Overview
It is common practice for local farmers to spray water on their crops during frost/freeze events to protect the crop. It is a best management practice for strawberry, blueberry and citrus crops and plant nurseries.
Water use permits issued by the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) allow frost/freeze quantities that are based on long-term historical pumping records and guidance from the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS).
Groundwater use for frost/freeze protection can cause aquifer levels to temporarily drop. To reduce the risk of these temporary drops impacting wells, the District introduced new regulations for Eastern Hillsborough County in 2002. The regulations require new agricultural irrigation wells to use a different portion of the aquifer than the source where most homeowners get their water supply. Also, special well-construction standards were implemented for new wells installed in the area, which include minimum depths and low-pressure shut-off devices.
Before a Freeze Event
Before a freeze event, the District advises residents who live in Eastern Hillsborough County, near Plant City and Dover, with wells not drilled to current standards to turn off their pump before temperatures dip and leave the pump off until the temperatures warm up in the morning. This is to protect their well because once aquifer levels fall below a well’s pump level, the pump can burn out if not shut off manually or automatically by a low-pressure shut-off device. An electrical switch located on or near the pump can turn off most pumps. These residents should also store water in the event they are left without water for several days.
If Impacted by a Freeze Event
Some older wells may continue to be impacted during frost/freeze protection pumping. Anyone who believes their well or property is being impacted by water withdrawals should enter a Freeze-Related Well Complaint Form on the District’s website or contact the District’s Regulation Division at (813) 985-7481.
Resolving complaints is a priority for the District. If a domestic well fails and the resident decides to purchase potable water, keep the receipts as some reimbursement may be possible based on the determined cause of the failure. If a homeowner experiences a dry well, the District will research and if the well is eligible, assign the complaint to a permittee in the Dover Plant City Water Use Caution Area to investigate as promptly as possible (within 24 hours of receiving the complaint). The permittee will send a licensed water well contractor to investigate and mitigate if it is determined the well issue is water-level related.
2010 Historical Freeze Event
Freeze events are typically one or two days long. There was an “unprecedented” cold event in 2010 in the Dover/Plant City area when temperatures dropped below 34 degrees for nine nights over an 11-day period. Learn about how the District established the Dover/Plant City Water Use Caution Area (DPCWUCA) to address issues that followed the event.