Agenda; what is NIDIS; what is a DEWS; information about the Pacific Northwest DEWS; upcoming events.
An overview of grazing and fuels and their relationship to wildfire. Summary:
- Grazing can reduce fuels.
- Grazing will not stop fires under very hot & dry conditions.
- Grazing can reduce cheatgrass & grazing can increase cheatgrass.
- Grazing can reduce fire intensity & promote recovery after fire.
Current and forecast ENSO conditions (El Niño/La Niña) for summer 2017; climate outlooks for temperature and precipitation through September 2017; drought outlook through July.
Data and maps summarizing conditions in the Pacific Northwest: U.S. Drought Monitor; precipitation and temperature; snowpack; reservoir storage; streamflow.
Information from regional Drought Early Warning Systems helped people make better decisions in many sectors, including construction, fish production, and agriculture. A recent survey assessed the value of drought and climate-related webinars and quarterly climate summaries produced for decision-makers in the Midwest and Missouri River Drought Early Warning Systems and in the Great Lakes Basin. The National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln led the survey, which was funded by the National Integrated Drought Information System.
It is U.S. Army Corps of Engineers policy that water control plans be continually reviewed, updated, and adjusted as needed to ensure that the best use is made of available water resources. This March 2017 revision to the basin master water control manual describes the systemwide water control plan for the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River Basin. This manual provides a general reference source for ACF water control regulation. It is intended for use in day-to-day, real-time water management decision-making and for training new personnel.
Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Southern Region for December 2016 – February 2017. Dated March 2017.
It was a warmer than normal winter (December–February) for the southern region, with all six states reporting warmer than normal temperatures in December, January, and February, with many states having their warmest February on record. Precipitation was abundant in southern Texas, and western Oklahoma. In Tennessee, much needed rain fell to help put out some of the Great Smoky Mountain wildfires.
Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Great Lakes Region for December 2016 – February 2017. Dated March 2017.
Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Missouri River Basin December 2016 – February 2017. Dated March 2017.
Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for Alaska and Northwestern Canada for December 2016 – February 2017; outlook for April – June 2017. Dated March 2017.