Southwest Missouri remains in 'severe' drought as other areas of state see some relief
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Missouri has seen some relief from a nationwide dry spell over the last few weeks, though southwest Missouri continues to see the worst of the state's drought conditions.
The latest drought monitor map released by the University of Nebraska on Thursday shows that while parts of southeast and mid-Missouri remain "abnormally dry," they have improved since Gov. Mike Parson issued an executive order in mid-July mobilizing government resources to aid farmers across the state.
Most of southwest Missouri, however, remains under "severe drought," with large swaths of Barton, Jasper and Barry counties under "extreme drought" status. The only other part of Missouri that remains under severe status is a strip in mid-Missouri including parts of Cooper and Boone counties.
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"While we are happy to see beneficial rains returning to drought-stricken areas of Missouri, we know that impacts remain, and we’re not out of this drought event just yet," said Jennifer Hoggatt, deputy director with the Missouri Geological Survey at the Department of Natural Resources. "We will continue to work with partners to provide assistance and resources to those experiencing impacts. We will also continue to monitor conditions closely in the weeks ahead."
When Parson directed state agencies to waive certain fees and regulations and placed 53 counties under a "drought alert," nearly the entire southern half of the state was under severe drought, with parts of Howell and Oregon counties under extreme drought conditions.
A national heat wave and drought this summer led to an increase in wildfires and significant harm to seasonal agriculture south of the Missouri River, state officials said at the time. They did not formally request residents to begin conserving drinking or residential water use, though Parson urged for "common sense" in affected areas.
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On July 19, more than 50 percent of the state's land area was under drought conditions, according to the University of Nebraska's U.S. Drought Monitor. As of Tuesday, just under 36 percent of land is under drought, down from just under 38 percent last week. An estimated 1.8 million Missourians live in areas currently affected by drought.
Southwest Missouri is among the driest areas in the Midwest, with a strip of northwest Iowa being the only other area in the region under extreme drought. Nationally, significant swaths of the south and west are under extreme to exceptional drought conditions.
Galen Bacharier covers Missouri politics & government for the News-Leader. Contact him at gbacharier@news-leader.com, (573) 219-7440 or on Twitter @galenbacharier.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Southwest Missouri remains in 'severe' drought conditions
