MoDNR Topics
Drought Assessment Committee Meeting
Minutes for July 13, 2005
Attendees:
Tricia Schlechte, Department of Health and Senior Services, Bob Bailey, SEMA, Clif Baumer, NRCS, Steve Wilson, Department of Conservation, Gary Wilson, USGS, Leo Alderman, EPA, John Dunn, EPA, Pat Guinan, University of Missouri-Columbia, Karl Althage, USDA-FSA, Anthony R. Lupo, University of Missouri, David Baker, University of Missouri, Marlowe Schlegel, USDA-NASS, Craig Litteken, USACE, Clark Thomas, USDA-RD, Judy Grundler, Department of Agriculture, Scott Dummer, NWS, Dennis Moffett, FEMA-Region 7, Mike Wells, Joe Engeln, Steve McIntosh, Bill Price, Jim Alexander, Mimi Garstang, Mary Woodland, Denise Becker, and Kerry Cordray, Department of Natural Resources.
Minutes:
Mike Wells, DNR Deputy Director opened the meeting by welcoming all in attendance. Doyle Childers, DNR Director was unable to attend but welcomes everyone to the meeting and our new building. Doyle asked Mr. Wells to chair the DAC. Jim Alexander, Steve McIntosh and Joe Engeln with assist Mr. Wells with coordination of DAC activities.
On July 6, 2005, Governor Matt Blunt issued Executive Order 05-17, declaring a Drought Alert for the counties of Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Howell, Iron, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Oregon, Pemiscot, Perry, Pike, Ralls, Reynolds, Ripley, Ste. Francois, Ste Genevieve, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard and Wayne. This order directed the Director of the Department of Natural Resources to activate and designate a chairperson for the Drought Assessment Committee and requested that all Missouri and Federal agencies participate as needed.
Steve McIntosh explained the purpose of the DAC, the roles of the committee, the impact teams, other agency and community involvement, and the process. A letter was sent to the Presiding Commissioners of each of the 23 counties in Phase 2 to encourage them to take necessary drought response actions locally. The Climate and Weather Committee is a standing committee that oversees and monitors conditions as they develop and coordinates the sharing of information through conference calls. The Climate and Weather Committee produces a recommend drought status map based mostly upon moisture conditions. The DAC then integrates drought impacts into the final Drought Condition Status map.
Missouri Drought Response Plan
The purpose of the plan is to coordinate the response of 14 state and federal agencies with local governments, private industry, and concerned public to mitigate drought impacts. Planning is done in advance of the drought while response actions are taken during a drought to lessen the impacts on people, the economy and the environment.
Drought Committee Members:
| Missouri Department of Natural Resources | U.S. Department of Commerce |
| Missouri Department of Agriculture | U.S. Department of Agriculture |
| Missouri Department of Public Safety | U.S. Army |
| Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services | U.S. Department of the Interior |
| Missouri Department of Conservation | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency |
| Missouri Department of Economic Development | Federal Emergency Management Agency |
| Missouri Department of Social Services | Local Groups and Entities |
| University of Missouri-Columbia | Regional Planning Commissions |
Phases of Drought Response System
Phase 1 - Advisory Phase
An advisory phase is normally determined by the Climate and Weather Committee as dry conditions warrant. The committee examines precipitation, stream flow, pond and groundwater levels, Palmer drought and soil moisture indices and any other agricultural and water supply information available
Phase 2 – Drought Alert
When the Palmer Drought Index reads -1.0 to -2.0, and stream flow, groundwater, and reservoir levels are below normal for a several month period and/or when the CWC determines Phase 2 activities are warranted the Governor will be requested by the Director of Natural Resources and other agencies such as Agriculture to make a drought alert declaration for those counties.
Phase 3 – Conservation Phase is activated.
When the Palmer Drought indices is between -2 and -4; or when the DAC determines that impacts require a Phase 3 response - when hydrologic conditions warrant and forecast indicate an extended period of below normal precipitation.
