The governor extended the drought alert in Missouri

Gov. Mike Parson said declaring a drought warning last spring set a precedent. But as conditions in the state have not improved, he recently signed an executive order extending the state’s drought warning through September 1.

This action guides the continued coordination of resources and joint response efforts across state government until conditions improve in drought-affected areas.

“Unfortunately, the reality is that we are facing worse conditions now than we were a year ago,” Parson said. “We welcome the rain Missouri has received in recent weeks, but this drought alert will continue as long as Missouri’s farmers and ranchers struggle under the effects of ongoing drought and concerns about commercial shipping on our riverways remain.”

Last year, Missouri was under a permanent drought warning since May 31, 2023 due to insufficient rainfall and below-normal water flows.

Pursuant to the Missouri Drought Mitigation and Response Plan, the executive order will maintain the drought alert in Missouri counties experiencing moderate or severe drought conditions. It also extends to all other counties experiencing drought conditions consistent with the Drought Plan’s phase and trigger table.

So far in 2024, Missouri has seen fairly typical rainfall relative to averages, but groundwater, stream runoff and precipitation amounts are not capable of lifting the state out of drought. As of April 25, 11 Missouri counties were experiencing severe drought, 71 counties were experiencing moderate drought and 86 counties were experiencing unusually dry conditions, according to a news release from the governor’s office.

For more information about drought conditions in Missouri, see www.dnr.mo.gov/drought. The Department of Natural Resources will add information on drought mitigation and assistance options as it becomes available.

Drought conditions also bring an increased risk of wildfires. For more information on how to best prevent wildfires, visit the MDC’s wildfire prevention website: www.mdc.mo.gov/your-property/fire management/wildfire-prevention.

Kylene Scott can be reached at 620-227-1804 or (email protected).