Spring Drought Affects Peace River Flow

It has not rained much this month so far and the effects are really obvious in the Peace River.
The main effect is that no one should plan a paddling trip anytime soon.
According to preliminary data from the USGS, flow at the Bartow gauge was about 20 percent of longtime average.
Downstream at Arcadia, flow is less than 10 percent of the long-term average flow.
In eastern Polk County, the flow in Livingston Creek in Lake Wales Ridge State Forest is about half of the long-term average.
Arbuckle Creek in Highlands County is flowing at about 15 percent of average for this time of year.
Typically flow recovers with the onset of the summer rainy season.
If any hurricanes affect the area this year, river flows could swell.