U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Fact Sheet 2007-3054

August 2007

Hydrologic Conditions in Northwest Florida: 2006 Water Year

Printed on recycled paper

Introduction

National data for streamflow, 

ground-water levels, and quality of water 

for the 2006 water year are accessible 

to the public on the U.S. Geological 

Survey’s (USGS) Site Information Management System (SIMS) website (http://

web10capp.er.usgs.gov/adr06_lookup/

search.jsp). This fact sheet describes data 

and hydrologic conditions throughout 

northwest Florida during the 2006 water 

year (fig. 1), when record-low monthly 

streamflow conditions were reported at 

several streamgage locations.

Prior to 1960, these data were 

published in various USGS Water-Supply 

Papers and included water-related data 

collected by the USGS during the water 

year (October 1 to September 30). In 

1961, a series of annual reports, “Water 

Resources Data-Florida,” was introduced 

that published surface-water data. In 

1964, a similar report was introduced for 

the purposes of publishing water-quality 

data. In 1975, the reports were merged 

to a single volume and were expanded 

to publish data for surface water, water 

quality, and ground-water levels. Formal 

publication of the annual report series 

was discontinued at the end of the 2005 

water year, upon activation of the SIMS 

website database.

Precipitation

Precipitation across northwest 

Florida during the 2006 water year 

varied. Precipitation data from seven 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA) climate stations, 

(Lake City, Perry, Tallahassee, Apalachicola, Panama City, Crestview, and Pensacola) indicated total precipitation ranged 

from 37.26 (in.) inches at Panama City 

to 50.33 in. at Lake City for the water 

year. The cumulative monthly departures 

ranged from 27.50 in. below normal at 

Panama City to 3.27 in. below normal at 

Lake City for the water year (table 1).

Precipitation during the fall quarter 

(October-December), one of the dryer 

periods, varied across northwest Florida. 

29°57 ́

29°59 ́

Figure 1. Northwest Florida and monitoring stations.

82°48 ́

02322685 02322687

02322688

02322691

02322694

02322695

02322698 02322699

02322700

0

0 1 MILE

1 KILOMETER

82°46 ́

Ichetucknee River Santa Fe River

LOCATION

MAP

Suwannee River

Suwannee River

Ichetucknee

River

Santa Fe River

FLORIDA

STREAMGAGING STATION 02323500

EXPLANATION

REPRESENTATIVE SITE

0 10 20 MILES

0 10 20 KILOMETERS

02319394

02319000

02319800

02320000

02326000

02324400

02325000

02324000

02322800

02323000

02323592

02326550

02321000

02315500

02322500

02321500

02320500

02323500

02323502

02319500

02323566

02313700

GULF OF MEXICO

GULF OF MEXICO

Figure 1. Northwest Florida 

and monitoring stations.

GEORGIA

ALABAMA

FLORIDA

STREAMGAGING STATION

LAKE GAGING STATION

USGS MONITORING WELL

02376100

02329900

EXPLANATION

303025085350501

REPRESENTATIVE

STREAMGAGING STATION

REPRESENTATIVE USGS

MONITORING WELL

0 20 40 60 MILES

02358000

02359000

02330000

02327100

02326900

02327033

02359170

02365500

02365769

02366996

02365470

02359500

02359315

02358789

02365200

02366500

02329000

02330400 02359051

02329900

02329600

02330100

02330150

300740084293001

02358700

02375500

02369600

02376033 02369000

02370500

02368000

02368500

02367900

02376100

02328522

02370700

02370000

303025085350501

02327022

LOCATION

MAP
Figure 3. Santa Fe River at Worthington Springs water year 2006 monthly 

mean discharge compared to the maximum, minimum, and mean monthly mean 

discharge for the period 1932-2006, and the monthly mean discharge for 

the period October 1996 to September 2006.

Figure 2. Suwannee River at Ellaville water year 2006 monthly mean discharge 

compared to the maximum, minimum, and mean monthly mean discharge for 

the period 1927-2006, and the monthly mean discharge for the period 

October 1996 to September 2006.

During this period, the cumulative 

monthly departure ranged from 5.89 in. 

below normal at Panama City to 2.54 in. 

above normal at Lake City. Pensacola 

reported near normal conditions during 

this quarter (0.34 in. below normal) 

(table 1).

For the winter quarter (JanuaryMarch), normally a wet period, precipitation was well below normal at all seven 

locations. The cumulative monthly 

departure ranged from 10.07 in. below 

normal at Crestview to 3.14 in. below 

normal at Lake City (table 1).

