JEFFERSON CITY, MO – The Missouri Department of Natural Resources is developing an updated drought mitigation and response plan that will help guide future statewide, multi-entity drought response efforts. The plan is designed to aid government officials, water users and water suppliers in planning and responding to droughts in Missouri. The current plan has been in use since 2002.
Because public input is a department priority, drought response partners, stakeholders and the public are invited to review the draft plan and provide comments before it is finalized. The public comment period opens Monday, Jan. 9, and closes Tuesday, Feb. 7. An executive summary, which provides an in-depth but less technical overview of the plan, is available for review online at http://dnr.mo.gov/…/draft-missouri-drought-mitigation…. The full drought mitigation and response plan, which includes much more scientific and technical information, can be accessed at http://dnr.mo.gov/…/draft-missouri-drought-mitigation….
“Drought can have devastating impacts to Missouri’s environment and economy, affecting everything from agriculture to drinking water supplies,” said Dru Buntin, director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. “We are excited to present this updated Drought Mitigation and Response Plan to the citizens of Missouri. How we prepare for drought is as important as how we respond to it, and this plan represents an acknowledgement of that.”
The 2022 Missouri Drought Mitigation and Response Plan is a comprehensive update to the 2002 Missouri Drought Plan, expanding and updating the data and information within that document. The revised plan explores the various types of drought, describing and quantifying the different impacts they can have. The plan considers such factors as likelihood, susceptibility, impacts and resilience in assessing overall vulnerability that different regions of the state have to drought. The plan also describes Missouri’s Drought Response System and discusses available drought monitoring tools, mitigation capabilities and a comprehensive list of actions and initiatives that can be taken at all levels before and during drought.
A key component of the updated plan is an assessment of Missouri’s drought history and impacts in an effort to estimate potential future impacts. The revised plan is intended to build on lessons learned from past droughts and to establish a framework for better preparation, mitigation and response to future droughts.
After reviewing the draft 2022 Missouri Drought Mitigation and Response Plan, comments may be submitted to mowaters@dnr.mo.gov.