Drought Declarations Updated in Kansas Counties

Aug 14, 2018, 12:32 PM by Katie Ingels

Immediate Release
August 14, 2018

For more information, contact:
Katie Patterson-Ingels
(785) 296-3185
katie.ingels@kwo.ks.gov
www.kwo.ks.gov


Drought Declarations Updated in Kansas Counties
The Governor’s Drought Team examines declining surface water conditions

Topeka – While there have been some recent rains, drought conditions for many areas of the state, especially eastern Kansas, continue to worsen. 

Declining livestock water and feed supply continue to be reported. This has resulted in emergency status being added in eastern Kansas for any county with a U.S. Drought Monitor Severe Drought (D3) status, contiguous counties and reported issues. This now moves 10 counties into Emergency status from a Watch and 12 into Emergency from a Warning. Below are the counties listed in Bold indicating these changes.

Drought Watch counties (18): Cheyenne, Cloud, Decatur, Gove, Graham, Jewell, Logan, Mitchell, Norton, Osborne, Phillips, Rawlins, Republic, Rooks, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Thomas

Drought Warning counties (15): Allen, Chautauqua, Elk, Ellis, Greeley, Lane, Ness, Rush, Russell, Scott, Trego, Wallace, Wichita, Wilson, Woodson

Drought Emergency counties (72): Anderson, Atchison, Barber, Barton, Bourbon, Brown,  Butler, Chase, Cherokee, Clark, Clay, Coffey, Comanche, Cowley, Crawford, Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Edwards, Ellsworth, Finney, Ford, Franklin, Geary, Grant, Gray, Greenwood, Hamilton, Harper, Harvey, Haskell, Hodgeman, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Kearny, Kingman, Kiowa, LabetteLeavenworth, Lincoln, Linn, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, McPherson, Meade, Miami, Montgomery, Morris, Morton, Nemaha, Neosho, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Pottawatomie, Pratt, Reno, Rice, Riley, Saline, Sedgwick, Seward, Shawnee, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, Sumner, Wabaunsee, Washington, Wyandotte

Counties in emergency stage are eligible for emergency use of water from certain state fishing lakes. They also become eligible for water in some Federal reservoirs.

Individuals and communities need to contact the Kansas Water Office (KWO) for a water supply request prior to any withdrawals from lakes. They will in turn be referred to the appropriate office to obtain the necessary permit to withdraw the water.

The Governor’s Drought Response Team will continue to watch the situation closely and work to minimize the effects the drought has on Kansans.

For more detailed information about current conditions, see the Kansas Climate Summary and Drought Report on the KWO website at: www.kwo.ks.gov.  

 

Note to Editor:  The Americans with Disabilities Act, (42 U.S.C. 12101), requires the Kansas Water Office to print the reasonable accommodations messages.

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As the state’s water office, KWO conducts water planning, policy coordination and water marketing as well as facilitates public input throughout the state.

The agency prepares the KANSAS WATER PLAN, a plan for water resources development, management and conservation.

 

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