Drought Saps Florida Growers, Golf Courses
Pastor Dale Morgan
Drought Saps Florida Growers, Golf Courses*
Friday May 18, 2007 3:01 PM
By TRAVIS REED
Associated Press Writer
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) - The fairways here are flecked, the
greens mottled brown. PGA National doesn't look like a marquee golf
course under the most severe water restrictions in South Florida history.
``We'll talk to people about it in the pro shop when they check in and
say, 'You might notice things are a little bit browner today.''' said
Joel Paige, managing director at the course.
South Florida is in an 18-month drought, and signs of the problem are
everywhere - from the links to the nursery and sugar cane industries.
Lake Okeechobee, the region's primary reservoir, is down to 9.3 feet
above sea level - less than half a foot above its record low. Farmers
and the area's 600 golf courses must use 45 percent less water in the
hardest-hit areas, and home sprinkler use is restricted to once a week.
Other Southeastern states, like Georgia, are also experiencing drought.
Florida officials say theirs is comparable to one in 2001 that caused an
estimated $400 million in agricultural losses.
``We can honestly say this is one of the most severe droughts that we
have dating back to when records started in the early 1900s,'' said
Randy Smith, spokesman for the South Florida Water Management District.
The $15 billion landscaping and nursery industries, which comprise
Florida's largest agricultural sector, may be the hardest hit. Most
growers are concentrated around Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach
counties on the rain-starved Atlantic Coast.
``We can make drought-tolerant and water-efficient plants, and we can
put the right plants in the right place, but we have yet to figure out
how to make it rain,'' said Ben Bolusky, executive vice president of the
Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association.
Growers are concerned that few people will buy the plants, not that the
plants won't survive, Bolusky said. He said residents are inclined to
postpone new yard installments if they don't think they can water them.
Many people don't realize they are allowed under the restrictions to
water new landscaping for a month, he said.
The cane sugar industry is also bracing for big losses. U.S. Sugar Corp.
spokeswoman Judy Sanchez said crops were already worse than the 2001
drought, which caused $100 million to $200 million in damages around
Lake Okeechobee. The company is the nation's leading producer of cane
sugar. A cold weather spell earlier this year didn't help matters.
``We had probably three freeze spells in winter that knocked some of the
young cane back to the ground,'' Sanchez said. ``It did not have
adequate water, so some of the cane that was frost-damaged has not
recovered its growth.'' Consumers may not see much change in sugar
prices because producers elsewhere could fill the void.
Florida's citrus industry could also be affected, but consumers are
unlikely to notice until next year. Much of the current harvest is
already picked, but the dry weather stresses blooming fruit, said Mike
Sparks, head of the grower's group Florida Citrus Mutual.
``When (the bloom) first came out, people said we're going to have a
real good crop next year,'' Sparks said. ``Now there's a little more
concern in everyone's voice, how much of the crop is going to hold.''
Voluntary water restrictions were recommended around the start of this
year, and mandatory limits came in March. Tighter clamps were ordered in
April, and on Wednesday the toughest restraints in history took effect
in some areas, limiting home watering and cutting commercial use by
almost half.
Golf courses are forced to spend most of their water on tees and greens,
neglecting fairways and other areas.
The new rules will shut off 2 million gallons of water monthly from each
of the two golf courses at Broken Sound Club in Boca Raton, director of
golf maintenance Joe Hubbard said.
The drought already has taken a toll. One course is 75 percent brown,
the other about 20 percent, Hubbard said. The club just hosted a PGA
Champion's Tour event in April.
Authorities hope the rainy season, which typically begins June 1, will
wash away the trouble, but the area is so dry that even an average
summer wouldn't break the drought.
``We've been getting little bits of rain here and there. Every drop
helps,'' Sanchez said. ``We're watching the weather reports with an avid
interest every day.''
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On the Net:
South Florida Water Management District: http://www.sfwmd.gov