By Matt Mcdermott, Source: TreeHugger

And it gets drier…

The US Department of Agriculture has declared half of all US counties disaster areas due to the expanding drought, adding 200 counties across 12 states to those experiencing drought conditions. Thirty five states now have drought conditions, with 64% of the nation in moderate or severe drought

This drought is the most severe and expensive drought in the past quarter century, the USDA notes. Food prices are expected to rise 5% in 2013 as a result.

But the truly astounding thing in all this, something which hopefully will change as a result of the drought, is that most states’ climate change plans don’t take into account the impact on water availability.

NRDC says only seven of the states affected by drought (California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Oregon, and Wisconsin) have robust or moderate climate and water plans.