1 Robert J. Black 2 Water is the lifeblood of plants. It is required for seed germination, plant growth, photosynthesis, nutrient transport and temperature control.
Water also maintains turgidity, which enables leaves to retain their shapes.
As Florida's population grows and the state becomes more urbanized, the demand on limited water resources steadily increases. Saltwater intrusion into freshwater wells further reduces the state's available water supply. The average volume of rainfall in Florida ranges from nearly 52 inches on the central and northern peninsula to almost 65 inches in the panhandle west of Tallahassee, and along the southeast coast below Lake Okeechobee. More than half of Florida's total annual rainfall is concentrated in the central and southern peninsula between June and September. During the winter and spring, lack of rainfall may seriously compromise plant development.