WATER SUPPLY OF WEST FLORIDA. 
89 
RAINFALL. 
The annual mean rainfall at Pensacola is 56.8 inches. This is 
distributed throughout the year as follows: January, 4 inches; 
February, 4.6 inches; March, 5.7 inches; April, 3.2 inches; May, 
2.9 inches; June, 5.2 inches; July, 6.7 inches; August, 7.9 inches; 
September, 4.8 inches; October, 3.8 inches; November, 4. inches; 
December, 4 inches. 
The annual mean at DeFuniak Springs is 67.8 inches, distrib¬ 
uted throughout the year as follows: January 3.4 inches; February 
8.4 inches; March 7.7 inches; April 2.7 inches; May 3.8 inches; June 
6.4 inches; July 7.3 inches; August 11.2 inches; September 4.8 
inches; October 3.6 inches; November 4.4 inches; December 4.1 
inches. 
The annual mean rainfall at Tallahassee is 58.2 inches. This is 
distributed throughout the year as follows: January 3.5 inches; 
February 4.8 inches; March 5.9 inches; April 2.7 inches; May 3.6 
inches; June 6.8 inches; July 8 inches; August 7.1 inches; Septem¬ 
ber 5.1 inches; October 3.7 inches; November 2.9 inches; December 
4.1 inches. 
ARTESIAN WATER SUPPLY. 
The artesian water supply is one of the very important assets 
of Western Florida, and the area in which flowing artesian wells 
can be obtained is shown on the maps which accompany the reports 
on the several counties. The geological structure of Western Flor¬ 
ida is favorable for artesian water especially along the coast. The 
formations as a rule slope toward the coast in a manner illustrated 
in a general way bj r the accompanying cut (Fig. 5). Under these 
conditions water accumulates under pressure resulting in a flow 
when the water-bearing stratum is reached by the drill. The prin¬ 
ciples which control underground water supplies as well as the 
geologic structure of Western Florida have been more fully dis¬ 
cussed in the previous reports. 
Artesian wells may be classed as flowing and non-flowing. The 
flowing wells are those in which the water rises to and above the 
surface, and hence flows. The non-flowing wells are those in which 
the water is under pressure and rises in the bore hole when reached 
by the drill, but does not reach the surface. The difference between 
flowing and non-flowing wells is in many cases merely a difference 
in surface elevation. 
