By Kenneth Martin

********

On the web at:
http://www.gov.mo.gov/press/Drought_072905.htm



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, July 29, 2005
Contact: Spence Jackson or Jessica Robinson, (573) 751-0290
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Missouri Drought Worsens


JEFFERSON CITY-Drought conditions are worsening across much of Missouri, as
a result of low rainfall and very high temperatures. Missouri's Drought
Assessment Committee announced today that 30 Missouri counties have
progressed to the drought conservation phase. Another 35 counties are under
a drought alert, and 40 are under a drought advisory. Prolonged dry weather
persisting over much of Missouri has expanded the overall area of drought
concern.

Rainfall deficits in parts of Missouri exceed 8 inches over the last three
months, with much of the shortfall occurring within the last six weeks.
Combined with triple-digit temperatures last week, these deficits have
caused a significant deterioration of conditions. The hardest hit area
stretches from near Springfield to Hannibal where both the Missouri Drought
Assessment Committee and the National Drought Mitigation Center have
identified extreme drought conditions. As August begins, only a few areas in
western to northwestern Missouri have been spared from the drought. While
most of southeastern Missouri benefited from ample rain from the remnants of
hurricane Dennis, more rain is needed to prevent a worsening of conditions
there.

Missouri farmers and their livestock are feeling the worst effects of the
drought. The Missouri Department of Agriculture reports that farm and crop
conditions continue to decline, especially across northeast, central and
southwest portions of the state. Yields of both corn and soybeans will be
negatively impacted across the drought areas. The Missouri Agriculture
Statistics Service reports that 37 percent of corn and 33 percent of
soybeans are listed as poor or very poor. Pastures are hit the hardest with
75 percent listed as poor or very poor. Reports received from across the
state indicate ponds drying up, early feeding of hay to livestock, and
livestock stress, with some livestock and poultry death losses due to
extreme heat stress.

While water supplies struggled to meet demand when temperatures exceeded 100
degrees last week, most systems currently have some excess capacity. There
have been only scattered reports of low drinking water supplies.

The counties under drought conservation, drought advisory and drought alert
as of July 29, 2005, are listed below:


Phase 1 - Advisory phase (40 counties): Barry, Bates, Bollinger, Butler,
Caldwell, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Cass, Clinton, Daviess, DeKalb, Douglas,
Dunklin, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Iron, Lafayette, Madison, McDonald,
Mercer, Mississippi, New Madrid, Newton, Ozark, Pemiscot, Perry, Putnam,
Ray, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Stoddard, Stone,
Sullivan, Taney, Vernon, and Wayne counties.


Phase 2 - Drought alert (35 counties): Adair, Barton, Carroll, Cedar,
Chariton, Christian, Crawford, Dent, Franklin, Gasconade, Greene, Henry,
Howell, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Lawrence, Linn, Livingston, Macon,
Oregon, Phelps, Pulaski, Saline, Schuyler, Scotland, Shannon, St. Charles,
St. Clair, St. Louis County, Texas, Warren, Washington, Webster, and Wright
counties.


Phase 3 - Conservation phase (30 counties): Audrain, Benton, Boone,
Callaway, Camden, Clark, Cole, Cooper, Dade, Dallas, Hickory, Howard, Knox,
Laclede, Lewis, Lincoln, Maries, Marion, Miller, Moniteau, Monroe,
Montgomery, Morgan, Osage, Pettis, Pike, Polk, Ralls, Randolph, and Shelby
counties.


No Drought (9 counties): Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Clay, Holt, Jackson,
Nodaway, Platte, Worth counties.

To view the current drought status map, visit the department's Drought
Information Web page at: http://www.dnr.mo.gov/geology/droughtupdate.htm

Missouri's Drought Response Plan defines four phases of drought status.
These are levels of increasing concern based on the severity of the lack of
moisture and corresponding:

Phase 1 - Advisory phase - below normal rainfall has occurred for several
months. This is the beginning of a county's monitoring by the Climate and
Weather Committee of the Drought Assessment Committee.

Phase 2 - Drought alert - plants begin to show stress, stream levels drop,
and rainfall is below normal for many months. Pond levels begin to
noticeably fall.

Phase 3: Conservation phase - streams are dry, river and lake levels are
falling below what is expected to occur once every 10 years, soil moisture
is approaching wilting point for plants and dry weather is expected to
continue. Groundwater recharge has stopped. Water supplies should begin
supplementing and conserving.

Phase 4: Emergency phase - many ponds and streams are dry, river stages at
record daily lows, crops cannot recover, trees begin to wilt, shallow and
high use water levels drop below pumps, water rationing and hauling is
needed.

The Missouri Drought Assessment Committee is responsible for assessing
drought conditions across the state and recommending actions to ease the
drought's adverse effects. Agencies represented on the committee include the
state departments of Natural Resources, Agriculture, Public Safety, Health
and Senior Services, Conservation and Economic Development; the U.S.
departments of Commerce, Agriculture and Interior; the U.S. Army; the
University of Missouri-Columbia; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency;
and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

For more information, call the Missouri Department of Natural Resources at
1-800-361-4827 or contact the department's Water Resources Program at (573)
751-2867.