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Drought Early Warning Activities

Page Summary

Each regional drought early warning system (DEWS) focuses on improving early warning capacity for and resilience to drought in that region, including examining the role of extreme weather events and climate variability in drought.

Regional DEWS Coordination

NIDIS has developed regional drought early warning systems (DEWS) throughout the United States, where local networks of researchers, resource managers, policymakers, the private sector, academics, and other stakeholders share information and actions to help their communities cope with drought.

A DEWS coordinates this network of key regional partners so that decision makers and citizens can systematically approach drought monitoring and forecasting integration when planning and preparing for drought. Regional DEWS encourage innovation by integrating new, locally relevant drought information, and supporting the introduction and testing of technologies that detect and communicate drought risks and warnings.

Regional DEWS activities focus on five key areas for drought early warning (DEWS components): observation and monitoring, prediction and forecasting, planning and preparedness, communication and outreach, and interdisciplinary research and applications.

Circles representing each of the 5 key components of a drought early warning system

Drought Early Warning Activities

The table below shows ongoing activities related to drought early warning across the United States. Each activity falls into one or more of the five key areas of drought early warning systems (DEWS components): observation and monitoring, planning and preparedness, prediction and forecasting, communication and outreach, and interdisciplinary research and applications.

DEWS Components Legend
Observation & Monitoring
 
Planning & Preparedness
 
Prediction & Forecasting
 
Communication & Outreach
 
Research & Applications

Select filters to browse DEWS Activities below

Description

In 2020, the Northeast DEWS team held listening sessions among its partners and stakeholders in New York and New England. The focus of the sessions…

Scope
Region
Key Partners
NIDIS, NOAA, Northeast Regional Climate Center, U.S. Geological Survey, USDA
Project Timeline
Jun
2022
Jun
2026
DEWS Components
Description

This project is investigating how hypothetical reduction of 300,000 acre-feet of irrigation water for Pinal County agriculture would impact on the local economy.

Scope
State
Key Partners
Climate Assessment for the Southwest (CLIMAS, a NOAA RISA Team), University of Arizona, National Climatic Data Center, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, USDA, Arizona Department of Water Resources, Central Arizona Irrigation Districts
Project Timeline
Ongoing
DEWS Components
Description

This project examines potential climate change and variability adaptation strategies related to water and energy in the Colorado River and Rio Grande Basins, including northwestern Mexico.

Scope
Region
Key Partners
Climate Assessment for the Southwest (CLIMAS, a NOAA RISA Team), University of Arizona, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, USDA, New Mexico Office State Engineer, University of Nevada Reno, University of Colorado, Sonoran Institute, The Nature Conservancy
Project Timeline
Ongoing
DEWS Components
Description

This project examines the role of water management information and irrigation technologies in agricultural adaptation to climate variability and change in the 17 westernmost U.S. states.

Scope
Region
Key Partners
Climate Assessment for the Southwest (CLIMAS, a NOAA RISA Team), University of Arizona, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Yuma County Water Users Association
Project Timeline
Ongoing
DEWS Components
Description

This was a pilot project under the U.S. Forest Service’s recently formed Soil Moisture Monitoring Network Initiative. It aimed to explore best practices for forest soil moisture monitoring and…

Scope
State
Key Partners
Western Kentucky University, Kentucky Climate Center, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Geological Survey
Project Timeline
Oct
2021
Sep
2023
DEWS Components