(Undated)– The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has placed drought regions 1 and 4 in western Iowa under a drought watch.
Tim Hall, the DNR’s Coordinator of hydrology resources, says while it was wetter than normal from November through February, that was NOT the case in March. He says precipitation for the month was about a half inch below normal and that it’s having an impact on stream flows in the affected areas.
Under the state’s new drought plan, a drought watch is the least severe of the designations. However Hall says it should serve as a reminder for Iowans to be attentive to conditions.
Hall says normal April rainfall should be adequate to restore the drought regions to normal conditions.
Counties in our area under the drought watch designation include Cherokee, Lyon, O’Brien, Osceola, Plymouth and Sioux.
