Drought Dashboard Launched At MRCTI Meeting

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has launched a new Mississippi River Basin Drought and Water Dashboard. The dashboard is the result of cross-agency collaboration between NOAA, the National Centers for Environmental Information and National Weather Service, the Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Geological Survey and state and local partners.

NOAA launched the dashboard September 17 in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI), held September 16-17 in the Twin Cities. The MRCTI meeting opened with a dedication to Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman, who was present, three months after being injured in an attempted assassination. MRCTI is made up of mayors representing more than 105 communities and 10 states along the river.

“Mayoral leadership of the Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative unanimously voted to dedicate this meeting, our first regional conference, to our friend and tireless advocate, Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman,” Champlin, Minn., Mayor Ryan Sabas said.

MRCTI Executive Director and founder Colin Wellenkamp told Minnesota Public Radio that Minnesota’s 10 member mayors numbered more than those from any other state.

Speakers discussed cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, aging infrastructure and how to fund repairs and replacements. Belinda Constant, mayor of Gretna, La., urged Congress to include a mitigation title in pending law.

Stacy Kindor, mayor of Cape Girardeau, Mo., announced a partnership between MRCTI and Convoy of Hope, a faith-based nonprofit humanitarian and disaster relief organization that provides food, supplies and services to needy populations. With the partnership, Convoy of Hope committed to provide aid to communities along the Mississippi River within 72 hours of a major disaster.