Mitigating Drought

 Mitigation Tools for States

 Water Availability

Specific actions taken by states:

Impact assessment actions

• Evaluate drought conditions/assess water supply/needs
• Provide/analyze data
• Reporting
• Provide technical information, including gaps
• Review/update procedures
• Climate analysis/long-range forecasts
• Enhance data collection and forecasting
• Make projections for several scenarios

Response programs

• Augment water supplies/identify alternative sources
• Provide information and technical assistance
• Expedite water transfers/issue emergency permits during drought
• Inventory/review/modify project operations
• Mediate water conflicts
• Coordinate with river basin/lake plan
• Clarify water rights to allow water regulation/modification
• Ensure implementation of public utilities/local drought plans
• Identify resource deficiencies/availabilities
• Provide grants/loans for water-related projects
• Water purchases, including water banks
• Address drought-related issues
• Appropriation permit suspensions/water use restrictions
• Communicate with states experiencing similar problems
• Develop drought legislation
• Oppose new diversions during drought
• Recommend response actions
• Reduced snowmaking

Mitigation programs

• Encourage/enforce development of local drought plans
• Enact policy to assure equitable water distribution/water metering
• Assess need for policy change regarding drought
• Identify resource deficiencies/availabilities
• Implement actions to reduce occurrence of water supply emergencies
• Research hydrologic process/climate change/predicting drought
• Conduct water rights adjudications
• Establish groundwater monitoring network/control withdrawal
• Prepare stockpile of pipes, pumps, etc.
• Water supply bank/allocation system
• Weather modification
• Analyze long-term or residual impacts of drought
• Encourage long-term drought management planning in river basins
• Collect and map geographic information
• Draft policy to require water use reporting
• Grants/loans to promote development of efficient use of water
• Include “water shortage criteria” for drought years in all projects
• Provide list of water-moving equipment
• Develop state agency-level operating procedures for drought response
• Create drought fund to support programs
• Create drought advisory board for legislative input and plan update
• Develop guidelines for drought plan development
• Require surface water applicants to submit plan for alternate water supply
• Clarify state law regarding sale of water
• Clarify state law on changes in water rights
• Established statewide contingency plan

On to Impact Sectors: Municipal Water
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© 2005 National Drought Mitigation Center