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<br />~ <br /> <br />CURRENT STATUS-LAY OF THE LAND <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />The five goals that we propose as the basis for national drought policy stem from the needs and <br />gaps assessments that the National Drought Policy Act directed us to conduct. Information for <br />carrying out the assessments was gathered from testimony at public hearings and written comments <br />to the Commission to date, and through five Working Groups of federal and nonfederal <br />professionals knowledgeable about and experienced in drought issues and programs. In addition, <br />the Commission obtained information from surveys of states and counties and from various <br />drought-related entities such as the National Drought Mitigation Center and the Western Drought <br />Coordination Council. From this information, we determined that the United States has the means <br />to prepare for-and thereby lessen-the impacts of drought and that many of the key elements for <br />doing so are already in place. <br /> <br />As of June 1999, thirty states had drought plans, two states delegated planning to local authorities, <br />and three states were developing drought plans. Even those states that do not have specific plans <br />have some process for dealing with drought. For example, Wisconsin uses an ad hoc drought task <br />force. The states with larger numbers of people and resources at risk to drought tend to have <br />expanded state programs. Six states reported funding mechanisms not tied to a federal <br />administrative or Presidential declaration of drought emergency. Tennessee, for example, can. <br />declare a "localized disaster" through its Disaster Relief Commission, and Texas has a Community <br />Development Program Disaster Relief Fund that can provide up to $350,000 in grant money for <br />small communities (less than 50,000 residents) to support their permanent water supply <br />infrastructure. Less than five states reported that they have designated drought coordinators, but at <br />least eighteen have drought task forces. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />SIDEBAR- In 1999, Kentucky experienced several months of severe drought conditions. Yet the <br />state received no calls for emergency assistance. Officials credit the state's drought contingency <br />plan adopted in 1993-a plan that paid off in its emphasis on pre-drought water conservation <br />measures for citizens, communities, and farms, -END SIDEBAR <br /> <br />There are several regional entities that either focus on drought or include drought as a major <br />component of their work. As examples, the Western Drought Coordination Council has compiled <br />an impressive set of recommended policies and actions that focus on drought planning and impact- <br />reduction measures and effective response. The Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin <br />has demonstrated that coordination and management of water resources on a multi-jurisdictional, <br />regional basis during drought periods can allow a major metropolitan area to sustain itself. The <br />Susquehanna River Basin Commission presented the opportunity for major water users and other <br />interested parties to assess the effectiveness of drought management measures, list the lessons <br />learned in managing drought, and compile and distribute the findings to key decision-makers. The <br />Tarrant Regional Water District (Texas) incorporates simulated drought exercises as a training tool <br />in its drought planning. <br /> <br />We also found that this country is blessed with a tremendous storehouse of drought-related <br />scientific and technical know-how. Research programs in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric <br />Administration, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Interior, the Environmental <br />Protection Agency, numerous universities, and private institutions, coupled with work at the . <br /> <br />s <br />