National Drought Mitigation Center

Managing Drought Risk on the Ranch

Great Plains Examples


South Dakota

Daybreak Ranch

Daybreak Ranch 
(Central)

Nebraska

Tippets-Myers Ranch

Tippets-Myers Ranch 
(Western Sandhills)

Reed Hamilton Ranch  
(Sandhills)

Shamrock Ranch  
(Southwestern)

Kansas

Alexander Ranch

Alexander Ranch 
(South Central)

Adams Ranch 
(North Central)

Colorado

Welch Ranch 
(Southern)


Texas

Johnson Ranch 
(West Central)

Here’s what my dad used to tell me. He said, if you bet on dry weather in this country, you’ll be right more than half the time.

Write a Plan for Drought

Drought is a normal part of climate...it will happen again. Fortunately, there are things you can do before, during, and after drought to reduce your risk. Learn more...

Past Workshop and Webinars


Looking Ahead: Soil Health, Drought Management, and Climate Change on the Ranch

Workshop presentations on soil health, managing pasture and rangelands, planning for drought, and using Risk Management Insurance products.  Link to workshop information and presentations: Beaver, OK, and the Chickasaw Nation.

Tracking Drought Impacts on Rangelands

How to monitor rangelands during and after drought, use photopoints, download and use a new photopoints application called GrassSnap, and submit drought impacts to the NDMC’s Drought Impact Reporter. Presented May, 2014 via webinar. More information, presentations, YouTube videos...

Managing Extreme and Extended Drought on the Farm and Ranch

Information for ranchers and irrigated crop producers who are dealing with long-term choices associated with declining aquifer levels. Presented January 9, 2014 in Garden City, KS.  More information and presentations...

Managing Drought Risk on the Ranch Professional Development Webinar Series

Drought planning techniques and technologies for ranchers and rangeland advisors, including an introduction to the planning process, monitoring and setting critical dates, assessing drought impacts and evaluating grazing strategies, making stocking decisions, and determining the financial impacts of drought management. Presented January - May, 2013 via webinar.  More information, presentations, YouTube videos...