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As the chair agency of the monitoring committee of the state's
Drought Management Team, the OWRB issues the Oklahoma
Water Resources Bulletin, a regular publication that
monitors drought and moisture conditions in Oklahoma. Utilizing
data
collected from numerous state and federal agencies and organizations,
the report includes current information on reservoir storage,
stream flow conditions, crop conditions, weather conditions,
and related factors. The Bulletin, published weekly during
drought
episodes, is a key component of the OWRB's continuous drought
monitoring effort and the Oklahoma
Drought Management Plan. During drought emergencies,
the Oklahoma Department of Civil Emergency Management
also issues
regular updates of drought and wildfire conditions.
Nationally, the National
Drought Mitigation Center, housed at the University
of Nebraska-Lincoln, helps states, institutions, and individuals
develop and implement
measures to reduce societal vulnerability to drought. The NDMC
stresses preparation and risk management, rather than crisis
management. The organization's U.S.
Drought Monitor (a comprehensive drought monitoring effort
between the NDMC, USDA and NOAA/CPC) and Drought
Impact Reporter (a tool which maps reported
drought impacts) are excellent sources of national
drought news and data. NOAA's
Drought Information Center also provides abundant links
and information regarding the onset of drought and prospects
for dry conditions throughout the U.S.