Drought Early Warning Activities
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.
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.
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.
The purpose of this project was to increase the dissemination of available drought-related information to end-user organizations in a way that allows them to…
Central Indiana is the second regional area to be studied on account of the progress already made by the Central Indiana Drinking Water Collaborative (“Collaborative”); a group of water utilities…
2019
2020
Winter-time cloud seeding is being conducted by Idaho Power Company with support from water districts and the Idaho Water Resource Board. The goal of the wintertime cloud seeding is to enhance…
The Colorado Water Conservation Board chairs the Governor’s Flood Task Force and co-chairs the Governor’s Water Availability Task Force to monitor conditions that affect Colorado’s water supply,…
This project produced decision calendars to inform users of where and when science can inform decision-making, and improve communication and usability of climate information. The project…
2018
2020