Developing a Drought Early Warning System and Indices for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation

The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Drought Early Warning System Dashboard is an interactive, web-based visualization tool built in ArcGIS Experience to support drought monitoring, forecasting, and planning for the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The dashboard integrates locally generated drought indices (e.g., streamflow, baseflow, groundwater), spatial data from tribal monitoring stations, and time series graphics to illustrate current drought conditions and trends. Its interactive maps and charts allow tribal resource managers, planners, and community members to explore water resources and drought risk at multiple areas and time scales. By presenting this information in an accessible interface, the dashboard strengthens decision support, enhances communication, and connects technical drought metrics with cultural and ecological priorities, such as First Foods.

Key Accomplishments

• Developed a web-based Drought Early Warning System dashboard that incorporates local and regional drought indices that relate to First Foods monitoring, assessing, forecasting, and reporting
• Analyzed long-term monitoring data for groundwater levels and stream discharge to calculate groundwater and streamflow indices for the Umatilla Indian Reservation
• Developed partnerships with the Umatilla Indian Reservation community and local, tribal, state, and federal agencies
• Created the Drought Early Warning System with partners and shared information locally and with the broader scientific and environmental communities
• Expanded the CTUIR’s water monitoring program to headwater springs and aquifers
• Installed two long-term monitoring wells to quantify groundwater response to drought and improve early warning triggers
• Prepared a conservation plan for the Umatilla Indian Reservation community with drought adaptation strategies
• Provided direct communication from natural resource programs and staff to the community and decision-makers

This research was funded by NIDIS through the FY 2022 Coping with Drought Competition – Building Tribal Drought Resilience. For more information, please contact Britt Parker (britt.parker@noaa.gov) and Crystal Stiles (crystal.stiles@noaa.gov).