Gov. Jim Justice on Friday extended the state of emergency for drought, covering all 55 counties, an additional 30 days.

See the news release from the Governor's office here. 

All WVCA exigency practices intended to combat drought are now available to conservation districts. The cost-share practices available for combating drought include water components for livestock, help with irrigating crops, connecting/tapping into a city water line, planting cover crops and more.

West Virginians experiencing hardship due to drought conditions may be eligible to receive cost-share funding through their local conservation districts. District supervisors must vote to approve the eligible practices for cost-share in their specific district.

The water for livestock components eligible for cost-share are: Portable water tanks, associated valves and fittings, water pumps, portable pipeline and portable water troughs.

Components eligible for cost-share for irrigating crops are: Portable water tanks, water pumps, portable pipeline, associated valves and pipe fittings, drip irrigation line, irrigation timers, and mulch.

To meet eligibility criteria, a portion of one county within a district must have been designated a "D1" or higher classification, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. If any county has a D1 classification or higher, then any county within that conservation district is eligible for cost-share funding through the Agricultural Enhancement Exigency Program. (A list of conservation districts and contact information is below.)     

As of August 22, portions of every county in West Virginia were in at least a "D1" status.

Please also visit the West Virginia Department of Agriculture's Drought Assistance Resources page at: https://agriculture.wv.gov/divisions/executive/drought-assistance-resources/

Each county affected is within a specific conservation district. Residents should contact the specific conservation district where they are experiencing drought. Ask to speak with the conservation district’s administrative specialist.
 
• Barbour, Randolph, Taylor, Tucker and Upshur counties are in the Tygarts Valley Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 457-3026.

• Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan counties are within the Eastern Panhandle Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 263-4376.

• Boone, Cabell, Lincoln, Logan, Mingo and Wayne counties are within the Guyan Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 528-5718.

• Braxton, Clay, Nicholas and Webster counties are within the Elk Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 765-2535.

• Brooke, Hancock, Marshall and Ohio counties are within the Northern Panhandle Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 238-1231.

• Calhoun, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt and Wood counties are within the Little Kanawha Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 422-9088.

• Doddridge, Gilmer, Harrison and Lewis counties are within the West Fork Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 627-2160.

• Fayette, McDowell, Mercer, Raleigh, Summers and Wyoming counties are in the Southern Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 253-0261.

• Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Mineral and Pendleton counties are within the Potomac Valley Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 822-5174.

• Greenbrier, Monroe and Pocahontas counties are within the Greenbrier Valley Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 645-6173.

• Jackson, Mason and Putnam counties are in the Western Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 675-3054.

• Kanawha County is within the Capitol Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 759-0736.

• Marion, Monongalia and Preston counties are in the Monongahela Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 296-0081.

• Pleasants, Tyler and Wetzel counties are within the Upper Ohio Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 758-2512.