Dry conditions across Collier County as drought and water shortages continue

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. —

Across Golden Gate in Collier County, lawns are dry, brown and crunchy, showing clear signs of the drought and water shortage impacting the Gulf Coast.

According to the South Florida Water Management District, a lack of rainfall combined with heavy water use is causing underground aquifers that supply Collier and Lee counties to decline.

Officials say that the drop is increasing the risk of saltwater intrusion and lowering water levels in canals and lakes across the region.

Longtime Golden Gate resident Andy Kraft said he has never seen conditions this bad.

“We have a sprinkler system that's on a well. So we're not really affected, but I know a lot of people here don't have sprinklers because there's been no rain. The yards are, as you can see, look like deserts,” Kraft said.

Kraft has lived in the area since the 1990s and says even his home with an irrigation system is struggling to keep grass alive.

“This is pretty bad. This drought, we've had no rain, and the canals lower in the back. The yards, as you can see, are obviously brown. You know, even mine, even though we have sprinklers,” he said.

Water managers warn that without significant rainfall, these conditions are expected to continue through the rest of the dry season, which typically lasts until May.

Gulf Coast meteorologists say 2025 was one of the driest years on record for Southwest Florida.

Fort Myers recorded its sixth driest year ever, while Naples saw rainfall totals far below normal. Meteorologists also point to a La Niña climate pattern this winter, which usually brings drier conditions to the Gulf Coast.

On top of that, a quiet hurricane season last year brought less tropical moisture to the area, limiting opportunities for much-needed rainfall.

The South Florida Water Management District warns that if voluntary conservation isn’t enough, mandatory restrictions could be put in place to protect critical areas.

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