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Highlands Today

Water, Dry Conditions Still Being Reviewed

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By JOE SEELIG

Highlands Today

Published: December 8, 2008

SEBRING - Things are not bad yet, said Tim Elder, forest area supervisor with the Florida Division of Forestry, talking about brush fire conditions on Friday.

"We're still issuing burn authorizations each day," said Elder. "And we will issue restrictions if forecast humidity is 35 percent or lower and wind is 15 mph or greater.

"With a cold front coming through we may issue some restrictions based upon a weather forecast, but generally it's temporary."

All of Highlands County was at 550 to 599 on the Keech Byram Drought Index on Friday. The index, with 0 - 100 being the wettest conditions and 700 - 800 being the driest conditions most favorable to the spread of a brush fire, was created in 1968 and updated in 1988.

There are three important factors before a ban is issued. First is the drought index; second is the fire activity and third is the weather.

"We're starting to get wild fires here and there, but no big ones," said Elder. "It's not bad yet."

From Oct. 24 through Nov. 30, the Okeechobee station registered zero inches of rain.

"If we get another stretch like that, things could change pretty quickly," he said.

They just ask people to exercise common sense.

"Keep in mind preventing fires and that will help us out," he added.

How Dry Is It?

Dryness is relative and appears to be cyclical.

As of Dec. 3, the state's southern region, to which Highlands County belongs, had average aquifer levels at -1.43 feet, compared to -2.49 feet for the same date last year, according to the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

So, it's come up a little. However, normal range is from 0 to +8 feet.

The 2008 rainfall level for the southern region stood at 46.38 inches from January through November. Historically, the average January through November rainfall was listed at 50.54 inches in the southern region.

Last year's rainfall in the southern region was 38.53 inches for the entire year and 42.28 inches in 2006.

By comparison, 2005 and 2004 each were wet with more than 60 inches of rain for the year.

Water District Asks For Conservation

With the holiday season here, the water management district's media relations manager Robyn Felix asked Florida residents and visitors to make water conservation a new tradition.

"This holiday season it is especially important to conserve water because the district is still experiencing impacts from two years of drought and we are now in the dry season," said Felix. "We can all make a difference by incorporating a few simple tips into our routines."

Felix suggested that during the holidays water plays a role in everything from food preparation to the cleanup process. Appliances and fixtures such as dishwashers, clothes washers, showers and toilets are also used more often.

Here are six easy ways to incorporate water conservation into holiday preparations and celebrations and save money on that water bill:

•Defrost frozen foods in the refrigerator or the microwave instead of running hot water over them.

•Rinse vegetables and fruits in a sink or pan filled with water instead of under running water. This water can then be reused to water houseplants. A running faucet can use up to 3 gallons per minute.

•When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water and fill the rinsing sink one-third to one-half full. Avoid letting the water run continuously in the rinsing sink.

•Select the proper size pans for cooking. Larger pans require more cooking water than may be necessary.

•Scrape food scraps into the garbage can or a composting bin, rather than rinsing them into the sink's garbage disposal. A garbage disposal uses up to 4 gallons of water per minute.

•Run your dishwasher only when you have a full load. Dishwashers use between 7 and 12 gallons per load.

For more water conservation tips, information about the drought and the current water restrictions, please visit the District's web site at WaterMatters.org/drought.

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