Precipitation during the spring 

quarter (April-June 2006) had a large 

variation. The cumulative monthly 

departure ranged from 9.02 in. below 

normal at Crestview to 0.71 in above 

normal at Apalachicola (table 1).

The summer quarter (July-September 2006), normally is the wet thunderstorm season. The monthly cumulative 

departure, however, was well below normal ranging from 10.32 in. below normal 

at Perry to 1.61 in. below normal at Lake 

City (table 1).

Surface Water

Table 2 provides data from seven 

representative sites in northwest Florida 

showing 2005 and 2006 water year mean 

discharge and percent of mean of the 

Table 1. Total precipitation and cumulative monthly departure from the 30-year normal (1971-2000). 

[Values shown in inches]

Station name October -December 2005 January-March 2006 April-June 2006 July-September 2006 Water year 2006

Total 

precipitation

Departure Total 

precipitation

Departure Total 

precipitation

Departure Total 

precipitation

Departure Total 

precipitation

Departure

Lake City 10.74 2.54 9.89 -3.14 12.71 -1.06 16.99 -1.61 50.33 -3.27

Perry 11.53 2.44 7.94 -6.09 11.98 -0.69 11.57 -10.32 43.02 -14.66

Tallahassee 9.79 -1.42 10.00 -6.46 13.46 -2.00 11.39 -8.69 44.64 -18.57

Apalachicola 7.75 -3.56 7.12 -6.46 10.63 0.71 16.51 -5.19 42.01 -14.50

Panama City 6.20 -5.89 6.95 -9.72 8.38 -5.22 15.73 -6.67 37.26 -27.50

Crestview 10.32 -0.50 8.39 -10.07 7.59 -9.02 11.54 -6.51 37.84 -26.10

Pensacola 12.22 -0.34 6.99 -9.43 7.39 -7.29 18.93 -1.69 45.53 -18.75

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

CALENDAR YEAR

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

SUWANNEE RIVER AT ELLAVILLE, FLORIDA (02319500)

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep

WATER YEAR

100

200

500

1,000

2,000

5,000

10,000

20,000

50,000 MAXIMUM

MEAN

2006 Water Year

MINIMUM

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND

1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

CALENDAR YEAR

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

SANTA FE RIVER AT WORTHINGTON SPRINGS, FLORIDA (02321500)

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep

WATER YEAR

0.01

0.02

0.05

0.10

0.20

0.501

2

5

10

20

50

100

200

500

1,000

2,000

5,000

10,000 MAXIMUM

MEAN

2006 Water Year

MINIMUM

1997 1999 2001 2003 2005

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND
Figure 4. Steinhatchee River near Cross City water year 2006 monthly mean 

discharge compared to the maximum, minimum, and mean monthly mean 

discharge for the period 1950-2006, and the monthly mean discharge for the 

period October 1996 to September 2006.

Figure 5. Ochlockonee River near Havana water year 2006 monthly mean 

discharge compared to the maximum, minimum, and mean monthly mean 

discharge for the period 1926-2006, and the monthly mean discharge for the 

period October 1996 to September 2006.

period of record. Discharge hydrographs 

for these representative streams in northwest Florida are shown in figures 2 to 8. 

The upper graph shows the 2006 water 

year monthly mean discharge compared 

to the maximum, minimum, and mean 

monthly mean discharge for the period 

of record at that site. The lower graph 

shows the monthly mean discharge for 

the period from October 1996 to 

September 2006. 

Annual mean streamflow across 

northwest Florida averaged well below 

normal for the 2006 water year. Several 

streamgage locations registered recordlow monthly streamflows during the year. 

For example, the monthly streamflow 

during August at the Santa Fe River at 

Worthington Springs (02321500) was 

1.51 ft3/s (cubic feet per second). The 

previous August record was 9.86 ft3/s set 

during the 9-year drought from 1949 to 

1957 (table 3). Table 3 provides a comparison of record-low monthly streamflows observed during the 2006 water 

year and previous records for the period 

of record for representative streamgages.

Ground Water

Data are collected from two groundwater wells equipped with data recorders that measure 60-minute interval 

Table 2. Relation of period-of-record mean annual discharge to mean discharge for the 2005 and 2006 water years. 

