Town Crier “Briefs from the Region” (2) – 9/13/21
At a Drought and Water Supply Committee meeting, Gov. Greg Gianforte announced that he would be modernizing the existing Montana Drought Management Plan with support from a new federal grant. The current state’s drought plan was established in 1995. “With every region of Montana facing severe to extreme drought conditions, this is the time to plan for the future and increase our preparedness statewide,” Gianforte said. “Drought is having an impact on everyone–from anglers to foresters to agricultural producers.” Over the next two years, the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation will work to update the plan with a focus on improving and formalizing the state’s drought preparedness, monitoring and response. It will also help identify and prioritize drought vulnerabilities and recommend proactive adaptation strategies to reduce the severity and lessen the impacts of drought across communities and individual water users in Montana. A new website is being developed to share updates and information about the planning process and to provide an avenue for public comment.
