Trail of Tears designated for water collection as drought continues

Cape Girardeau County's Trail of Tears State Park has been designated as an official water collection site to aid farmers during the current drought as authorized Tuesday, June 13, by Gov. Mike Parson.

Other state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and state Department of Conservation (MDC) collection sites in the region are:

• Sam A. Baker State Park: St. Francis River, Wayne County;
• Lake Wappapello Reservoir, Wayne and Butler counties.

Dozens of parks and conservation areas across Missouri have been designated to allow water collection for livestock needs only.

Farmers planning to take advantage of the state Department of Conservation's program must obtain a special-use permit and furnish their own pumping equipment and hauling apparatus, MDC media specialist Maddie Est said.

According to Parson, collected water cannot be resold.

Est said MDC will help so long as water levels remain stable.

"We want to make sure levels are such that boat ramps are still usable. We'll stop issuing permits based on what levels look like and also on what people need," she said.

Est said collection must be done from designated access points during normal operating hours.

According to DNR, more than 90% of Missouri counties are experiencing drought conditions.

National Weather Service defines drought as "a period of unusually persistent dry weather persisting long enough to cause serious problems such as crop damage and/or water supply shortages. The severity of the drought depends upon the degree of moisture deficiency, the duration, and the size of the affected area."