The St. Johns River Water Management District today issued a Phase III Extreme Water Shortage declaration in response to ongoing exceptional drought conditions, declining groundwater levels and reduced surface water flows across northeast and central Florida. The district includes 18 counties from Nassau to Indian River, including Flagler and its municipalities.
“The move to Phase III reflects the severity of current drought conditions and the need for immediate action to reduce water demand,” said St. Johns River Water Management District Director of Water Supply and Assessment Clay Coarsey “Protecting our water resources requires a collective effort. Residents, businesses, agricultural operations and large water users all play an important role in helping conserve supplies during these prolonged dry conditions.”
District staff evaluated rainfall totals, aquifer levels, river flows and drought indicators before recommending the action. Despite earlier conservation measures, conditions have continued to worsen due to a lack of rainfall, requiring additional mandatory restrictions to help protect regional water resources.
Don’t be fooled by torrential rains that left many areas of Palm Coast and Flagler Beach briefly flooded on Tuesday.
“I can fully understand why have a lot of rain one-day and then seeing a drought notice the next can seem a little odd,” Flagler County Emergency Management Director Jonathan Lord said. “The main reason you see this is because drought determinations are made via analysis of a variety of conditions over a period of time (broader climate and ground conditions), where seeing localized heavy rains, and storm water lakes/canals filling up is more immediate. Also, heavy rain doesn’t necessarily mean the water gets to where it needs to go – some of it just runs off away from areas that need it.”
The drought index across the state averages 433 on the 800-point drought index, with 800 being drought conditions, where the ground is entirely parched, and zero reflecting saturated grounds. Averages can vary significantly from county to county, and often from regions to regions within counties. For example, the drought index for Flagler today was 292, a drop of 56 points from the previous day. It’s not the kind of number that would suggest drought conditions. In Volusia County, however, the index is at 522, a level when wildfires start popping up. In St. Johns County, it’s 385m and in Putnam, 437.
Surface conditions are not indicative of the aquifer level, which has been falling.
Under Phase III restrictions, landscape irrigation continues to be limited to one day per week for residential, commercial and institutional properties, including managed landscapes and athletic fields. Restrictions on irrigation for new plantings, including sod, have also been tightened.
Additional Phase III measures:
- The water shortage order is being expanded into the District’s portion of Lake County.
- Commercial, industrial and institutional users must suspend certain non-essential water uses.
- Irrigation for golf course fairways is limited to one day per week.
- Aesthetic water use–decorative uses in fountains, waterfalls, reflective and ornamental pools–is prohibited, and additional restrictions apply to activities such as street and pressure washing.
- Landscape irrigation is prohibited between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
The district is urging all water users to eliminate unnecessary water use, suspend non-essential activities and prepare for the possibility of additional restrictions if drought conditions persist.
Outdoor irrigation remains one of the greatest demands on potable water supplies, making conservation efforts especially important during extended periods of dry weather.
The district’s Water Shortage Plan allows for progressively stronger measures if conditions continue to worsen. Taking steps to conserve water now can help reduce strain on water resources and lessen the need for additional restrictions in the future.
If you have not already reset your irrigation timer so that irrigation only occurs one day per week and only between 6 and 8 a.m., this should be done immediately. Residents are also encouraged to inspect irrigation systems for leaks and ensure sprinklers are only watering landscaped areas, not streets, sidewalks or driveways, to help prevent unnecessary water waste during ongoing drought conditions.
To view the complete water shortage order, including detailed requirements for each water use category and water conservation tips, visit sjrwmd.com/wateringrestrictions.
Please note, residents may occasionally see irrigation systems operating in public spaces such as parks, medians and common areas during the water shortage. In many cases, as in Palm Coast, these systems use reclaimed water, which is a highly treated recycled water source that helps reduce demand on potable groundwater supplies and relieve pressure on sewer plants while reducing the amount of recycled water that ends up in the Intracoastal. While conservation remains important across all water sources, some reclaimed water systems must continue operating to maintain system function or manage storage capacity.
To learn more about reclaimed water and its beneficial uses, go here.
JimboXYZ says
Only because more growth always made a drought better. Like every overpopulation problem ever solves anything.
