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<br /> <br />. <br /> <br />The NIDIS infrastrllcture will be developed in stages, and is dependent on <br />adequate and sustained funding. SOme drought tools focused on environmental <br />variables (e,g.. precipitation and temperature) are currently available but not <br />integrated with user needs to comprise a complete product suite. Drought impact <br />assessment tools and databases do not exist and will need to be developed. <br /> <br />Benefits of New Tools <br /> <br />The Internet will allow quick, convenient, frequent, and low-cost assessments of <br />drought risk by U5Crs. Access 10 immediate drought infom13tion will be of continuing <br />henelit, since drought impacts vary by time aryear. On-demand risk analysis will <br />provide the lead time needed to implement appropriate economic strategies 10 <br />reduce drought impacts. <br /> <br />Coordinating_ResearclLanclScience <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Drought-related research is critical in the production of innovations and technol. <br />ogy that lead to improved drought preparedness. Currently a coordinated and inte- <br />grated drought research program does not exist at the national level, despite the <br />enormous impact of droughts every year on the nation's economy, society and the <br />environment. This fact sets drought apart from other major natural disasters, which <br />have sustained federal research programs and significant interagency coordination. <br />One example is the continuing research on hurricanes or severe storms and their <br />impact. Currently. drought research is scattered across many agencies, universities, <br />and olher research institutions. without formal coordination or planning to maxi- <br />mize the value of the research dollars spent and without effort to ensure that the <br />priority needs of the public and decision-makers are being addressed. The simple <br />act of coordinating drought research within and between levels of government, as <br />well as with private entities and universities, will help accelerate the development <br />and provision of scientilically-based information products, thereby, enabling users <br />to better prepare for, manage and respond to the impacts of drought. <br />The most effective drought research efforts must include sustained interactions <br />between the research community and the customers of the information, such as <br />decision-makers, agriculture producers, water users, and other future NIOIS users. <br />This collaboration would ensure that research Slays focused on the highest priority <br />needs for drought infonnation. <br /> <br />.0 <br />.... <br />.0 <br />