WilCo Commissioner’s Court declares drought disaster

WilCo Commissioner’s Court declares drought disaster

By Community Impact Newspaper Staff Wednesday, 18 March 2009

The Williamson County Commissioners Court today approved a “Declaration of Disaster” because of the widespread and severe damage resulting from the effects of ongoing drought conditions. The declaration signed by County Judge Dan A. Gattis states that drought conditions in the county are classified as “extreme or exceptional” by the U.S. Drought Monitor.

In a letter to Gov. Rick Perry, Judge Gattis stated that the potential effect of the drought is “extraordinary economic losses to the agricultural community of Williamson County including, but not limited to hay, cattle/livestock and row crop producers and the inability or the limited ability for recovery from such losses.”

The letter requests that the state provide assistance to Williamson County through a task force of experts that can perform an in-depth damage assessment, develop mitigation strategies and identify sources for individual and public financial assistance and a recovery regime.

Among the issues caused by the drought include a decline in hay production and insufficient quality of available hay for livestock maintenance; depressed market prices for cattle; lack of available water quantity and quality for sustainability; long-term impact on the agricultural economic losses related to higher feed supplement prices, depressed row crop productions, pasture restoration and herd restocking; and appropriate methods for disposal of carcasses and offal.

Through a Commissioners Court Order, the state of disaster proclaimed for the severe drought conditions will continue until terminated by order of the Commissioners Court.