That includes rainfall, aquifer levels, lake levels and surface water levels. In Crescent City, Lake Stella is within 1.5 feet of a record low level, according to district records. A district survey of 10 monitored wells across Putnam County show low levels in all. Six of the 10 monitored wells show they are within a foot or two of their record low levels. Central Florida Central Florida counties have also experienced tremendous rainfall shortages since late 1998 that have pushed area water levels to record, or near record, lows.
Lakes are down and some have even dried up.
In the last 15 months, central Florida has had 12 to 18 inches below normal rainfall. And in the Ocala National Forest, only four inches of rain has fallen since Dec. 23, seven inches below normal. Michael Molligan, spokesman for the Southwest Florida Water Management District said a well site near Silver Springs shows the aquifer is about three feet below normal. What concerns officials the most is the driest portion of the year is just beginning. Officials fear that northern and central Florida could be in the worst drought conditions in history by Memorial Day.