What is NIDIS?
The National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) is a broad warning and monitoring system for droughts in the U.S. By combining data, forecasts, and other information, NIDIS will provide tools to help policy makers and citizens to reduce their vulnerability to drought.
Drought - the so-called "creeping disaster" - can be hard to identify. Drought events typically unfold over an extended period of time. The severity of their impacts can be reduced by recognizing them early, yet many of their impacts are indirect. This makes impacts difficult to measure as they percolate through the economy, communities and the environment.
A National Drought Policy Commission (NDPC) was established, under the National Drought Policy Act of 1998, to ensure collaboration between different government agencies on drought-related issues. The Commission issued a groundbreaking report, Preparing for Drought in the 21st Century, in 2000. On the basis of the Commission's recommendations, NIDIS was envisioned in a Western Governors' Association Report (2004). The NIDIS Act was introduced in the U.S. Congress and signed by the President in 2006.
NDPC Report (2000)
WGA Report (2004)The NIDIS Implementation Team has conducted workshops and meetings with federal, state, and local agencies, academic researchers, and other stakeholders to develop a course to meet these objectives. A national conference was sponsored by the Geological Society of America (GSA) and twenty other scientific and technical organizations in Longmont, CO in September 2006. The conference organizers presented their recommendations to the U.S. Congress in July 2007, along with a fact sheet and report. We have developed an Implementation Plan based on input from these meetings.
- National Drought Policy Commission, Preparing for Drought in the 21st Century, Washington D.C. May 2004
- Creating a Drought Early Warning System for the 21st Century: The National Integrated Drought Information System (Report by Western Governors' Association 2004)
- Managing Drought: A roadmap for change in the United States (Fact sheet)
- Managing Drought: A roadmap for change in the United States (Report)
- Managing Drought and Water Scarcity in Vulnerable Environments Creating a Roadmap for Change in the United States (Notes of the national conference in Longmont, CO)
Our Initial Activities
NIDIS Implementation PlanThe NIDIS Implementation Plan outlines how to:
- Develop the leadership and networks to implement an integrated drought monitoring and forecasting system at federal, state, and local levels
- Foster and support research environment focusing on risk assessment, forecasting, and management
- Create an "early warning system" for drought to provide accurate, timely, and integrated information
- Develop interactive systems, such as the Web Portal, as part of the early warning system
- Provide a framework for public awareness and education about droughts
Road Ahead
As we embark on implementing NIDIS initial focus will be on:
- Developing the U.S. Drought Portal
- Coping strategies integration through research, preparedness, education and public awareness
- Integrating data and predictions
- Developing pilot programs for design and implementation of early warning systems in selected locations
About the U.S. Drought Portal
The U.S. Drought Portal is part of the interactive system to
- Provide early warning about emerging and anticipated droughts
- Assimilate and quality control data about droughts and models
- Provide information about risk and impact of droughts to different agencies and stakeholders
- Provide information about past droughts for comparison and understanding current conditions
- Explain how to plan for and manage the impacts of droughts
- Provide a forum for different stakeholders to discuss drought-related issues
