Drought status, updated plan on the agenda
JEFFERSON CITY, MO, FEB. 10, 2023 – Missouri’s Drought Assessment Committee will meet from 10 a.m. to noon Thursday, Feb. 16, at the Lewis and Clark State Office Building, 1101 N. Riverside Drive in Jefferson City. The committee will discuss the status of the state’s ongoing drought, recommendations regarding Executive Order 22-07 and the updated Drought Mitigation and Response Plan. The draft plan was made available for public comment Jan. 6 through Feb. 7.
The meeting is open to the public and will also be livestreamed via Webex. A link to the livestreamed meeting can be found at dnr.mo.gov/about-us/forums-stakeholder-groups/drought-assessment-committee.
Executive Order 22-04 Drought Alert, which Governor Mike Parson signed July 25, instructs the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to convene the committee to help guide the state’s drought response. The committee is composed of representatives from state and federal partner agencies who provide information, recommendations and coordination to mitigate impacts of the drought. Executive Order 22-04 declared a drought alert for 53 Missouri counties that were in severe or extreme drought. Executive Order 22-07 extended Missouri’s drought alert until March 1, 2023, to continue to address issues outlined by the state’s Drought Assessment Committee.
Drought conditions persist in about 51% of Missouri, with severe drought conditions in less than 2% of the state. Updated drought information, including a link to the national drought conditions reporting survey and a U.S. Drought Monitor map of Missouri, is available at dnr.mo.gov/drought.