Drought in the United States: Science, Policy, and Selected Federal Authorities

"Drought―a deficiency of moisture that results in adverse impacts―occurs to some extent almost every year in areas of the United States. Drought has the potential to create economic and environmental impacts on local, regional, and national scales, as well as disruptions in water supplies for households and communities. For example, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates the United States has experienced 29 billion-dollar drought events since 1980, at an estimated total cost of over $285.5 billion.1 Although droughts are a component of climate variability and may be seasonal, multiyear, or multi-decadal in duration, variable precipitation and rising temperatures are intensifying droughts in some regions. 2 Severe droughts in California from 2012 to 2016, as well as widespread drought in the western United States in 2021, have raised the profile of drought and led to increasing congressional and administrative proposals to prepare for and respond to its impacts.

Multiple federal agencies contribute to efforts to predict, plan for, and respond to drought. NOAA plays a key role in monitoring drought through the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) and the U.S. Drought Monitor (through a partnership with the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA]). USDA provides the primary federal financial aid to lessen drought’s impacts and compensate for agricultural production loss after its onset. Federal water resource agencies such as the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) face difficult tradeoffs in operating federal water projects during drought; both agencies also have authorities and conduct activities to mitigate drought impacts. Various other federal agencies and emergency authorities also play a role in drought response and mitigation, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

This report provides an overview of drought in the United States, including information on drought science, monitoring, and forecasts and on drought types and intensity classifications. It also discusses federal authorities related to drought planning and response, with a focus on selected water-related agricultural, environmental, and natural resource-related authorities with explicit ties to drought. It does not discuss broader disaster-related authorities and their potential nexus to drought, such as the programs and authorities of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and interactions between drought and other hazards and concerns (e.g., wildfire, dust, and public health)..."
Drought