water shortage orders (45 percent reduction goal) for several regions.

While Being Drought Smart focuses on improving water use efficiency as a drought response, the State is also encouraging the development of drought-resistant alternative water supplies. The 2005 Legislature created the Water Protection and Sustainability Program within DEP to help fund the development of alternative water supply projects at the local level. In fiscal year 2005-2006, that program contributed $100 million in state matching funds to local governments for alternative water supply projects, with an additional $60 million allocated for fiscal year 2006-2007.

To view the Being Drought Smart Report, visit http://www.dep.state.fl.us/drought/files/drought_smart_report.pdf.