Author: Jim Lamar

The Northwest Florida Water Management District has issued Emergency Order 26R-069 related to Hurricane Isaias. The emergency order can be viewed here.

The Northwest Florida Management District has temporarily closed all campsites and recreation sites, including springs, because of potential storm-related impacts. Any change in status will be first posted on the District’s Recreation Site Closures page.

 

TALLAHASSEE – On Friday, August 28, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the reappointment of Nicholas Patronis to the Northwest Florida Water Management District.

Nicholas Patronis

Patronis is the Vice President of Captain Anderson’s Restaurant. Active in his community, he has served as a member of the National and Florida Restaurant Associations. An avid sportsman, Patronis enjoys spending time outdoors and participating in a variety of sporting activities. Patronis attended Gulf Coast State College.

This appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

The Northwest Florida Water Management District is making available $250,000 for small-scale grants to implement water conservation projects which result in quantifiable water savings.

Water conservation provides environmental and economic benefits by lowering utility bills, enhancing the sustainability of water supplies, lowering the strain on water infrastructure and wastewater systems, and reducing fertilizer runoff.

To be eligible for consideration, the water source being conserved through the project must be groundwater or surface water. Projects with quantifiable water savings will be given priority. Public outreach, Florida Friendly landscape exhibits, and conservation education programs will also be considered.

Geographic priority areas for funding requests include water resource caution areas (coastal Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton counties, and the Upper Telogia Creek basin in Gadsden County), areas of resource concern (southern Bay and north-central Gadsden counties), areas within a regional water supply plan (Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton counties), and REDI communities.

Local governments and public or non-profit water supply utilities are encouraged to apply. Available funding for each project is up to $50,000 cost-share, with a required 50-percent local match requirement.

Applications will be accepted until 2 p.m. on September 17, 2026.

Application materials and other information can be found at https://nwfwater.com/water-resources/funding-programs/.

The application period for the District’s Agricultural Cover Crop Cost-Share Grant Funding Cycle opens August 1 and will remain open through September 30.

For more information, including application forms, please visit: https://nwfwater.com/Water-Resources/Agriculture/Jackson-Blue-Spring-Grant-Funding-Programs/.

The Northwest Florida Water Management District has lifted the ban on open campfires that was originally issued in April. As a reminder, please use designated, enclosed grills provided by the District at our recreation sites.

The Water Shortage Warning Order issued by the Northwest Florida Water Management District on February 11 remains in effect.

The order calls for voluntary reductions in water usage in each of the 16 counties in northwest Florida.

May 5 update

Water levels across northwest Florida remain well under normal levels despite recent storms that brought as much as two inches of rain to areas across the Panhandle.

Below is a chart showing the rainfall deficit in each county both before and after the weekend rain event. A negative difference means the county saw a decrease in its rainfall deficit. A positive difference means the county saw an increase in its rainfall deficit.

For example, Jackson County had a rainfall deficit of 18.09 inches in its 365-day average as of May 1. Following the weekend rains, that deficit decreased by May 4 to 15.82 inches.

The recent rain comes on the heels of an unusually dry March, when the entire District saw ‘much below normal’ precipitation and ‘above normal’ temperatures.

For the month of March, an average of 1.94 inches of precipitation was recorded across northwest Florida. That total is 3.4 inches below normal precipitation for March.

The District posts its monthly hydrologic conditions report at https://nwfwater.com/data-publications/hydrologic-data/.

County	365-day departure from normal rainfall (inches) AS OF MAY 4, 2026	365-day departure from normal rainfall (inches) AS OF MAY 1, 2026	difference
Bay	-14.03	-15.17	-1.14
Calhoun	-17.19	-18.65	-1.46
Escambia	-11.60	-11.51	0.09
Franklin	-10.13	-10.96	-0.83
Gadsden	-15.29	-17.62	-2.33
Gulf	-11.79	-12.99	-1.20
Holmes	-15.64	-17.68	-2.04
Jackson	-15.82	-18.09	-2.27
Jefferson	-16.81	-17.5	-0.69
Leon	-16.09	-17.49	-1.40
Liberty	-10.61	-12.54	-1.93
Okaloosa	-12.56	-13.61	-1.05
Santa Rosa	-13.04	-12.85	0.19
Wakulla	-9.64	-10.63	-0.99
Walton	-13.29	-14.97	-1.68
Washington	-13.65	-15.28	-1.63

More on the Water Shortage Warning Order

The order encourages all users to reduce water use and to conserve water to the maximum extent possible.

