Ban on new water permits for berry farmers considered

A ban on new water permits for berry farmers to protect crops during a freeze is one step under consideration to prevent a repeat of January's sinkholes and dry residential wells.

The possible ban on new permits in the Dover and Plant City area would not affect strawberry farmers with current permits from the Southwest Florida Water Management District, agency spokeswoman Robyn Felix said.

It also would not apply to new permits for residential wells.

The water management district issues permits for farmers to pump water to protect their berry crops in addition to what they are allowed to pump for irrigation.

If approved, the ban would not apply to new irrigation permits, only permits for freeze protection, Felix said.

The district also would ask farmers with existing permits to voluntarily reduce pumping during a freeze by 20 percent, she said.

In early January, berry farmers around Dover and Plant City pumped nearly 1 billion gallons a day when temperatures dropped below 34 degrees 11 straight days in early January.

By comparison, public utilities in Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough use about 250 million gallons a day.

Farmers start spraying water on crops to prevent the berries and plants from freezing when the temperature hits 34 degrees. In records going back 79 years, the most consecutive days when temperatures fell below 34 degrees was six.

The pumping caused groundwater levels to plummet farther than ever measured in the area - 60 feet in some places.

About 750 residential wells in the Dover and Plant City area went dry, and 140 sinkholes formed during and after the record freeze.

The ban on new freeze protection permits would not prevent problems during a freeze but will keep the situation from growing worse, Felix said.

Preventing another massive outbreak of sinkholes and dry private wells would take a 20 percent reduction in the amount of water berry farmers are allowed to pump during a freeze.

The cut would be in two phases with a 10 percent reduction in five years and 20 percent in 10 years.

"We'll see if we can get it voluntarily. It may have to be mandatory," Felix said.

Farmers could reduce the pumping by finding alternatives to spraying water to protect plants such as foams, covers and digging ponds in the fields that trap water running off that can be used again.

As an incentive, the district board will consider paying farmers 75 percent of the cost for alternatives to using water for freeze protection.

If the district governing board decides to impose the ban on new permits for freeze protection, the rule could be in place before the winter.