Jefferson County - East-West Gateway Coordinating Council

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Jefferson County – Section 2
According to the WPA, three-fifths of all first-time rural relief cases in the Great Plains area
were directly related to drought, with a disproportionate amount of cases being farmers
(68%) and especially tenant farmers (70% of the 68%). However, it is not known how
many of the remaining cases (32%) were indirectly affected by drought. The WPA report
also noted that 21% of all rural families in the Great Plains area were receiving federal
emergency relief by 1936 (Link et al., 1937); the number was as high as 90% in hard-hit
counties (Warrick, 1980). Thus, even though the exact economic losses are not known for
this time period, they were substantial enough to cause widespread economic disruption
that affected the entire nation.
The Palmer Drought Severity Index relates climate and weather to prolonged and abnormal
soil moisture deficiencies affecting water sensitive economies in the US. The index is useful
in delineating disaster areas and indicating the availability of irrigation water supplies,
reservoir levels, range conditions, amount of stock water, and potential intensity of forest
fires.
Seasonal Pattern
Based on Table J45 above from Regions 2 and 5, a trend emerges of mild drought
occurring from January through May from the period of record from 1895 to 1995.
Speed of Onset And/Or Existing Warning Systems
By nature, drought occurs very slowly. Existing warning systems have been developed by
Missouri Department of Natural Resources (Missouri Drought Response Plan). Mr. Steve A.
McIntosh is the contact person for drought in Missouri. The function of the plan is to assist
in the response, monitoring and prediction, communication, and planning in the event of a
drought. The plan provides for operations and administrative procedures that activate the
Drought Assessment Committee, Impact Task Forces, Governor's Drought Executive
Committee, and the State Emergency Operations Center. The Governor's declaration
empowers state agencies to implement water shortage emergency actions. The statute or
authority that regulates this activity is the State Water Resources Plan (Revised statutes of
Missouri Chapters 640.415). The primary agencies involved in drought activities include:
Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources (primary), Missouri Dept. of Agriculture, Missouri Dept.
of Public Safety, Missouri Dept. of Conservation, Missouri Dept. of Social Services,
University of Missouri-Columbia, DOC, USDA, US Army, DOI, EPA, and FEMA. The drought
plan serves the following groups: water supply systems of individual ranchers and farmers,
local governments, federal agencies, domestic water users, health care facilities, public uses
such as electric power generation, firefighting, key military facilities, communications, and
wastewater systems.
As a part of the plan, monthly drought monitoring (consisting of water monitoring data
and weather data) is provided to the State Emergency Management Agency by the
Department of Natural Resources and the National Weather Service. MDNR utilizes the
Palmer Drought Index as a trigger to determine drought phases and actions to be taken.