Even the mighty Mississippi River is feeling low amid what the National Climatic Data Center reported Monday is the largest drought since the 1950s.
The center said about 55%
of the country was in at least moderate short-term drought in June for
the first time since December 1956, when 58% of the country was in a
moderate to extreme drought.
The hot, dry weather in June,
which ranked as the third-driest month nationally in at least 118
years, according to the center, made the problem worse. The portion of
the country suffering from severe to extreme short-term drought
dramatically expanded in June, up to nearly 33% from 23% the month
before.
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn called it a "natural disaster of epic proportions."
"We've never see a
drought like this and we have to make sure we do something about it," he
said, calling on Congress to expedite passage of the farm bill. Quinn
said seven more counties will be designated Monday as disaster areas, in
addition to 26 already on the list, and farmers can apply for federal
relief funds.
In Arkansas -- where the National Drought Mitigation Center
reported that ranchers are having to haul water for cattle because
ponds have dried out and wells can't keep up with demands -- 83-year-old
retired farmer Don Hudson said this is about the worst he's ever seen
it.
"It's very brown right
now, ain't no grass at all," he said. "We're still feeding hay because
the cows aren't even going out to graze."
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