Topeka – The winter conditions and spring climate for Kansas led Governor Sam Brownback to update the Drought Declaration for Kansas counties Friday.  The update involves 91 counties either in a warning or watch status.

The updated drought declaration has 16 counties in a warning status and 75 in watch status. This action was recommended by Tracy Streeter, Director of the Kansas Water Office and Chair of the Governor’s Drought Response Team.

“While 14 counties have been removed from the monitor, the overall total moisture for the past year is below normal and temperatures are projected to be above normal this year again,” said Tracy Streeter. “It is important we monitor conditions for the state as they could deteriorate quickly with no reserves.”

For more detailed information about current conditions, see the Kansas Climate Summary and Drought Report on the Kansas Water Office website at: www.kwo.org

County Drought Stage Declarations:

 Drought Warning:

Barber, Clark, Comanche, Finney, Grant, Gray, Haskell, Kearny, Kiowa, Meade, Morton, Pratt, Seward, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens

Drought Watch:

Allen, Anderson, Barton, Bourbon, Butler, Chase, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Clay, Cloud, Coffey, Cowley, Crawford, Decatur, Dickinson, Edwards, Elk, Ellis, Ellsworth, Ford, Franklin, Geary, Gove, Graham, Greeley, Greenwood, Hamilton, Harper, Harvey, Hodgeman, Jewel, Kingman, Labette, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Logan, Lyon, Marion, McPherson, Miami, Mitchell, Montgomery, Morris, Neosho, Ness, Norton, Osage, Osborne, Ottawa, Pawnee, Phillips, Rawlins, Reno, Republic, Rice, Riley, Rooks, Rush, Russell, Saline, Scott, Sedgwick, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Sumner, Thomas, Trego, Wallace, Washington, Wichita, Wilson, Woodson