Phase 4 -
When the Palmer Drought Severity Index is more severe than a negative (-4) or when the DAC determines that Phase 4 activities are required.
Climate and Weather Committee
As a result of the drought of 1999-2000, revisions were made to the original 1995 Missouri Drought Response Plan. One of those revisions was establishment of the CWC as an official standing committee that meets at anytime members see the need. The drought assessment evaluation of 1999-2000 determined that the CWC needed to remain on call to more quickly respond to the onset of drought.
Impact Teams
Agricultural, Environment and Aquatic Resources, Public Water Supply, Health, Public Information, Economics and Recreation, and Post Evaluation.
The teams assess drought impacts and recommends drought mitigation measures to the DAC. The impact teams are composed of technical experts within the agencies.
The Agricultural Impact Team formed at this meeting will include: Judy Grundler, Chair, Marlowe Schlegel, Dave E. Baker, Gerald Hrdina, Pat Guinan, Steve Wilson, Clif Baumer. Leo Alderman asked that Jamie Green also be added to the Team as standby.
DNR will be the release avenue to the media for the Communications Impact Team. Judy Grundler will serve as the primary contact for the Department of Agriculture and Pat Guinan or Tony Lupo will be the media contacts for the University of Missouri.
We are able to compare historic drought relationships with the present drought status through the long term Palmer Indices. Most all impact teams have convened at least once during certain periods of drought in either the 1998-1999, 2000-2001, or 2002-2004 state drought cycles. We have not yet reached a Phase 4 Drought Emergency at any time in Missouri. There are different levels of activity in Phase 4. The Drought Executive Committee forms at the Phase 4 level.
Pat Guinan, UMC – Climate and Weather Report
The Drought Monitor Map showing drought conditions across the United States is issued every Thursday morning to the public. Southern Missouri has seen some severe agricultural drought conditions and some drought conditions through northern Missouri have expanded. In some areas crops were starting to stress. The July 6-13 conditions show some really nice rain southeast of a line from St. Louis to Rolla and into West Plains. Crawford and Washington counties have received some good rain. It tends to be dry in much of the rest of the state. The forecast for the next 5 days, through Monday, we may still see some remnants of Hurricane Dennis over the southeastern part of the state. It still does not look good for some of the driest areas of the state, and in those areas there is no expected rainfall from the remnants of Dennis.
The six large climate divisions in Missouri sometimes do not give a clear picture of what the conditions may be in some of the counties within that same climate division. The previous DAC developed a request letter to have these divisions changed from 6 to 9 for a more accurate representation of actual drought and meteorological conditions. The federal agency has not responded to the DAC request.
Steve McIntosh will check further into the status of the letter previously written regarding Missouri’s climate divisions.
Impact Reports
Agriculture-
Southeast portion of Missouri has been suffering from mainly an agricultural drought not hydrologic. But producers had to spend time and money on electricity and fuel for irrigation earlier than usual. Some farmers had to irrigate to get some of the bean crop up. Insect infestation has been a problem with insects that are typically late season pests. Farmers in the bootheel however are very happy with the rainfall over the last couple of days. It gave them a good soaking-rain and respite from expenses associated with irrigation. With a break this month some cost may be saved from not having to run irrigation equipment. Some crops which were not irrigated were in bad condition such as corn and beans but beans may come back with the recent moisture. The cotton crop will do well with the recent rain.
We have received calls from some counties asking why they were not included in the drought alert? Lincoln and Johnson counties for instance. Lincoln County was recommended in last week’s Climate and Weather Committee call. We are also now seeing some affects in Boone County. Southwest Missouri is starting to lose some of their water resources for cattle in marginal ponds. Pasture conditions are on the decline and cattle producers are starting to feed hay or sell off some of the stock. There are some of these same impacts being seen in northeast Missouri.
