MissouriNet provided the information for this story
JEFFERSON CITY – The drought alert in Missouri isn’t ending anytime soon.
The governor has extended the alert originally issued on September 22nd, which was set to expire today. The new expiration date is April 1st, 2026.
When the alert was first declared, 85 counties and the City of St. Louis were included.
Now, 21 additional counties have been added, bringing the total to more than 100 counties under drought conditions.
The governor says the extension is necessary because much of Missouri continues to experience moderate, severe, or extreme drought, and the state’s drought-response efforts remain critical.
The original 85 counties under Drought Alert included Perry and Ste. Genevieve Counties and the counties of Audrain, Barry, Bates, Benton, Bollinger, Boone, Butler, Callaway, Camden, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Cass, Christian, Clark, Clay, Cole, Cooper, Crawford, Dade, Dallas, Dent, Douglas, Dunklin, Franklin, Gasconade, Greene, Henry, Hickory, Howard, Howell, Iron, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Laclede, Lafayette, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Madison, Maries, Marion, McDonald, Miller, Mississippi, Moniteau, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, New Madrid, Newton, Oregon, Osage, Ozark, Pemiscot, Pettis, Phelps, Pike, Platte, Polk, Pulaski, Ralls, Ray, Reynolds, Ripley, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Francois, St. Louis, Scott, Shannon, Shelby, Stoddard, Stone, Taney, Texas, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Wright, and the City of St. Louis.
Newly added counties include:
Barton, Buchanan, Caldwell, Carroll, Cedar, Chariton, Clinton, Daviess, DeKalb, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Randolph, Saline, Schuyler, Scotland, Sullivan, and Vernon.
Kehoe’s order also directs that any additional counties entering drought status will be added to the alert as conditions warrant.
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