Emergency Services / Homeland Security

Drought is a normal part of the climate for virtually all regions of the United States. It is of particular concern in the West where any interruption of the region’s already limited water supplies over extended periods of time can produce devastating impacts.

Records indicate that drought occurs somewhere in the West almost every year. However, it is multi-year drought events that are of the greatest concern to water planners, natural resource managers, and government policy makers.

There are a variety of definitions of the term drought. The State considers or accepts that drought exists within the State when the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) is in the negative or drought range for a particular region of the State for a long enough period of time that crop harvests and the agricultural economy are affected.

The mitigation of drought hazards has proven to be quite difficult. The following are a few mitigation recommendations from the State’s current Drought Hazard Mitigation Plan:

1. Continue to encourage cooperation between local, State, and Federal agencies that may assist with alleviating impact during drought periods.
2. Continue to encourage interaction between government and farmers and ranchers on drought issues.
3. Create a drought outreach program by explaining available State and Federal drought assistance programs and current drought conditions.
4. Develop, implement, and promote water conservation measures.
5. Drought increases wildfire potential. Encourage wildfire mitigation efforts.

Additional Information

• Farm Service Agency (FSA)
• Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) — Shares with agricultural producers the cost of rehabilitating eligible farmlands damaged by natural disaster. During severe drought ECP also provides emergency water assistance - both for livestock and for existing irrigation systems for orchards and vineyards.
• Emergency Loan Assistance (EM) — USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) provides emergency loans to help producers recover from production and physical losses due to drought, flooding, other natural disasters or quarantine.
• The Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) — The NAP provides financial assistance to eligible producers affected by natural disasters. This federally funded program covers non insurable crop losses and planting prevented by disasters.
• Emergency Haying and Grazing Assistance — of certain Conservation Reserve Program acreage may be made available in areas of suffering from weather-related disasters.
• To apply for FSA assistance, please visit their web site.
• UBRC Water Conservation - Drought Assistance — In 1991 Congress established the Bureau of Reclamation’s Drought Program to authorize emergency response and planning assistance that would minimize and mitigate losses and damages resulting from drought conditions. Under Title I, Reclamation provides emergency drought assistance to states including the following activities:
  • Purchase of water for threatened and endangered species
  • Pond construction for wildlife
  • Dike construction for wetlands
  • Well drilling
• Western Governors Drought Initiatives
• The National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) — NDMC helps people and institutions develop and implement measures to reduce societal vulnerability to drought, stressing preparedness and risk management rather than crisis management. Most of the NDMC’s services are directed to State, Federal, regional, and tribal governments that are involved in drought and water supply planning.
• National Weather Service Fire Weather Forecast
• USDA FSA Disaster Assistance
• NOAA Drought Information
• US Drought Monitor
• Utah’s Snow Survey Program (NRCS)
• Colorado River Forecasting Center (NOAA)
• USGS Water Resources
• Bureau of Reclamation

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