Slight drought conditions seen in Southeast Missouri

Last year Southwest Missouri was wracked with drought, creating an emergency for that area's farm economy.

So far this growing season, the southwest part of the state has no lack of water, while Southeast Missouri is starting to experience slight drought conditions.

"The southeast region is probably experiencing the most shortage of any region of the state," said Gene Danekas, director of the Missouri office of the USDA Agricultural Statistics Service. As of the last report, released a week ago, 62 percent of the Southeast Missouri area was listed as having topsoil moisture levels that are "short" to "very short" -- "by far the worst in the state," Danekas said.

The latest report is due out this afternoon.

For the three-month period starting in April, Cape Girardeau County was 6.91 inches below its long-term rainfall average, Scott County was 5.56 inches under, Stoddard County was 5 inches under, Perry County was 2.41 inches under, Pemiscot County was 7.37 inches under and New Madrid County was 5.41 inches under, according to measurements from the University of Missouri Extension.

Danekas said the dry conditions are not serious at this point, mainly delaying the germination of some recently planted soybeans.

The U.S. Drought Monitor compiled by federal agencies shows an area of severe drought in the Southeastern United States is growing. Southeast Missouri, which had no signs of drought a few weeks ago, was shown as "abnormally dry" according to the latest map, released Tuesday.

msanders@semissourian.com

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