Lieutenant Governor Mike Cooney announced last week that Ravalli County, along with eight other counties in the state, including Teton, Lewis & Clark, Powell, Missoula, Sweet Grass, Stillwater, Carbon and Yellowstone counties, have all reached a “Severe Drought” status, as defined by the Montana Drought Response Plan and state statute. In addition, seven more counties – Broadwater, Jefferson, Silver Bow, Granite, Mineral, Park and Big Horn – were added to the growing list of counties under a “Drought Alert.” These seven counties join four counties already identified under drought alerts in June and July – Glacier, Pondera, Carter and Sanders. In a letter to county commissioners, Cooney noted the determination was based on water supply and soil moisture data from the Natural Resources and Conservation Service, the National Agricultural Statistics Service, local reports, and other state and federal agencies, along with the Palmer Drought Severity Index and Surface Water Supply Index.
Cooney, who chairs the Governor’s Drought and Water Supply Advisory Committee, said the region has experienced two consecutive years of low snowpack, early runoff and minimal subsoil moisture. According to the National Weather Service, Montana’s average temperatures for July were more than 4 degrees above normal. The coming two-week forecast indicates more than a 33 percent chance of temperatures remaining above normal. In the interest of a conservative approach, the Governor’s Drought and Water Supply Advisory Committee concurred that a Severe Drought should be declared in nine counties currently under a Drought Alert, and a Drought Alert should be set for seven additional counties. The “Severe Drought” elevated status prompts state agencies to implement appropriate mitigation responses identified in the Montana Drought Response Plan. In addition, the Governor’s Drought and Water Supply Advisory Committee will contact local disaster services in the counties under a “Severe Drought” regarding the federal disaster designation process. Neither the “Drought Alert” nor the “Severe Drought” designations carry any official status with respect to state or federal disaster assistance programs. Rather, they are intended “to give high visibility to the continuing impacts of drought in affected areas, to prompt communication among stakeholders, and to direct state agencies to take the steps identified in the Montana Drought Response Plan to mitigate the impacts of drought,” Cooney wrote.
At the upcoming meeting of the Governor’s Drought and Water Supply Advisory Committee on September 15, committee members will again assess the latest water supply, soil and climate conditions across the state. Projections indicate a 50% chance of cooler, wetter conditions beginning in September. With any luck, some of the counties under a “Drought Alert” status at that time, and areas in “Severe Drought” may be reduced.
For more information on current drought and water supply conditions, visit drought.mt.gov.