The Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, and Flint (ACF) Rivers, along with the Apalachicola Bay, link the people and natural systems of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. In response to a request by regional stakeholders, and in close partnerships with state and regional partners, NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) has launched the new ACF River Basin Drought and Water Dashboard and ACF Drought Story Map.

Since early 2020, the Southwest United States has suffered record low precipitation and near-record high temperatures, gripping the region with an unyielding, unprecedented, and costly drought. This exceptional drought—marked by massive water shortages, destructive wildfires, emergency declarations, and the first ever water delivery shortfall among the states sharing the Colorado River—punctuates a two-decade warm and dry period that has baked the Southwest. A newly released report from the NOAA Drought Task Force, which is a collaboration between the NOAA Climate Program Office, National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), and leading scientists, addressed four critical questions about the 2020–2021 Southwestern U.S. drought.

The National Integrated Drought Information System is pleased to announce two new interactive features on Drought.gov: new customization and sharing options for all maps as well as new interactive economic sector maps. These new communication tools will help decision makers and the public respond to the current drought, prepare for future drought conditions, and improve the nation’s long-term drought resilience. These tools were launched in collaboration with NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information.