National Drought Mitigation Center

U.S. Drought Monitor
tracks dryness across country

The USDM, a weekly map showing the location and intensity of drought, triggers drought relief and helps with resource-management decisions.

Use the Monitor

Background Fox | Pexels

Winter 2019 DroughtScape

Why states started planning for drought in 2018, Reclamation accepting drought planning grant applications, and more.

Read the Issue

Photo by Lauren Uhlig

Drought Science.
Planning Sense.

Helping people, organizations, and institutions, learn, plan, and prepare for drought.

Our Mission

National Drought Mitigation Center

NDMC works
worldwide

The National Drought Mitigation Center helps decision makers monitor and plan for drought and its effects, both at home and abroad.

NDMC Activities Abroad

National Drought Mitigation Center

The Dust Bowl,
the drought of record

In the 1930s, back-to-back droughts affected nearly the entire Great Plains region, displacing tens of thousands of people and damaging thousands of acres of land.

Learn About the Event

Dust Bowl images courtesy U.S. Department of Agriculture; Background Pixabay

Manage risk
on the ranch

Drought is a normal part of climate, but you can take action before, during and after drought to reduce your risk.

Learn, Plan, and Prepare

Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington

The Drought Center helps people, organizations and institutions build resilience to drought though monitoring and planning, and we are the academic partner and web host of the U.S. Drought Monitor map. Our capabilities include climatology, social science and public engagement, and we work at all scales, from individual ranches to local, state and tribal government, and countries around the world.