Whenever the board of county commissioners of any county of the state of Kansas shall declare by resolution that a drought emergency exists, they are hereby authorized and empowered to appropriate and expend from the general fund of the respective counties, such amount as it shall deem necessary for the purpose of purchasing pumping equipment for operation of drought-relief wells or for pumping from streams, and other machinery, equipment and materials, including fuel, deemed necessary for construction or maintenance of drought-relief water-supply projects.