Heavy So. Fla. Rains Ease Water Shortage

MIAMI (AP) — The heavy rain that fell over South and central Florida the last several days will go a long way toward erasing the region’s water deficit.

The South Florida Water Management District told The Miami Herald (http://bit.ly/nNk1h7 ) that the Kissimmee River Basin got about a foot of rain in many spots and up to 16 inches in some.

That water will flow into Lake Okeechobee over the next week, raising its levels by one to two feet. Right now the lake is at 11.2 feet above sea level and officials would like it to reach 14 feet before the dry season.

The lake is the primary water source for 5 million people.

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Information from: The Miami Herald, http://www.herald.com

Source: Associated Press