Dry stalks of corn, ravaged by drought, stand in a failed corn field near Colby, Kansas, on 24 August 2012. On 27 August 2013, Gov. Sam Brownback declared that 37 counties are still in a drought emergency. Photo: John Moore / Getty Images

By BECCY TANNER
27 August 2013 (The Wichita Eagle) – The good news is that some of us are no longer are in the direct throes of drought. The bad news is that many Kansas residents still are. Gov. Sam Brownback has updated the Drought Emergency, Warnings and Watches, placing 25 counties in drought watch, 20 more in warning status and 37 in emergency conditions. Last year, more than two-thirds of the state was in a severe drought. The 37 counties currently in emergency status are eligible to pull water from certain state fishing lakes. Individuals and communities must get approval from the Kansas Water Office to withdraw water from a lake. Emergency haying and grazing are also available for those counties. [more]

Kansas drought update: some counties improve, others in emergency status