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National Integrated Drought Information System
Implementation Milestones (FY 2007 - FY 2013, by year)
Activity Milestone 07 08 09 10 11 12 13
1 Initial portal operational capability at drought.gov              
1 Advanced portal mapping capability with GIS tools              
1 Populate drought.gov website (portal, plans, reports, agency links)              
1 Operational portal communities and collaborations              
1 Enhance data management and distribution              
1 Portal extension to hemispheric and global domains              
2 Drought forecast regionalization studies              
2 Enhance soil moisture and temperature measurements              
2 Forecast verification and calibration to measurements              
3 Coordinate with CPO Program Managers/agencies on interdisciplinary research goals              
3 Inventory drought-related service (federal/state/private)              
3 Assess national status of drought early warning              
3 Inventory drought-related research (federal/state/private)              
3 Coordinate drought preparedness plans              
3 Planning for adaptation              
3 Institutionalize "Drought Coordinator" network              
3 Enhanced regional impacts research              
3 Implement adaptive management strategies              
4 Pilot study scoping and selection              
4 NPIT workshops: Define criteria and assess partner interest and capacity for pilots              
4 First Workshop: Assessment of Drought Early Warning System Status in the United States              
4 Pilot study implementation              
4 Initial early warning prototypes              
4 Pilot study assessment and follow-on work              
5 Establish NIDIS Program Office, governance structure, and final Program Implementation Team              
5 Establish regional sub-team leads within NPIT              
5 Establish initial agency/state rotational assignment to NIDIS Program              
5 Establish NIDIS Interdisciplinary Research Coordination Board              
5 Extend NIDIS to National Governors' Association and Inter-basin Watershed Commission              
5 Operational workshops to assess national drought monitoring and forecasting gaps              
Activity Legend:
  1. U.S. Drought Portal: Development and tailoring
  2. Climate Test Beds: Integrating data and enhanced predictions
  3. Coping with Drought: Integrated research and applications, Engaging preparedness communities, Education and Public Awareness
  4. NIDIS Pilots: Early Warning System design and implementation in selected locations
  5. NIDIS Program Office
Abbreviations:
  • GIS: Geographic Information Systems
  • CPO: Climate Program Office
  • NPIT: National Program Implementation Team