Greg says
Sure thing, I will not conserve water. If you can approve another 22000 houses, where will the water come from? It’s a total joke oev either it’s crap. The city will be in really deep trouble with the westbound expansion. I wonder where all the water will come from?
feddy says
Completely agree!
PaulT says
Water is a shared (and increasingly precious) resource and we are in drought conditions again. So sorry @Greg, ypur “Sure thing, I will not conserve water” is kind of antisocial.
I agree that the ‘Westward Expansion’ plan is a crock and that the City and quite a few of our neighbors are pretty lax on their irrigation in terms of both frequency and times, but maybe we should hold them to account rather than copy their bad example.
And when you get that $100 fine for ignoring the new drought regulations I doubt the “but the City of Palm Coast doesn’t comply with the rules” will prove to be an effective excuse. .
Laurel says
So let’s ad another 95,000 residents. That will solve it. Westward Ho!
BillC says
Also, depletion of aquifers can cause sinkholes.
NJ says
Time to use the Water Shortage to STOP the Western Expansion!! The Western Expansion MUST build it”s own Well Water System and Waste Water Plants! Yes, it must be a NEW City and NOT a Palm Coast PROBLEM!!
Laurel says
NJ: All central Florida water comes from the Upper Floridan Aquafer. Separate wells make no difference.
CPFL says
Does this mean the city will step up and follow these rules? Cannot say how many times I see Belle Terre being watered in the rain and it is watered daily. Live by your rules city of Palm Coast!
Joe shmoe says
CPFL It comes from reclaim water. It’s not drinking water
Sheesh.
Skibum says
Clean, fresh drinking water is an absolute necessity. Water is not a renewable resource, and alarm bells are starting to ring regarding the finite amount of water in the aquifer and how fast it is being depleted right now. It seems insane for the city and county to be moving forward with plans for more development, more homes, more people… without taking into consideration what these grandiose plans are doing to the environment, to the wildlife, to the existing population’s QUALITY of life, and to the resources necessary to sustain that life.
Local governments could pave over every square inch of existing land in a development gone mad idea, but do the people who make these decisions really, really consider both the foreseen costs AND unforeseen consequences of their decisions? I think not.
Laurel says
One of the springs we recently went to is in Ghilhirst County. This is a spring that has waterways that allow you to swim from one springhead to another. Last week, the water was so low that one could not swim from one springhead to another, but walk in water not quite up to their knees. It was shockingly low.
Skibum says
https://thisisreno.com/2025/08/southwest-drying-groundwater-levels/
We do not want to become another Nevada, with nearly no groundwater left to sustain life!
Surfgod says
There were water concerns 20 years ago when the sod farms started growing to support the housing boom. It has to be much worse now since I am guessing the population in Flagler County has probably doubled since then.
Pogo says
Sounds familiar
https://www.google.com/search?q=chinatown+bring+the+county+to+the+water
Atwp says
Republicans approve expansion of the city. Crumbling roads and drought conditions but ok expansion, drought conditions and crumbling roads who can survive and who can travel? Good job Republicans good job, yeah right. Look at the country. Republicans are the worse governing party of all time.
Water money says
Westward ho we go !
Eliminate all that natural area that actually recharge our awuafer to create more shortage.
Vote the clown show extra spending debt
Let them build desalinization plant and raise the water bill to pay ourself back.
The plot thickens
The plan reveals itself taxpayer gets screwed
Drink up says
Why not raise our water bills and build a desalination plant.
When they build westward the aquafer will never recharge itself
Jim H says
Want to get around to a set of solutions?
Just suggest: stop wasting water on all these golf courses.
That will get that big ball rolling . . .
Remember to vote wisely next time!
Joe shmoe says
Golf courses use reclaim water in our area. Not drinking water maybe do a little homework before you make a uneducated comment.
Dennis Rathsam says
P/C water bill is a joke….. Base rate my ass!!!! Charge the seniors what they use, not what you want to collect! This city is a total rip off of seniors
Dave says
Once a week, so I guess all of these up scale areas and NEW Construction can water all the want. STOP all new construction until such times the water table is satisfactory.
Land of no turn signals says says
Come on what’s another 30,000 houses gonna hurt?I herd this bullshit when I moved here in 2005.How many houses / retail has been built since then?
flht says
don`t forget about the data centers. one already got a foot in the door, and no matter what they tell you, data centers use tons of water and electricity.