DES MOINES – There’s been no improvement in overall drought conditions in the state. Rain amounts are still below normal for the past two weeks, even though the state had an average rainfall of 1.4 inches. In fact, a small area in northwest Iowa has been downgraded as an area of exceptional drought, or D4, on the US Drought Monitor, the first part of Iowa to be recorded in this condition.
For a more thorough review of Iowa’s water resource trends August 23 through Sept. 5, go to http://www.iowadnr.gov/watersummaryupdate.
The report is prepared by the technical staff from the Iowa DNR, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and the USGS, in collaboration with the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division.