National drought resilience partnership (NDRP)
Drought poses a serious threat to the resilience and security of the Nation and impacts the lives of millions of Americans. Extreme, widespread drought challenges the security of the Nation’s food supply, the integrity of critical infrastructure, the resilience of the economy, and the health and safety of our people and ecosystems. Meteorological trends indicate that the United States can expect droughts to become more frequent, longer, and more severe. Persistent drought eventually forces foundational changes in the way communities use and live on the land. The regional economic impacts of drought force water-intensive industries to relocate, threaten agricultural production, heighten wildfire and land subsidence risk, and reduce tourism. The potential human impacts of drought are far reaching to the extent drought reduces both water quantity and water quality, contributes to poor air quality, and exposes populations to increased incidence of illness and disease.
This document provides background on the capabilities, ongoing activities, and opportunities of the NDRP. The document categorizes the NDRP’s drought resilience efforts along the six drought resilience policy goals established in the NDRP Charter:
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Data Collection and Integration
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Communicating Drought Risk to Critical Infrastructure
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Drought Planning and Capacity Building
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Coordination of Drought Activity
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Market-based Approaches for Infrastructure and Efficiency
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Innovative Water Use, Efficiency, and Technology