MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — The owners of the Plasencia Nursery in Miami-Dade County’s Kendale Lakes faced some tough challenges.

Gladys Plasencia’s plants were struggling with a freeze and a drought when she learned that the South Florida Water Management had issued a water shortage warning in Miami-Dade County.

“Absolutely, that concerns us,” Plasencia said. “We try to keep our plants growing the best they can. They need water right now, and that’s the way we’re bringing them back.”

Officials called for voluntary water-use reductions in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, while dry conditions prompted supply concerns.

The South Florida Water Management District issued a water shortage warning on Feb. 5 for Miami-Dade, Monroe, Collier, Glades, Highlands, and Lee counties.

“We’ve had good years and bad years,” said Steve Davis, The Everglades Foundation’s chief science officer. “This is going to be in the bad year category.”

Davis said the Everglades National Park is hurting from the drought.

“The aquatic wildlife and fisheries all hinge on this,” Davis said.

Groundwater levels continued to decline at most of the Biscayne aquifer monitoring stations, according to the SFWMD officials.

To protect groundwater in the Mid-Hawthorn Aquifer, the SWWMD issued a water shortage order imposing landscape irrigation restrictions in northeastern Cape Coral in Lee County.

That isn’t happening in Miami-Dade, but officials had a list of suggestions:

• Skip any lawn irrigation and use spot water only.
• Run the dishwasher and washing machine when they’re full.
• Avoid car and boat washing.
• Wait to fill up the pool.

For more information about the warning, visit this page.

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