Station 

number

Station name

Period of 

record

Mean 

annual 

discharge 

Mean 

discharge 

for the 2005 

water year Percent of 

mean

Mean 

discharge for 

the 2006 water 

year Percent of 

mean

Representative streams in 

northwest Florida

Value 

(cubic feet per 

second)

Value 

(cubic feet 

per second)

Value 

(cubic feet per 

second)

02319500 Suwannee River at Ellaville, FL 1927-2006 6,380 11,800 185 3,650 57

02321500 Santa Fe River at Worthington Springs, FL 1932-2006 419 560 134 256 61

02324000 Steinhatchee River near Cross City, FL 1950-2006 310 496 160 69.6 22

02329000 Ochlockonee River near Havana, FL 1926-2006 1,040 1,930 186 433 42

02359000 Chipola River near Altha, FL 1913-2006 1,490 2,110 142 965 65

02369000 Shoal River near Crestview, FL 1938-2006 1,110 1,790 161 616 55

02375500 Escambia River near Century, FL 1935-2006 6,250 8,910 142 3,250 52

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

CALENDAR YEAR

0

250

500

750

1,000

1,250

1,500

1,750

2,000

2,250

2,500

STEINHATCHEE RIVER NEAR CROSS CITY, FLORIDA (02324000)

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep

WATER YEAR

1

2

5

10

20

50

100

200

500

1,000

2,000

5,000

MAXIMUM

MEAN

2006 Water Year

MINIMUM

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND

1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

CALENDAR YEAR

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

OCHLOCKONEE RIVER NEAR HAVANA, FLORIDA (02329000)

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep

WATER YEAR

10

20

50

100

200

500

1,000

2,000

5,000

10,000

MAXIMUM

MEAN

2006 Water Year

MINIMUM

1997 1999 2001 2003 2005

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND
Figure 6. Chipola River near Altha water year 2006 monthly mean discharge 

compared to the maximum, minimum, and mean monthly mean discharge for 

the period 1913-2006, and the monthly mean discharge for the period 

October 1996 to September 2006.

Figure 7. Shoal River near Crestview water year 2006 monthly mean discharge 

compared to the maximum, minimum, and mean monthly mean discharge for the 

period 1938-2006, and the monthly mean discharge for the period October 1996 

to September 2006.

Figure 8. Escambia River near Century water year 2006 monthly mean discharge 

compared to the maximum, minimum, and mean monthly mean discharge for the 

period 1935-2006, and the monthly mean discharge for the period October 1996 to 

September 2006.

Streamgage on the Suwannee River at Ellaville, 

Florida, on February 20, 1939.

ep

1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

CALENDAR YEAR

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

CHIPOLA RIVER NEAR ALTHA, FLORIDA (02359000)

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep

WATER YEAR

100

200

500

1,000

2,000

5,000

10,000 MAXIMUM

MEAN

2006 Water Year

MINIMUM

1997 1999 2001 2003 2005

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2 2003 2 004 005 2006

CALENDAR YEAR

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

SHOAL RIVER NEAR CRESTVIEW, FLORIDA (02369000)

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep

WATER YEAR

100

200

500

1,000

2,000

5,000

10,000

MAXIMUM

MEAN

2006 Water Year

MINIMUM

1997

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND

1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

CALENDAR YEAR

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

ESCAMBIA RIVER NEAR CENTURY, FLORIDA (02375500)

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep

WATER YEAR

500

1,000

2,000

5,000

10,000

20,000

50,000 MAXIMUM

MEAN

2006 Water Year

MINIMUM

1997 1999 2001 2003 2005

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND
water elevations as part of the Climate 

Response Network (http://groundwaterwatch.usgs.gov/). The daily maximum 

water-level elevations presented in annual 

data on SIMS are derived from these 

measurements. Table 4 provides the 

instantaneous minimum and maximum 

water elevations, and date and time of the 

peaks for the water year for both of the 

Climate Response Network wells. Waterlevel elevations for the USGS monitoring 

well near Wausau (303025085350501) 

are shown in figure 9. The upper graph 

shows the 2006 water year monthly 

maximum water levels compared to the 

maximum, minimum, and mean monthly 

maximum water levels for the period 

of record. The lower graph shows the 

monthly maximum water level for 

the period of October 1997 to 

September 2006.

Table 3. Record-low monthly streamflows during the 2006 water year compared to previous records for the period of record. 

