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Florida Administrative Code (Last Updated: April 18, 2024) |
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40. Water Management Districts |
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40A. Northwest Florida Water Management District |
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40A-21. Water Shortage Plan |
1(1) The District shall evaluate the condition of the water resources in the District as specified in Rule 1940A-21.221, 20F.A.C.
21(2) Prior to declaring a water shortage for a source class, the Board may issue a water shortage warning calling for voluntary reductions in use within that source class. The Board may elect to have the District staff coordinate the water shortage warning with local interest groups and other representatives of the various affected user classes as well as emergency preparedness and other related agencies and includes increased data monitoring and analysis. Delineation of the source class boundaries will be made by the best geographic means available.
108(3) If the District determines that water levels have fallen below established management levels, if any, or that there is a possibility that insufficient water will be available within a source class to meet the user demands from that source, to meet the requirements of the permit system, or to protect the water resource from serious harm, the Board shall issue an order declaring a water shortage for the affected source class or classes. When the affected source extends beyond the District’s boundaries, the District will coordinate water shortage declarations with other appropriate agencies to the extent practicable.
206(4) A water shortage shall also be declared for those source classes not presently experiencing a water shortage if usage from such sources can be reasonably expected to impact the present and anticipated available water supply in the source classes identified in subsection (3).
250(5) If a water shortage is declared for a source class, the District shall estimate the percent reduction in overall water use required to protect the water resources from serious harm or to reduce usage such that established management levels, if any, are maintained to the greatest extent possible.
299(6) When appropriate, the District shall designate source-specific Water Use Caution Areas in which more stringent monitoring or control of the resource is determined necessary. Within these areas, appropriate water users will be required to utilize reclaimed water unless it is demonstrated to the District’s satisfaction that reuse is not economically, environmentally or technically feasible.
354(7) Upon the designation of a Water Use Caution Area the District may set management levels, if not already established for each affected source class in that area. If deemed necessary, the establishment of the management levels and the increased monitoring efforts will help to provide the District with a management framework which can be used to evaluate the impacts on the water resources by present and projected future users.
424(8) Management levels may also be established by the District for source classes which are not in a Water Use Caution Area.
446Rulemaking Authority 448373.044, 449373.113 FS. 451Law Implemented 453373.175, 454373.246 FS. 456History–New 3-29-92.
