Kansas drought map- click to enlarge
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The state has removed 72 counties from drought status thanks to recent rain in Kansas.
Gov. Sam Brownback’s office said in a release Tuesday that for the past year all 105 counties have either been under drought emergency, warning or watch status. A new order removes 72 counties from drought status and downgrades 33 into a watch status.
Tracy Streeter, director of the Kansas Water Office and chair of the Governor’s Drought Response Team, says drought conditions can return quickly.
County Drought Stage Declarations:
Drought Watch: Barton, Cheyenne, Decatur, Ellis, Finney, Gove, Graham, Grant, Gray, Greeley, Hamilton, Kearny, Lane, Logan, Morton, Ness, Norton, Osborne, Phillips, Rawlins, Rooks, Rush, Russell, Scott, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Stanton, Stevens, Thomas, Trego, Wallace, Wichita
For more detailed information about current conditions, see the Kansas Climate Summary and Drought Report on the Kansas Water Office website at: www.kwo.org. This is separate from the 2015 USDA Secretarial Drought Disaster declaration which is based on agricultural losses.