Additionally:

• All landscape irrigation users are encouraged to limit irrigation to the low evaporation periods of the evening and early morning hours;
• These voluntary measures shall not be construed to limit any activities designed to prevent the spread of fire or to save property from being destroyed by fire;
• These voluntary measures do not exempt any water user from complying with applicable mandatory water-use restrictions placed on public supply utility consumers due to capacity problems with water supply facilities. In such cases, water users are encouraged to reduce water use in a manner consistent with the local restrictions, and to the extent practicable with this order;
• This Water Shortage Warning Order shall remain in place until rescinded by the Governing Board.

FREEPORT – A special ribbon-cutting ceremony held Thursday featuring representatives from the Northwest Florida Water Management District, The Nature Conservancy, and Walton County celebrated the continued preservation of more than 2,000 acres within the delta of the Choctawhatchee River.

The ceremony marked the official acceptance of 2,295 acres The Nature Conservancy donated to the District. The parcel is located in Walton County east of Choctawhatchee Bay and encompasses the majority of the Choctawhatchee River delta.

“The Nature Conservancy has been a generous partner to the District for many years, and this donation will allow us to continue to preserve and protect this parcel which is so important for the overall health of the Choctawhatchee River and Bay,” said Gus Andrews, a member of the District’s Governing Board who represents Walton County. “We are grateful to TNC not just for this donation but for continuing to partner with us to protect the natural resources of northwest Florida.”

Originally acquired by TNC in 1980, the parcel is comprised of brackish and freshwater marsh systems and floodplain forest.

“The growth we’re experiencing in Florida can be good for our economy and communities but brings the challenges of safeguarding water quality, sourcing drinking water, and maintaining our way of life, especially up here in real Florida,” said Greg Knecht, Florida executive director of The Nature Conservancy. “That’s why collaborating with entities like the Northwest Florida Water Management District, which is always a phenomenal partner, is critical to protecting special places like these almost 2,300 acres of pristine northwest Florida.”

Now that the transition of ownership is complete, District staff will begin regularly inspecting the property to ensure the estuary and natural marsh system is not impacted by dumping or illegal structures. District staff will also address any issues that may arise from the presence of non-native or nuisance plants and animals.

Because this parcel was donated to the District, an appraisal was not required. The District and TNC shared costs associated with an environmental site assessment of the property as well as a boundary map and acreage certification. The District paid closing costs which included a title exam, title insurance, recording fees, and a documentary stamp tax.

Related links

Water Shortage Warning Order
Water Shortage Warning Order Fact Sheet
January 2026 Hydrologic Conditions Report

The Northwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board on Wednesday issued a Water Shortage Warning and called for voluntary reductions in water use across the District.

While water supplies are currently meeting demand, the Water Shortage Warning is intended to encourage conservation, reduce drought impacts, and protect water resources. Users are encouraged to conserve water where practicable and to limit landscape irrigation to early morning or evening hours when possible. Activities necessary for fire protection are not affected, and any existing local mandatory water restrictions remain in effect.

As of February 5, 2026, drought conditions encompassed the entire District. Streamflow conditions across northwest Florida were considered “below-normal” to “extremely below-normal” and groundwater levels were continuing to decline.

The Districtwide average rainfall deficit for the previous 120 days was 6.2 inches. The NOAA Climate Prediction Center seasonal forecast for February through April shows above-normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation are expected. Drought conditions are expected to persist through April.

Water conservation measures and voluntary reductions in usage will help reduce drought impacts and help extend our water resources. Although water supplies within the District are currently able to meet demands and no losses of supply or capacity have been reported, the Water Shortage Warning will increase public awareness and enhance water resource protection.

The Water Shortage Warning encourages all users to reduce water use and to conserve water to the maximum extent possible.

Additionally:

• All landscape irrigation users are encouraged to limit irrigation to the low evaporation periods of the evening and early morning hours;
• These voluntary measures shall not be construed to limit any activities designed to prevent the spread of fire or to save property from being destroyed by fire;
• These voluntary measures do not exempt any water user from complying with applicable mandatory water-use restrictions placed on public supply utility consumers due to capacity problems with water supply facilities. In such cases, water users are encouraged to reduce water use in a manner consistent with the local restrictions, and to the extent practicable with this order;
• This Water Shortage Warning Order shall remain in place until rescinded by the Governing Board.

In response to drought conditions across the entire state, each of Florida’s five water management districts have issued Water Shortage Warning orders.

This is the third time Northwest Florida Water Management District has issued a Water Shortage Warning order. Previous orders were issued in 2000 and 2007.

Media questions can be directed to jim.lamar@nwfwater.com or 850-539-5999.

Contractors for the Northwest Florida Water Management District have begun restoration and protection efforts at Cypress Spring along Holmes Creek in Washington County.

The work will help stabilize the shoreline around the spring and enhance recreational access to the spring for visitors.

As work at the spring continues, access to the shoreline may be restricted. The spring will remain accessible by watercraft.

Work on the project is expected to last several months.