THE NEWS-PRESS, LOCAL & STATE.
Cut back watering, east coast warned
Lake Okeechobee level 3.5 feet below average
The Associated Press November 10, 2006

WEST PALM BEACH — Attention South Florida residents: Please forget that one-hour shower, and while you're at it, don't water the lawn so much.
That was the message sent out Thursday to the area's residents and agricultural sector, who are being asked to voluntarily lower their water consumption as the region deals with rainfall shortages.
The request applies to Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach counties and is a precautionary measure, the South Florida Water Management District said. If the shortage persists, mandatory restrictions could be ordered, the district said.
Residents were asked to irrigate lawns only when necessary and during hours when water is less Likely to evaporate, such as between 4 a.m. and 8 a.m. They were also asked to take shorter showers, wash only full loads in dishwashers and laundry machines, and reduce excessive toilet flushing.
"Residents should not need to water their lawns more than or not at all in weeks when it does rain," said Irela Hague, a district board member.
Meanwhile, agricultural users, which are key contributors to the region's economy were asked to limit the hours of overhead irrigation to between 2 p.m. and 10 a.m.
Water managers are concerned with the level of Lake Okeechobee, which serves as the primary backup water source for South Florida. The district said the lake is more than 3.5 feet, or 22 percent, below its historical average. The drought already has forced mandatory water restrictions to begin next week for farms, businesses and residents around the lake.

Drought forces Okeechobee restrictions
By The Associated Press
Originally posted on November 09, 2006

KEY LARGO — A drought has forced mandatory water restrictions to begin next week for farms, businesses and residents around Lake Okeechobee, water managers said.
There will be a limit of three days a week for watering lawns starting Nov. 17, according to the South Florida Water Management District. The board planned to meet Thursday to discuss issuing a warning for residents and businesses in Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.
“Were asking people to cut back voluntarily now so they wont have to do it later,” district spokesman Jesus Rodriguez said.
Residents also were being asked to shut off the timers on sprinklers, irrigating yards only when need.
Lake Okeechobee was at 12.65 feet above sea level Wednesday, about 4.5 feet below where it was this time last year after Hurricane Wilma.
The cuts primarily hit growers, who say they lost $100 million during the region’s last drought in 2000 and 2001.
Barbara Miedema, spokeswoman for the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida, said the industry will cooperate with the restrictions.
“This could be very, very serious,” she said. “We’re crossing our fingers and doing a rain dance.”