Topeka ? After officials concluded drought conditions had become worse, the state declared an emergency Friday for 11 northeast Kansas counties — including Jefferson and Leavenworth — to bring relief to communities facing water shortages.

Also, the state’s remaining 94 counties came under drought warnings, meaning that water shortages are present and supplies are starting to decline.

The declaration of an emergency is designed to allow communities to tap into federal reservoirs, import water if they face public health threats and make it easier for cities and industries to obtain water contracts.

The counties for which an emergency has been declared are Atchison, Brown, Doniphan, Jackson, Jefferson, Leavenworth, Marshall, Nemaha, Pottawatomie, Riley and Wyandotte.

Hank Ernst, a spokesman for the Kansas Water Office, the state’s water planning agency, said the elevation of many counties’ drought status and the emergency declaration would keep the state from scrambling as conditions worsen.

“Some of this is being proactive,” he said. “It’s about putting tools in the hands of communities that they can use.”

On Friday, Lt. Gov. John Moore signed two proclamations. One put 52 counties — including Douglas, Franklin, Johnson and Shawnee — that had been under a drought watch under warnings instead. A watch indicates the possibility of a water shortage is increasing. The other proclamation declared an emergency for the 11 counties, where drought warnings had been in place.

“It does not mean the taps are dry, but that supplies are becoming limited,” said Moore, who acted because Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is in Bosnia, visiting Kansas National Guard troops.

Moore issued the proclamations after a recommendation from Joe Harkins, the water office’s director and chairman of the Governor’s Drought Response Team.

¢ 6News video: High temperatures bring emergency dought declaration¢Latest forecast¢Kansas Water Office drought report

Sebelius spokeswoman Nicole Corcoran-Basso said the state elevated the drought status of many counties because storms this week provided only sporadic rainfall, not enough to alleviate dry conditions.

Conditions have been driest in northeast Kansas, where conditions are classified as an extreme drought. All of the topsoil and subsoil are considered short of moisture, and the region needs nearly 12 inches of rain to end the drought.

The water office said nine cities, the Kickapoo Tribe in northeast Kansas and Douglas County Rural Water District No. 4 had imposed water use restrictions this year.

The cities are Ellis, Gardner, Marysville, Oberlin, Russell, Plainville, Salina, Stafford and Valley Falls.