Did you know water is constantly moving through our ecosystem, cycling between the land and air that’s on, above or below the Earth’s surface? The water cycle is a loop that brings us rain, recharges our aquifers, and helps fill our lakes, rivers and other bodies of water.
Understanding and monitoring this continuous circulation of water is an important component of protecting South Florida’s water resources.
The team at the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) manages every drop of water that moves through the District’s canals, natural areas, levees and water control structures.
An average of 52 inches of rain falls on South Florida each year. That water circles through our communities, flowing from the land into ponds, lakes, canals, and other waterbodies.
Some of the water slowly seeps into the ground to recharge our underground aquifers that supply water to millions of South Florida residents and businesses. In South Florida, rainwater also flows into wetlands, marshes, estuaries, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Gulf of Mexico.
The sun warms the water on the Earth’s surface, causing it to turn into vapor as it evaporates. Plants also release water vapor through transpiration. The water vapor rises through the atmosphere until it reaches cooler air, where it condenses and creates clouds. As the water droplets become heavier, they fall back to the ground as rain – and the cycle begins over again.