1. INTRODUCTION In the past few decades it has become evident that not only Macedonia, but all countries in South-east Europe are affected by droughts which are becoming more and more long lasting and severe. In 2006 the Secretariat of the UNCCD Convention in cooperation with World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) organized a workshop for representatives of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services where they agreed on Drought Management Centre for South East Europe (DMCSEE) as a response to the need to establish centre to alleviate problems caused by drought. Environmental Agency of Slovenia was selected to organize sustainable work of DMCSEE once its functions will be established through an execution of a two year project that is co-financed by European Union through South East Europe Transnational Cooperation Programme. MISSION The mission of DMCSEE is : to coordinate and facilitate the development, assessment, and application of drought risk management tools and policies in South-Eastern Europe with the goal of improving drought preparedness and reducing drought impacts OBJECTIVES Project is to achieve the main aim through several specific objectives:  to prepare regional drought monitoring, analysis, early warning products,  to assess regional vulnerability to drought impacts,  to promote and strengthen the capacity for drought preparedness, monitoring and management (training events, national seminars),  to set-up Drought Management Centre for South East Europe,  exchange of knowledge, experience and best practice on drought issues (SEE network),  to enhance the implementation of the EU policies in the context of drought preparedness, monitoring and management, in particular in working out national drought strategies. PARTNERS (9 countries) 1. Environmental Agency of Republic of Slovenia - EARS 2. Slovenian Institute of Hop Research and Brewing - IHPS 3. VITUKI Environmental Protection and Water Management Research Institute - VITUKI 4. Hungarian Meteorological Service - OMSZ 5. Directorate for environmental protection and water management of Lower Tisza District – ATIKOVIZIG 6. Pushkarov Institute of Soil Science - ISSNP 7. National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology - NIMH 8. GEORAMA - Regional Development 9. Agricultural University of Athens - AUA 10. Meteorological and Hydrological Service - DHMZ 11. University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Water Management - UNSFA 12. Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia - RHMSS 13. Hydrometeorological Institute of Montenegro - HI-M 14. Ministry for agriculture, forestry and water economy - Hydrometerological Service - HMS 15. Institute for Energy, Water and Environment – INEUM WORKING PACKAGES WP1: Transnational Project Management and Coordination WP2: Communication and Dissemination WP3: Climatological monitoring and mapping system WP4: Drought risk assessment WP5: Capacity building trainings WP6: The start-up of the DMCSEE RESULTS Homogenization of data sets Data control and homogenization with MASH homogenization method for 60 meteorological station Calculation of Drought Indexes SPI calculation based on long term precipitation series (min 30 years) Base period 1971-2000 Based on the SPI calculator on DMCSEE SPI 1, SPI 3, SPI 6, SPI 12, SPI 24 Drought in 2003 The most severe drought in last years all over Europe Extremely little precipitation, summer temperature above normal with 4-5 °C Yield losses, forest fires, problems in rivers, reduced run in some power plants Mapping of SPI1, SPI3 and SPI 6 for August 2003 Drought in 2007 According to historical archive year 2007 was with unfavorable hydrological conditions, severe and extreme drought especially in the western part of the country. In Pelagonia region due to drought under threat were 8500 ha of wheat, 4000 ha of barley and 1400 ha of ray. Losses of wheat amounted 32%. Valandovo plantations (Vardar region) were endangered by drought, cherries production in East region and paprika production in South east region reduced to half. Both Prespa and Ohrid Lakes decreased in water level and Debar Spilje Hydropower plant reduced production of energy 14%. Dry conditions caused many forest fires destroying 3200 ha forest every year. Palfai Drought Index (PaDI) for 2007 WIN ISAREG model Silvana Stevkova Suzana Alcinova Monevska Hydrometeorological Institute, 1000 Skopje, Republic of Macedonia CONCLUSIONS  Republic of Macedonia has suffered in the past severe drought periods with impacts large enough to cause a visible drop in GDP in dry years. For example, in 1993 drought damages reached 8% of national income.  DMCSEE project is targeted to fulfill most important requirements of the regional drought centre and – mainly through preparation of drought monitoring products – improves detecting droughts and assessing their intensity.  Additional checks and homogenization of precipitation data records enabled partners from Macedonia and other countries to accurately calculate drought indices, such as SPI – most frequently used index worldwide. Geostatistical mapping procedures will enable partners to routinely exchange maps such as presented example from 2003.  Studying of impacts is important part of the project; drought can be detected and cognized as more or less intense event mainly (if not exclusively) through impacts it causes society and economy. Impacts were analyzed both through historical records and application of sophisticated crop-yield models. For further information Please contact smonevska@meteo.gov.mksmonevska@meteo.gov.mk stevkova@meteo.gov.mk DROUGHT RISK MANAGEMENT IN REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA THROUGH ESTABLISHMENT OF DROUGHT MONITORING CENTRE FOR SOUTH EAST EUROPE (DMCSEE) SPICategory > 2.0Extremely wet 1.5- 2.0Severely wet 1.0- 1.5Moderately wet -1.0- 1.0Near normal -1.0- -1.5Moderately dry -1.5- -2.0Severely dry < -2.0Extremely dry South East Europe Program Co-funded by the European Union and the partner countries 2009-2012, 2.2 M EUR Lead partner: Environmental Agency of Slovenia The partnership of the project is consisted of 9 ERDF Partners, 5 IPA Partners & one 10% partner Web: www.dmcsee.org Development and implementation of irrigation scheduling system in Republic of Macedonia (WIN ISAREG model Probability curve of net irrigation requirements for maize at Butel for the period 2001-2010