 

Station

number

Station 

name

Period of 

record

Record-low 

month

2006 water year

streamflow 

(cubic feet

per second)

Year of 

previous 

record-low 

month

Historical 

streamflow 

(cubic feet 

per second)

02313700 Waccasassa River near 

Gulf Hammock, FL

1963-2006 October 

November 

June 

July

-42.5 

-77.4

 -88.3

-46.4

1985 

2002 

2004 

1977

46.0

 -59.7 

-39.2

55.5 

02321000 New River near 

Lake Butler, FL

1950-2006 July

August

September

0.31 

0.28 

0.52

1999 

1999 

1999

1.06 

 1.32

 0.73

02321500 Santa Fe River at 

Worthington Springs, FL

1932-2006 July 

August

September

2.39 

1.51 

1.37

1981 

1954 

1990

9.05

 9.86

 10.3

02324000 Steinhatchee River near 

Cross City, FL

1950-2006 September 10.1 1956 29.5

02327100 Sopchoppy River near 

Sopchoppy, FL

1961-2006 April 

July

August

2.97 

2.68 

2.91

2004 

1977

 1990

4.77

 3.06

6.14

02330000 Ochlockonee River near 

Bloxham, FL

1926-2006 April 312 1999 327

02359000 Chipola River near Altha, FL 1913-2006 April 750 1968 757

02365500 Choctawhatchee River at 

Carryville, FL

1929-2006 July 1,000 1986 1,190

Table 4. Minimum and maximum instantaneous ground-water elevation conditions at two wells in northwest Florida.

[NGVD, National Geodetic Vertical Datum] 

Station 

number

Station 

name

2006 Instantaneous 

minimum elevation 

(feet above 

NGVD 1929)

Date and time 

of minimum

2006 Instantaneous 

maximum elevation 

(feet above NGVD 1929)

Date and time of 

maximum

300740084293001 USGS Observation Well 

near Crawfordville, FL

30.06 Nov. 20, 2005

at 03:00

33.84 Jan. 5, 2006 

at 14:00

303025085350501 USGS Observation Well 

near Wausau, FL 

(422A)

53.20 Sept. 30, 2006

at 21:00

61.83 Oct. 1, 2005 

at 00:00
Figure 9. USGS well near Wausau monthly maximum water level for the 2006 

water year compared to maximum, minimum, and mean monthly maximum 

water levels for the period 1963-2006 and the monthly maximum water level 

for the period October 1997 to September 2006. (NGVD 29, National Geodetic 

Vertical Datum of 1929)

Cooperation

The USGS and agencies in Florida have 

had cooperative agreements for the collection of 

water-resources records since 1930. Agencies 

that had cooperative agreements with the USGS 

during the 2006 water year are the: Florida 

Department of Environmental Protection, 

County of Walton, Florida Department of 

Transportation, Suwannee River Water 

Management District, U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers Mobile District, Northwest Florida 

Water Management District, County of Okaloosa, 

City of Tallahassee, and County of Santa Rosa.

For additional information, 

contact: 

Richard Jay Verdi, Hydrologist

U.S. Geological Survey

2010 Levy Ave.

Tallahassee, Florida 32310

(850) 942-9500, ext. 3045

(850) 942-9521

rverdi@usgs.gov

Construction crew on 

February 20, 1939. The new 

streamgage house on the 

Suwannee River at Ellaville, 

Florida, was completed this 

day.

Lake Elevations

Data are collected from one lake, 

Lake Talquin near Bloxham (02329900), 

equipped with a data recorder that measures 15-minute interval water elevations. 

The daily mean water-level elevations 

presented in annual data on SIMS are 

derived from these measurements. Water 

elevations for Lake Talquin are controlled 

by C.H. Corn Hydroelectric Dam located 

on the Ochlockonee River. The Hydroelectric Dam also regulates the flow 

into the Ochlockonee River near 

Bloxham. For 2006, the instantaneous 

minimum for Lake Talquin near Bloxham 

(02329900) was 68.15 feet above 

NGVD 1929 on July 22, 2006, at 17:30. 

The instantaneous maximum at this site 

was 68.89 feet above NGVD 29 (National 

Geodetic Vertical Datum on January 3, 

2006, at 11:15. 

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

CALENDAR YEAR

40

42

44

46

48

50

52

54

56

58

60

62

64

66

68

70

USGS WELL NEAR WAUSAU, FLORIDA (303025085350501)

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep

WATER YEAR

42

44

46

48

50

52

54

56

58

60

62

64

66

68 MAXIMUM

MEAN

2006 Water Year

MINIMUM

ELEVATION, IN FEET NGVD 29