Just as Iowa and parts of the Midwest exit a multiyear La Nina pattern that created drought conditions across much of the region, a new planning tool has been unveiled to assist in preparing for and responding to the next extreme arid pattern.

A collective effort of local, state and federal agencies, including the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (IHSEM) and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS), aided in the development of the Iowa Drought Plan, a guide to provide the state with an approach to prepare for, identify,...