(MSC News)--Despite recent rainfall, Kansas counties continue to be hard hit by drought.

In a news release issued Tuesday by the Kansas Water Office, the worsening conditions necessitated a change in status for a number of local northeast Kansas counties.

Moved from warning status to emergency status are the counties of Atchison, Brown, Doniphan, Jackson, Jefferson, Leavenworth, Marshall and Nemaha.

According to the release, counties listed at the emergency stage are eligible for emergency use of water from certain state fishing lakes, and also become eligible for the use of water in some federal reservoirs.

The release says that declining livestock water and feed supply continue to be reported, resulting in the change of the status for the counties, which have a U.S. Drought Monitor Severe Drought status.

Individuals and communities need to contact the Kansas Water Office for a water supply request prior to any withdrawals from lakes.