MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Twenty-eight Alabama counties have been placed under a drought emergency.
The Alabama Drought Declaration issued Tuesday comes after conditions across the state continue to degrade due to little rainfall and above normal temperatures.
The counties now under emergency status are:
Region 1: Colbert, DeKalb, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marshall and Morgan
Region 3: Blount, Cherokee, Cullman, Etowah, Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, Walker and Winston
Region 4: Calhoun, Chambers, Chilton, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Randolph, Talladega and Tallapoosa
Office of Water Resources' Water Management Unit manager Tom Littlepage says falling reservoir and groundwater levels also have indicated drought conditions have become more severe, particularly in north, east and central Alabama.
Water managers are urged to monitor water sources and implement conservation measures as needed.