South Dakota Drought Conditions Continue Slow Improvement

PIERRE, (KCCR) — There is more improvement across central South Dakota in this week’s U-S Drought Monitor for the state. As a state, extreme drought was eliminated this week with severe drought unchanged and moderate drought down six percent. No drought areas improved seven-percent and abnormally dry areas fell seven-percent. Stanley and Dewey Counties saw moderate drought eliminated by 26-percent in Stanley and 65-percent in Dewey. No drought in Dewey increased 20-percent and three-percent in Dewey. Ziebach County saw big changes too. No drought went from 26-percent to 94-percent coverage with abnormally dry soils falling from 73-percent to only five. The worst drought in central South Dakota is in western Jackson County where there was no change this week. The county remains with nine-percent severe and 41-percent moderate drought. Some moderate drought is being found in far southwest Hakkon and Tripp Counties; along the Missouri River in the Lyman County boot heel and most of Brule County.