Congress has reauthorized the National Integrated Drought Information System for five years. The legislation is expected to be signed by the President. South Dakota State Climatologist Dr. Dennis Todey says that’s beneficial legislation that’s led to a Missouri River Basin pilot program.

Todey says the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is the lead agency with the pilot program. He says state climatologists and regional climate officials along with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and USDA are all involved in providing drought information.

He says they’ve met once and will be working on drought monitoring and forecasting and sharing that data across the Missouri River basin.