Missouri DNR launches app to track flooding, drought conditions

FOX23 News at 9 p.m.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., (KBSI) — The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has released a new app designed to raise awareness of flooding and drought conditions across the state.

The free Missouri Flood & Drought app, developed over three years, uses data from the department’s network of streamgages and soil-moisture sensors to provide real-time conditions and forecasts showing how weather may impact different regions.

Officials said the app is now available for download and can also be accessed on desktop through the Missouri Hydrology Information Center website.

“We encourage everyone to download the Missouri Flood & Drought app and explore its features,” said Dru Buntin, the department’s chief of water resources. “Through this app’s services and capabilities, users will be provided with vital information and notified of danger during critical situations.”

The Missouri Hydrology Information Center was created following the 2019 flooding to improve public access to water data and increase awareness of flood and drought risks.

Zack Becker, a unit chief who oversaw the app’s development, said the goal is to make water data as accessible as daily weather information.

“By setting up notifications for streams in your area, this app will alert you to vital flooding information so you can avoid a route that would potentially put you in danger,” Becker said.

The app compiles data from a statewide network of streamgages that monitor water levels and flow, along with soil-moisture sensors that track ground saturation.

Officials said Missouri is among the first states to integrate this type of data into a mobile application for public use.

The department said the app’s release is part of ongoing efforts to improve the state’s resilience to flooding and drought, with additional projects planned, including expanding monitoring networks and collecting more environmental data.