National Weather Service-
The soil and moisture outlook still does not look good and remains below normal in the southeastern part of the state. The outlook July 8- September 2005 shows improvement in much of the state. Tropical storm Emily churning in the Caribbean is following about the same course as Hurricane Dennis. Remnants of Emily may help us out again. Precipitation from this storm will be of most benefit to the southeastern part of the state, where central and northern Missouri will probably not receive any benefits. The current weather pattern here in the Midwest is preventing the moisture in the Gulf from moving upward
The Farm Services Agency provides programs to mitigate drought damage, but as of Monday no formal requests have been made. There are livestock assistance programs, crop disaster, emergency conservation programs and others. Our FSA member will provide a list of available programs and what criterion is used to put those programs into place. The availability of drought programs will be in the quarterly newsletter starting this month, and hope to get it to producers statewide. It will include the information on drought programs.
EPA-
Monies are available to the state revolving funds in drinking water and npdes.
USGS-
Stream flow gages in southeast and southwest Missouri were extremely low. Not much recharge. Southwest Missouri has some of the lowest flows we are seeing. Sac River at all time lows.
No reports from public health agencies regarding well supplies.
SEMA-
SEMA has received no calls, but stated the agricultural drought impacts usually do not involve them.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers –
Jefferson City office was standing in for the emergency office from the Kansas City District. They have not really heard anything in the way of requests for assistance.
NRCS-
Milan and Sullivan counties are in good shape. The pumps are working.
UMC-
In addition to crop issues in central Missouri, pastures are poor to very poor and hay is extremely limited. Hay is marginal at best. Crop issues in the bootheel have been helped by recent rains. Rain is needed to regenerate pastures. Dealing with insect infestation may also become a problem.
USDA-NASS-
Some hay stock surveys show almost 50% more than last year. Quality is uncertain and may not be where it is needed. August 12 will provide the first estimate of yields. It will be different this year, after having record crops last year.
FEMA-
FEMA is monitoring the drought situation in the 4-state region. Have recorded no requests for assistance at this time.
In the forecast based on remnants of Hurricane Dennis and beyond, the northern half of the state looks good. Palmer drought forecast by division shows moderate drought in eastern half of state.
Twenty-three counties were declared in the Drought Alert Phase, June 30 with 50 others being placed in the advisory phase. Last Friday the Climate and Weather Committee met again and produced their recommendation for July 8. This status map now needs to be revisited for any changes due to an increase in precipitation in southeast Missouri and a drying in northern Missouri. Streamflows in Oregon, Shannon, Dent, Crawford and Washington counties have returned to statistically normal conditions.
Drought Condition Status as of July 13, 2005
Phase 1 – Advisory (54 counties)
Atchison, Nodaway, Worth, Harrison, Mercer, Putnam, Schuyler, Scotland, Clark, Holt, Andrew, Gentry, Daviess, Grundy, Sullivan, Adair, Buchanan, Dekalb, Clinton, Caldwell, Ray, Lafayette, Johnson, Bates, Henry, Vernon, St. Clair, Cedar, Dade, Lawrence, Barry, Stone, Taney, Ozark, Douglas, Wright, Ste. Genevieve, St. Francois, Perry, Iron, Reynolds, Madison, Cape Girardeau, Bollinger, Carter, Wayne, Stoddard, Scott, Mississippi, Ripley, Butler, New Madrid, Dunklin, and Pemiscot.
Phase 2 – Drought Alert (52 counties)
Livingston, Linn, Macon, Knox, Lewis, Marion, Shelby, Carroll, Chariton, Randolph, Monroe, Ralls, Pike, Audrain, Boone, Hickory, Howard, Saline, Pettis, Cooper, Moniteau, Callaway, Montgomery, Warren Lincoln, St. Charles, St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Franklin, Gasconade, Osage, Cole, Morgan, Benton, Camden, Miller, Maries, Crawford, Washington, Jefferson, Polk, Dallas, Laclede, Pulaski, Phelps, Dent, Texas, Webster, Greene, Christian, Howell, Shannon, and Oregon.
Thank you for coming.
Meeting adjourned.
