Governor Laura Kelly announces an update to drought declaration for counties in Kansas.

 

 Kelly signed the declaration Friday after many Kansas counties have seen drought conditions persisting across the state. The declaration places three counties in emergency status, 55 counties into warning status and 47 into watch status.

 

The three counties in warning status are Harvey, Reno, and Sedgwick in south-central Kansas. Most southeast Kansas counties have been placed in the warning category including Montgomery, Labette, Neosho, Chautauqua, Elk, Cherokee, Crawford, Cowley, and Bourbon counties. Counties in the watch category include Wilson, Woodson, Allen, Greenwood and Butler.

 

Through an agreement between the Kansas Water Office, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, and the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, counties in the emergency stage are eligible for emergency water use from certain state fishing lakes and some federal reservoirs.

 

With conditions expected to remain dry, Kelly stated that Kansans should pay close attention to their water usage and take extra care to prevent wildfires.