How to Plan for Drought

There are several well-documented drought-planning processes that can help municipalities, states, tribes, governments and individuals develop a drought plan. This list includes general resources followed by more sector-specific information.

An effective drought plan requires:

1. Monitoring drought, water supplies, and impacts
2. Understanding how to reduce vulnerability and impacts
3. Authority and resources to develop and implement a plan

The 10-Step Drought-Planning Process. Dr. Donald A. Wilhite, founder of the National Drought Mitigation Center, developed a 10-step planning process that has been adapted for use by cities, tribes, states, and countries around the world, and that has benefited from continuous refinement. It is available from the National Drought Mitigation Center's web site (reprinted from D.A. Wilhite, ed. Drought and Water Crises: Science, Technology, and Management Issues, CRC Press, 2005, pp. 93-135, courtesy of Taylor and Francis Group, LLC) as a 44-page pdf document.
An earlier and briefer version is available as a series of web pages.

How to Reduce Drought Risk. The Western Drought Coordination Council produced How to Reduce Drought Risk in 1998 in collaboration with the National Drought Mitigation Center as a guide for assessing vulnerability to drought. It is a step-by-step process for users to identify actions that can be taken to reduce potential drought-related impacts.

The National Study of Water Management During Drought. This study was authorized by Congress and undertaken by the Corps of Engineers' Institute for Water Resources in the aftermath of the droughts of 1988. The resulting report, Managing Water for Drought, presents a method for developing drought preparedness plans which takes advantage of federal background and expertise while maintaining the flexibility needed for local, nonfederal decision making.

A Guidebook to Drought Planning, Management and Water Level Changes in the Great Lakes. Great Lakes Commission. 1990, Ann Arbor, Michigan. (This publication can be ordered from the Great Lakes Commission.) This reference guide on drought and its impacts answers questions about water level changes and lists federal, state, and provincial contacts for drought assistance, water levels, and emergency response programs.

Climate Science and Drought Planning: the Arizona Experience, a paper by Katharine L. Jacobs, Gregg M. Garfin, and Barbara J. Morehouse, from the Journal of American Water Resources Association, April, 2005.

The National Drought Mitigation Center's website has a collection of on-line resources to help people develop drought plans.