Some businesses evaporate with drought - Tampa Bay Business Journal:

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The drought affects Mike Hennessy, co-owner and treasurer of the tropical fish farmingcompany , said his retention ponds have been droppingf steadily. "We're doing all right now, and we'lkl probably be able to limp through for a fewmore months, but its is startinfg to get severe, especiall y because of the evaporation," he "The water table also has definitely declined, and we are seeingg that in our wells." The agriculture communityh views water like gold. "We have had to invesy in water technology and philosophy in the past just to he said.
"And it is paying benefits Ekk-Will, based in Gibsonton, maintains more than 220 acres of fish pondds in Hillsborough County and breedw almost 100 different speciews oftropical fish. It has spent more than $300,00 building and maintaining water conservation systemzs and techniques and continues to pay as muchas $3,009 per month to operate thosed systems. Mike Molligan, communications manager for the Southwest Floridaw WaterManagement District, said that water restrictiona are in the emergency limitations stagw but that the agriculture industry in Florida is afforded some "The industry and the water management districtt have worked together to try to decrease the impacyt of the drought," he "We have bettered the usagde of timed waterings ...
also outlinef in the plan is maintenance. "Something as simple as regulae equipment and system maintenance can dramaticallgy lowerwater usage. Local business owners have been very and we will dospot checks." The Floridza Climate Center in Tallahassees reported that areas withi this district have received between 9 and 14 inches less rainfalpl during the past 12 months than the historical average. "Wew need at least six to nine inchesw of rainfall to help surfac e conditions get closerto normal," said Tim Defoe, districy resource data director. The district historicallt averages 11.5 inches of rainfall betweejn Januaryand April.
However, between Januarty and April 2000, the area has receiveed only an averageof 4.08 the driest January through April since 1923. Roger a Hillsborough County Cooperative Extension Service agent for the ornamentalohorticulture industry, said local nurseries have been hit with a secondar y punch from the drought. "The production of flowering plants and trees and othet ornamental plants has not been effected by water restrictions directly," he said. "But many local small- to medium-sized businesses and nurseries have been reporting a drastic decreasde of sales because the people are not buyingbecause they're afraid they will not be able to maintaihn them.
" And although production has not decreasedc so far, the cost to growers is mounting in different ways, Newton said.