Drought Assessment Committee to meet July 25

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Drought Assessment Committee will convene July 25 to discuss a comprehensive state and federal response to the drought affecting various portions of the state. It will be the committee’s second meeting since Governor Mike Parson issued a drought alert on May 31 with Executive Order 23-05.

The Drought Assessment Committee will meet 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tuesday, July 25, at the Lewis and Clark State Office Building, 1101 North Riverside Drive in Jefferson City. The meeting is open to the public and will also be livestreamed via Webex at stateofmo.webex.com/stateofmo/j.php?MTID=ma6a8f98f4766df57acfaf3f09d31f157.

In June, in response to worsening drought conditions and upon the advice of the Missouri Drought Assessment Committee, Governor Mike Parson announced the availability and process for Missouri family farms to obtain emergency hay and water:

Boat ramps at 24 Missouri state parks are open for farmers to collect water with almost 700 acres available for haying at 17 state parks.

Boat ramps at 36 Missouri Department of Conservation areas are also now open for water collection.

The Missouri Department of Transportation is offering special overwidth hauling permits at no charge to help farmers and ranchers move hay.

The Drought Assessment 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 23-05 declared a drought alert for Missouri counties that are in moderate, severe or extreme drought.

Residents are encouraged to assist local, state and national decision makers better understand drought conditions in their area by submitting a survey form via the Condition Monitoring Observer Reports (CMOR) service at droughtimpacts.unl.edu/Tools/ConditionMonitoringObservations.aspx.

Updated drought information, including a link to the national drought conditions reporting survey and a U.S. Drought Monitor map of Missouri, and much more is available at dnr.mo.gov/drought.