The Southwest Florida Water Management District board voted Tuesday to extend extreme water shortage restrictions through the end of March 2027, which means residents in DeSoto County and parts of Charlotte County are limited to watering their lawns once a week during restricted hours. The district is facing a 15.4-inch rainfall deficit through August 2026 after two below-average summer rainy seasons that never replenished rivers, lakes, and reservoirs.
The numbers back up the decision. Tampa Bay Water’s C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir was at roughly half its storage capacity as of Friday, and most of Florida is in some type of drought, with northeastern DeSoto County classified as extreme. District regulation division director Michelle Hopkins noted that this kind of restriction isn’t unusual after a prolonged deficit, and that it takes a long time to recover from rainfall shortfalls like this one.
In the meantime, there are practical ways to keep your yard alive on one day a week. Water deeply rather than frequently, add mulch to hold moisture, fix leaky irrigation heads, and lean on Florida-friendly plants that thrive without constant irrigation. If you’re a snowbird returning for the season, check your assigned watering day before setting your timer, since the schedule varies by address. What’s your plan for keeping your landscaping healthy through next spring?
