Most of state abnormally dry, more areas of moderate drought in drought monitor report

DES MOINES — More areas of moderate drought are showing up on the latest Iowa Drought Monitor report released on Thursday.

Portions of Winneshiek, Allamakee, Clayton, Dubuque, Fayette, Chickasaw and Bremer counties in northeast Iowa; Lyon, Osceola and Dickinson counties in northwest Iowa; as well as Monona, Harrison, Crawford, Shelby, Pottawattamie and Fremont counties in southwest Iowa are all reporting “D-1 Moderate Drought”.

Most of the rest of the state of Iowa including here in north-central Iowa is reporting “D-0 Abnormally Dry” conditions, while a section of south-central and southwest Iowa is reporting normal conditions.

Cody Mortell with the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service Iowa Field Office says about half the state is reporting topsoil and subsoil moisture levels that are dry.  “Topsoil moisture condition rated 9% very short, 41% short, 49% adequate and 1% surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 8% very short, 37% short, 54% adequate and 1% surplus.”

You can see the latest drought monitor information by clicking here