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<br />2.3 Long-term Drought Mitigation
<br />
<br />
<br />Drought Mitigation Committee
<br />
<br />Drought planning and monitoring is one way to mitigate
<br />potential drought impacts, Evolving water resource policy
<br />and management is another ongoing drought mitigation
<br />activity in Colorado, One challenge with drought and
<br />water management is that the duration of the drought
<br />event is unknown. Long-term drought (4-6 years) is
<br />entirely possible, and will probably occur again in the
<br />west. Over the past twenty years, Colorado has
<br />experienced unusually wet conditions; the Colorado
<br />Climate Center's research indicates that the last multi-
<br />year drought ended in the late 1970's (McKee, Doesken,
<br />and Kleist, 1999). Climate indicators preserved in tree
<br />rings, some dating back as far as 2000 years, indicate
<br />that droughts spanning decades have occurred
<br />(Woodhouse, 2000). Colorado is currently addressing
<br />long-term drought preparedness and developing ways
<br />to mitigate drought impacts as drought emerges,
<br />
<br />The Colorado Natural Hazards Mitigation Council
<br />
<br />Colorado's rugged landscape is the result of a multitude
<br />of natural forces at work. Along with Colorado's scenic
<br />beauty come a variety of hazards that have shaped the
<br />landscape-landslides, floods, wildfires, severe weather
<br />and even earthquakes, Growth in Colorado has put
<br />more people and structures at risk to these natural
<br />hazards. Recognizing these issues, the Governor
<br />signed an executive order establishing the Colorado
<br />Natural Hazards Mitigation Council (CNHMC) in 1989.
<br />The council was created as an interdisciplinary forum for
<br />exchanging information and promoting ways to reduce
<br />and manage impacts from natural hazards.
<br />
<br />The role of the Council is to:
<br />· respond to hazard mitigation opportunities in a
<br />systematic manner that maximizes efficient use of
<br />resources;
<br />· coordinate the efforts of policy-makers and practitioners
<br />from different jurisdictions and disciplines;
<br />· integrate the various complementary strategies into
<br />a unified approach; and
<br />· promote mitigation projects,
<br />
<br />The Council has the following working committees:
<br />Drought Mitigation, Flood Hazard Mitigation, Fire
<br />Management and Mitigation, Geologic Hazards, Dam
<br />Safety and Warning, Severe Weather, GIS and
<br />Mapping, Building Codes, and Public Affairs. Geologic
<br />Hazards has two subcommittees: Earthquake and
<br />Landslide. Since its inception, over one hundred
<br />mitigation projects have been supported through the
<br />dedication and collaboration of the many professionals
<br />who participate as members,
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<br />The CNHMC adopted the existing DroughtTask Force,
<br />which includes members of the Water Availability Task
<br />Force (WATF), chairpersons of the Impact Task Forces,
<br />and other interested parties, as the Drought Mitigation
<br />Committee. The committee serves as a forum to address
<br />drought concerns and impacts on an ongoing basis,
<br />before droughts occur. Its mission is to provide an
<br />awareness of the nature and potential impacts of drought
<br />so government, industry, and the general public can
<br />make informed decisions conceming mitigation, This
<br />extends the Drought Task Force's role beyond monitoring
<br />and warning, At meetings, water availability issues are
<br />discussed followed by mitigation and policy issues, and
<br />current drought-related events. It is also a forum for
<br />information exchange and presentations on recent
<br />advancements in research and technology.
<br />
<br />Colorado's rugged
<br />landscape is the result
<br />of a multitude of
<br />natural forces at work.
<br />
<br />As part of the long-term
<br />mitigation strategy in the
<br />1990s, the Drought Task
<br />Force identified a need to
<br />study wet and dry periods
<br />in Colorado's history.
<br />The task force determined a funding mechanism for the
<br />project and the necessary participants, The Department
<br />of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University
<br />published a report in 1999, titled Historical Dry and Wet
<br />Periods In Colorado. This study identified that three
<br />droughts, with a duration of at least four years, have
<br />occurred during the past century and significance and
<br />impacts tend to increase with duration, It also showed
<br />that 93% of the time at least 5% of the state is experienc-
<br />ing drought at the 3, 6, 12, or 24 month time scale. The
<br />December 1999 Colorado Water Resources Research
<br />I nstitute report, Water in the Balance "A History of
<br />Drought in Colorado - Lessons Learned and What Ues
<br />Ahead, n summarizes the study and gives an overview of
<br />Colorado's climate.
<br />
<br />Activities and accomplishments of the Drought
<br />Mitigation Committee include:
<br />· Technical assistance to CSU History Department to do
<br />a study of historical drought impacts in Colorado from
<br />a societal perspective.
<br />. Coordination with the Colorado Water Resources and
<br />Research Institute in pursuing drought related research.
<br />. Assistance for the development of the Standardized
<br />Precipitation Index.
<br />. Assistance to other states in the development of their
<br />drought plans,
<br />. Assistance to the Denver Water Board in running a
<br />drought exercise.
<br />. Members were instrumental in the developing and imple-
<br />menting the Westem Drought Coordination Council and
<br />assisted in the devebpment of many of the oounc:ls products;
<br />
<br />JANUARY 2001
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