SFWMD issues emergency irrigation restrictions

The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) issued Emergency Order No. 2020-12- DAO-WS that places irrigation restrictions into effect starting Saturday, April 25, 2020 for all of Lee County. The Order declares a Modified Phase I (moderate) Water Shortage Restrictions for agriculture, nursery, and recreation (including golf courses) irrigation use classes and a Modified Phase III (severe) Water Shortage Restriction for landscape irrigation using surface water and groundwater from the water table, lower Tamiami, sandstone, Mid-Hawthorn, Lower Hawthorn, and Floridan aquifers within Lee County. A Notice of Rights is included within the Order.

A copy of Emergency Order 2020-12-DAO-WS is also available on the SFWMD website at www.sfwmd.gov/conserve. A map depicting the geographic region of the affected area is included with Emergency Order No. 220-12-DAO-WS.

The SFWMD Executive Director found it necessary to issue this Emergency Order due to intensified water resource concerns in Lee County, resulting from lack of rainfall which has significantly contributed to current record low water levels in surface water bodies and the aquifers within Lee County. Details of the Modified Phase I and Phase III Water Shortage Restrictions are listed in Emergency Order 2020-12-DAO-WS and should be reviewed by all users. In addition to the following the restrictions, all permitted users are required to continue to submit water usage data according to their water use permit conditions.

If a permitted user has obtained a variance allowing limited conditional water use pursuant to previous Water Shortage Orders affecting Lee County, this variance will be automatically extended to apply to these Modified Phase I and Phase III restrictions.

If a permitted user has not previously obtained a variance, the permitted user may request relief from this Or