Drought Mitigation and Response Advisory Council Elements of a Drought Response Plan May 29, 2008

Statement of Purpose “The purpose of the Kentucky Drought Mitigation and Response plan is to reduce the impacts of droughts by identifying principal activities, groups, or regions most at risk and developing mitigation actions and programs that alter these vulnerabilities” Adapted from The Basics of Drought Planning: A 10-Step Process When drought management is considered in this context, Drought Response becomes but one component of a larger suite of actions.

Drought Plans in Other States Introduction Drought Conditions Update Drought Trigger Indicators Structure of Drought Planning Drought Task Force Drought Task Force Work Groups – Monitoring, Drinking Water, Agriculture, Wildlife and Wildfire, Recreation, Economic Development and Tourism, Water Development Workgroup Activities and Priorities Appendices Recommendations, Executive Order, Task Force Members, Work Group Members

Drought Plans in Other States

1. INTRODUCTION 2. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER PLANS AND POLICIES 3. OVERVIEW OF DROUGHT IN HAWAII 4. HAWAII DROUGHT PROGRAM 5. DROUGHT MONITORING, FORECASTING, AND IMPACT ASSESSMENT 6. DROUGHT RISK AND VULNERABILITY IN HAWAII 7. DROUGHT COMMUNICATION AND RESPONSE ACTIONS 8. DROUGHT MITIGATION AND PREPAREDNESS 9. RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION ACTIONS Drought Plans in Other States

1. INTRODUCTION 2. DROUGHT MANAGEMENT TASK FORCE 3. DATA COLLECTION 4. COMMUNICATION 5. DROUGHT ACTION LEVELS 6. DROUGHT RESPONSE 7. DROUGHT SEVERITY INDICES 8. EMERGENCY DECLARATIONS-LEGAL AUTHORITIES AND POWERS Drought Plans in Other States

1. INTRODUCTION 2. DROUGHT MONITORING 3. DROUGHT EVALUATION REGIONS 4. DROUGHT INDICATORS 6. RESPONSES TO DROUGHT IN VIRGINIA 5. DECLARARTION OF DROUGHT STAGES Drought Plans in Other States

Many Plans with many things in common Information – background, climate, plan purpose Duties and Responsibilities of Groups and Agencies Organizational Structure and Information Pathways Specific Drought Response Actions Climate monitoring and drought development Drought triggers and associated agency/community actions Recommended local actions to reduce water consumption Identification of available agency resources and emergency assistance A majority can be classified as pure response plans

 A transition from “drought-reactive” to “drought-proactive”  Effective local drought preparedness as the primary mitigation for drought  Local, state and federal efforts efficiently linked  Drought preparedness as the key to reducing drought risk  Drought planning creates a framework for preparedness Guiding Principles for Kentucky’s Drought Plan

Kentucky’s Drought Plan – Goals Create a Drought Management Organizational Structure Formalize and improve upon existing structure Develop clear lines of communication and encourage close coordination Facilitate the implementation of risk reduction activities during non-drought years Develop public trust in state/local/federal drought management capabilities Provide continuity through time and changes to personnel and administrations Goal #1

Drought Management Organizational Structure Kentucky’s Drought Plan – Goals

Prepare a detailed plan for dealing with Drought Emergency Kentucky is not prepared for successful management of a drought of the magnitude of those seen in the 1930’s and 1950’s. Agricultural emergencies are common with the common droughts of recent memory Water supply emergencies have been most successfully averted by Mother Nature with a few exceptions Pre-determined crisis management procedures can remove a substantial roadblock to rapid response and effective decision-making Regional or statewide water supply emergencies will require the entire combined effort of local, state, and federal agencies Goal #2

Kentucky’s Drought Plan – Goals Develop a new Climate and Water Resources Monitoring System Expand upon the role of the Water Availability Advisory Group as the official advisory body for analysis of climate and hydrologic data Develop a more comprehensive system of drought classification that provides valuable and timely information to all water-sensitive sectors of Kentucky’s economy Develop a clear yet comprehensive procedure to communicate the severity of emerging drought to the public including early warning Identify data needs or gaps in scientific understanding that must be addressed in order to effectively implement drought mitigation strategies in the Commonwealth Provide justifications for investment of resources into programs or systems designed to improve the collection, processing or application of climate and hydrologic data in the Commonwealth Goal #3

Kentucky’s Drought Plan – Goals Develop capabilities to implement comprehensive drought impact assessment, before, during, and after a drought experience Areas/instances of drought impacts often learned about second-hand During drought many adverse outcomes can be mitigated if the proper agencies are notified in a timely manner Pre-drought vulnerability assessment will identify areas where proactive drought mitigation measures can be implemented Post-drought impact assessment is crucial to the progressive improvement of drought management processes at all levels of society Quantification of the adverse impacts of drought on social, human, environmental and economic health can lead to improved drought risk-reduction strategies Goal #4

Kentucky’s Drought Plan – Goals Put forth recommendations that provide a framework for transitioning from reactive to proactive drought management Develop and implement procedures for drought vulnerability assessments to identify the most significant drought risks in the Commonwealth Develop institutional partnerships that work to reduce drought risk and increase understanding of the scientific, social, or economic complexities of drought Work to develop long-term changes in human expectations and behaviors as they relate to reducing drought risk Seek partnerships and develop strong ties between existing programs and agencies in state government that work in areas related to reducing drought risk Goal #5