THREE IOWA AGENCIES ARE DEVELOPING GUIDELINES AND REAL-TIME RESOURCES FOR CITY AND COUNTY OFFICIALS WHO MAY HAVE TO RESTRICT WATER USAGE DURING A DROUGHT EMERGENCY.
TIM HALL OF THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES SAYS THE FIRST-EVER STATE “DROUGHT PLAN” WOULD LEAVE DECISIONS ABOUT LIMITING WATER USAGE TO LOCAL OFFICIALS.
DROUGHT4 OC……THOSE DECISIONS.” :18
THE LATEST INFORMATION FROM THE U.S. DROUGHT MITIGATION CENTER SHOWS THERE ARE “EXTREME” DROUGHT CONDITIONS IN FOUR NORTHWEST IOWA COUNTIES, BUT WATER SHORTAGES HAVEN’T DROPPED TO THE LEVEL OF WHAT’S CALLED AN “EXCEPTIONAL” DROUGHT.
DROUGHT5 OC…….DRY AS WELL.” :14
IN JULY, STATE OFFICIALS HOSTED MEETINGS IN SIOUX CITY AND OTHER TOWNS TO HEAR FROM LOCAL UTILITIES, COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGERS, CITIZENS AND INDUSTRIES THAT USE WATER.
A VIRTUAL MEETING WAS HELD THIS (WEDNESDAY) MORNING WITH ABOUT 70 MEMBERS OF THOSE GROUPS.
DROUGHT6 OC………RIGHT NOW.” :15
HALL IS THE HYDROLOGY RESOURCES COORDINATOR FOR THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES.
HE SAYS WATER LEVELS IN SOME AREAS OF NORTHWEST IOWA ARE ALARMINGLY LOW, BUT THE SITUATION ISN’T CURRENTLY AS DIRE AS THE LAST MAJOR DROUGHT OF 2012.
