Laserfiche WebLink
<br />COLORADO WATER CONSERVATION BOARD <br /> <br />Department of Natural Resources <br />Bill Owens, Governor <br />Greg WaIcher, DNR Executive Director <br />Rod Kuharich, CWCB Director April 2002 <br /> <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />" <br /> <br />STATE DROUGHT PREPAREDNESS <br /> <br />Background <br /> <br />State emergency response to a forecasted drought is <br />detailed in the Colorado Drought Mitigation and <br />Response Plan (updated April 2002). The purpose of <br />Colorado's plan is to provide a systematic means for <br />the state to reduce the impacts of water shortages. <br /> <br />The plan consists of four components: monitoring, <br />assessment, mitigation and response. These four actions <br />are designed to work within the existing framework of <br />government, pulling together key personnel from <br />federal and state levels. <br /> <br />Response Plan Phases <br /> <br />The Colorado Drought Mitigation and Response Plan <br />has three phases depending on the severity of the <br />drought - indicated by the standardized precipitation <br />index, surface water supply index and the Palmer <br />drought index. <br /> <br />Phase One: Water Availability Task Force monitor <br />drought conditions <br /> <br />Phase Two: Impact Task Forces assess the drought <br />impacts by category (agricultural, wildlife, tourism) and <br />geographic area and reports to the Review and <br />Reporting Task Force <br /> <br />Phase Three: Intereragency Coordination Group <br />reviews and makes recommendations - mitigation <br />measures and emergency response to the Governor <br /> <br />Roles <br /> <br />Government at various levels has roles in the planning <br />and management of drought. The roles that each entity <br />fulfills during a period prior to and during a drought are <br />identified in the Colorado Drought Mitigation and <br />Response Plan. Details appear on the next page. <br /> <br />Federal <br /> <br />. Provide technical assistance, as needed <br />. Collect and distribute data, as needed <br />. Provide financial assistance, when possible <br /> <br />State <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. Designate drought coordinator <br />. Provide resources to Drought Task Forces <br />. Monitor precipitation, temperature, reservoir <br />storage, snowpack and streamflow <br />. Provide technical assistance to local entities <br />. Coordinate activation and implementation of the <br />Plan <br />. Distribute information to the public and the <br />media <br />. Determine impacts and develop response <br />strategies <br />. Implement response strategies with local and <br />federal entities <br />. Broker regional and federal resources, when <br />appropriate <br /> <br />Local (e.!!:.. Citv. Countv. Water Supplier) <br /> <br />. Designate drought coordinator <br />. Identify areas of concern and report findings <br />through emergency management channels and <br />appropriate state agencies . <br /> <br /> <br />For more information about this or other water resources topics you can contact the CWCB at: <br />1313 Sherman Street, Room 721, Denver, CO 80203 <br />Phone: (303) 866-3441 Fax: (303) 866-4474 Internet: www.cwcb.state.co.us <br />