Mitigating
Drought
Overview
of Selected State Drought Plans
Missouri
The unique feature of Missouri’s plan is that it divides the state into 3 regions according to their susceptibility to drought. Depending on the characteristics of surface and groundwater supplies, regions were judged to have either slight, moderate, or high susceptibility to drought. Areas within Region C, considered to have severe drought vulnerability, are characterized by poor groundwater resources, surface water supplies that become inadequate during extended drought, and inadequate irrigation water supplies. This region includes most of the northern third of the state, a part of west central Missouri, and most of St. Louis County just south of the junction between the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. Areas in this region are designated as “Priority Drought Management Areas”.
The plan complements and supports both the State Consolidated Plan and
the State Emergency Operations Plan, and it was modeled after the Kentucky
Drought Response Plan. Actions within the drought plan are triggered when
the Palmer Drought Index reaches certain levels. The Drought Assessment
Committee (DAC), chaired by the Director of the Department of Natural
Resources, is activated in the Drought Alert Stage. The DAC then activates
the Impact Task Forces, which cover the following topics: Agriculture,
Natural Resources and Environmental, Recreation, Water Supplies and Wastewater,
Health, Social, Economic, and Post Drought Evaluation.
Missouri Drought Response Plan (developed 1995)
| Author/lead agency: | Department of Natural Resources |
| Primary impacts addressed: | Agriculture and municipal usage |
Monitoring Component
| Committee responsible: | None |
| Committee chair: | None |
| Activation of component/monitoring frequency: | Monthly |
| Conditions monitored: | Water monitoring data and weather data provided to the State Emergency Management Agency by the Department of Natural Resources and the National Weather Service |
| Indices: | Palmer Drought Index |
| Triggers: | Palmer greater than or equal to -1.0: Phase 1 (Advisory Phase) Palmer -1.0 to -2.0: Phase 2 (Drought Alert) Palmer -2.0 to -4.0: Phase 3 (Conservation Phase) Palmer less than or equal to -4.0: Phase 4 (Possible Local Rationing Phase) |
Impact Assessment Component
| Activation: | The Drought Assessment Committee (DAC) is activated by the Director of the Department of Natural Resources when Phase 2, “Drought Alert”, is reached (Palmer Index between -1.0 and -2.0). The DAC activated the Impact Task Forces. |
| Task forces/agencies: | Agriculture Natural Resources and Environmental Recreation Water Supplies and Wastewater Health Social Economic Post Drought Evaluation |
Response Component
| Activation: | Not listed |
| Task forces/agencies: | Not listed |
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© 2006 National Drought Mitigation Center