PIERRE — Drought conditions continue to expand across South Dakota although some of the worse drought has gotten slightly better. An area of extreme drought in parts of Ziebach, Haakon and Dewey Counties has been drawn back and removed from this week’s update of the U-S Drought Monitor for the state. Severe drought remains in that area with 49-percent of Ziebach; 28-percent of Haakon and 10-percent of Dewey in D-Two drought. An area of no drought in central South Dakota has narrowed. Last week it went from northwest Lyman to Edmunds County. This week, that area extends from the Lyman/Stanley County line to northern Potter County. Statewide the largest change is an increase in moderate and severe drought through the central and northern James River Valley. The worst drought remains a pocket of exceptional drought across Bon Homme, Yankton and Clay Counties.
