Components of a Drought Plan: Mitigation and Response

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Components of a Drought PlanMitigation and
Response
Michael Hayes and Mark Svoboda National Drought
Mitigation Center University of Nebraska-Lincoln
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Components of Drought Plans

• Monitoring/early warning
• Foundation of a drought mitigation plan
• Indices linked to impacts and triggers
• Risk and impact assessment
• Who and what is at risk and why
• Mitigation and response
• Actions/programs that reduce risk and impacts and
  enhance recovery

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Components of Drought Plans

• Monitoring/early warning
• Foundation of a drought mitigation plan
• Indices linked to impacts and triggers
• Risk and impact assessment
• Who and what is at risk and why
• Mitigation and response
• Actions/programs that reduce risk and impacts and
  enhance recovery

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Definitions

• Mitigation pre-drought actions and programs that
  reduce drought risk and impacts and enhance
  recovery.
• Response reducing impacts and enhancing recovery
  during droughts.

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Drought Mitigation

• Pre-impact, proactive
• Addresses at-risk sectors, population groups, and
  regions
• Actions aimed at reducing impacts, need for
  government intervention
• Initial costs of mitigation may be greater than
  response actions
• Paradigm shift

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http//drought.unl.edu/handbook/risk.pdf
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Dealing with Public Health Impacts (Within an
Impact Subcommittee)

• Recognize droughts are normal
• Recognize public health impacts occur during
  droughts
• Identify potential impacts
• Identify vulnerabilities
• Identify specific mitigation and response actions
  that can be taken to reduce future impacts

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Dealing with Public Health Impacts (Within an
Impact Subcommittee)

• Recognize droughts are normal
• Recognize public health impacts occur during
  droughts
• Identify potential impacts
• Identify vulnerabilities
• Identify specific mitigation and response actions
  that can be taken to reduce future impacts

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Public Health Mitigation Actions

• Improved coordination
• Improved communication
• Education
• Improved monitoring

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Categories of Drought Mitigation Actions

• Drought planning
• Improved monitoring
• Water supply augmentation
• Demand reduction/water conservation
• Public awareness/education programs
• Water use conflict resolution
• Legislation/policy changes
• Technical assistance on water management

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Nebraska Municipal Water Supply, Health, and
Energy Subcommittee Planned Mitigation Action
Success Story
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• Impact Due to drought, many public water systems
  experience potable water demand problems.
• Action Emphasize indoor and outdoor water
  conservation measures.

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Make Every Drop Countin Your HomeMake Every
Drop Countin Your Yard
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Nebraska Make Every Drop Count Brochures

• Completed at the end of June 2003
• Governor Johanns July 3, 2003
• 600 water systems across the state
• 76 distributed brochures to customers
• 30 posted brochures around towns
• 16 noticed measurable reduction in water use

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Make Every Drop Count Websites

• CARC
• Drought Central
• Nebraska Department of Natural Resources
• NHHS Public Water System
• NDMC
• UNL Extension
• Local Extension Sites
• Lincoln Water System

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Make Every Drop Count

• Lincoln Journal Star
• Wednesday, August 13, 2003

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Selected Nebraska Mitigation Actions Helpful in
2002

• Hay and Farm Crisis Hotlines
• Vulnerable Water Systems Identification,
  Assistance, and Workshops
• UNL Extension Drought Website
• Improved Soil Moisture Monitoring

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Selected Nebraska Mitigation Actions Helpful as a
Result of 2002(Lessons Learned)

• Infrastructure Improvements 19 million for 23
  communities
• Water Conservation Ordinances Adopted 11
  communities
• Leak Detection Surveys 26 communities

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Steps Toward Drought Mitigation

• Identify specific mitigation actions to address
  impacts and vulnerabilities
• Impact Assessment Subcommittees
• Identify the specific agencies responsible for
  the action
• Create a timetable for implementing each action
• Estimate projected costs of implementation

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Mitigation LimitationsHoward County, NE

• Lack of Capital Reserves
• Need to Maintain Case Flows
• Inflexible Leasing Agreements
• Unreliability of Forecasts
• Lack of Alternative Markets
• Lack of Drought Management Experience

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Steps Toward Drought Response

• Identify specific response actions to reduce
  impacts and improve recovery
• Triggered by the drought level
• Identify the specific agencies responsible for
  the actions
• May need responses for going into a drought and
  coming out of a drought

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Additional Mitigation Lessons

• State Drought Plan Combined with Local Drought
  Plans
• South Carolina, Kentucky, Texas
• Mitigation May Cost MoneyInitially
• Partnerships, grants
• Identify Timeline and Responsible Agencies
• Post Drought Assessments
• Colorado, South Carolina

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Additional Mitigation Lessons

• Monitoring is mitigation
• Improved soil moisture monitoring
• Additional stations, SNOTEL sites
• Identifying the appropriate triggers for response
• Top Down Leadership
• Communication and Cooperation
• Innovation