Monitor Editor
KEYSTONE HEIGHTS— The St. Johns River Water Management District said that despite a drop in rainfall throughout the district during October, Lake Brooklyn’s water level rose by a half-foot, reaching 105.7 feet above sea level, which is above the lake’s long-term average.
The district’s bureau chief of water resource information: Christine Mundy, said October rainfall was well below average for this time of year.
“This was good news for the Orlando-to-Daytona corridor in the middle of the St. Johns River Basin, which experienced the worst flooding from Ian but bad news for the north and west regions of the district,” she said.
Alachua County had the least rainfall, with a county-wide total of four-tenths of an inch. Flagler had the most rain but was still well below average, receiving only 2.6 inches. The district-wide total was only about one-third of the average for October.
However, the district-wide 12-month total was 55.35 inches which is 4.3 inches greater than the long-term average. The highest 12-month totals were in the Orlando-to-Daytona region. Seminole County had the highest with 71 inches, and Volusia, Orange and Flagler all exceeded 60 inches of rainfall over the last 12 months.
Mundy said Lake Brooklyn reached 105.7 feet in October, its highest over the last 12 months and within 11 feet of its highest recorded level of 116.4 feet. The lake’s lowest recorded level is 85 feet.
