Planning

Why Plan for Drought?

• To prevent suffering and loss
• To break the hydro-illogical cycle

Planning, In-depth

• What is Drought Planning? Monitoring, understanding impacts, and managing risk are the three main parts of drought planning.
• Monitoring: Picking the right scale in time and space and finding indicators relevant for a specific purpose are key parts of drought monitoring.
• Impacts: Drought's impacts include lower crop yields, water diverted from agriculture to urban uses, and reduced hydroelectric power generation. Understanding impacts helps reduce vulnerability.
  

Planning Processes

The NDMC and others have developed drought planning processes that have been applied in a variety of places and circumstances.

Featured Planning Processes

• Drought-Ready Communities
• Managing Drought Risk on the Ranch

U.S. Policy

No single federal agency has sole responsibility for drought planning. Being prepared for drought crosses many agencies' boundaries, involving weather, water, agriculture, and land use, among others. The Western Governors' Association has been instrumental in pushing for more coordinated drought policy. Establishing the National Integrated Drought Information System in 2006 was a significant first step.