US Drought Monitor Forum 2007: October 10-11, Portland, Oregon Mark your calendar and reserve your spot if you’re able to come help refine the US Drought Monitor. |
Did You Know: Drought is one of the most expensive natural disasters, costing the United States an estimated $6 to $8 billion a year on average, the Federal Emergency Management Agency estimated in 1995. This is still one of the most reliable estimates available, although the National Drought Mitigation Center and others are working on systematic methods to quantify the economic impacts of drought. |
DroughtScape DroughtScape is the quarterly newsletter of the National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC). If you’ve got ideas or questions you’d like to see addressed in upcoming editions, please email the editor: droughtscape@unl.edu. |
The National Drought Mitigation Center, established in 1995 with sponsorship from agencies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has a national mandate to help reduce vulnerability to drought. We are based at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the School of Natural Resources |
| For more information about happenings at the NDMC, please check the monthly What’s New updates on our website. |
2007 Spring Drought Outlook & Winter Summary
VegDRI Expands to 15 States, Refines Views
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State Spotlight: Utah The National Drought Mitigation Center recently had the pleasure of reviewing a comprehensive drought planning document for the Utah Division of Water Resources. The result is expected to be available on the web in April. It's an excellent example of a comprehensive assessment of vulnerability and mitigation options. read more |
NIDIS Portal Advancing The vision for a National Integrated Drought Information Systems Portal is moving ahead. As it comes on-line later this year, it will be a starting point for anyone seeking information about drought in the United States. It will incorporate a variety of information products and monitoring tools. read more International Panel Foresees Drought as Part of Climate Change Planning for climatic variability, including drought, will be increasingly vital to ensure food and water supplies, particularly for people in equatorial regions, based on the scenarios developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. read more |
Expanding: Existing conditions, forecasts and seasonal patterns make it likely that the following states will continue in various degrees of drought: California, Nevada, Arizona, much of Utah, western Colorado, Wyoming, western Nebraska and western South Dakota, and Florida.
VegDRI, a satellite-based drought monitoring product, is expanding its coverage in 2007 to include 15 states. Users will also be able to isolate views based on land uses such as farming or ranching, making it easier to spot patterns.