WSP04710

• File Number: 8056
• Description: Drought Preparedness
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 6/1/1997
• Author: Donald Wilhite
• Title: Improving Drought Management in the West
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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ImpfOvmg Drought Mdfldgemem In the West; The Role of Mlllg,l/Ion dnd P'ep.ar~neS5

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D States with plans
[S2] States intending to develop long-term pl.ans
. States delegating drought planning to local authorities
D States without drought plans

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Figurt> 9.-St.Jhu of 514tt' droughl pl..n~ August 1996.

19905 and found that social, political, and institutional influences may be as
important as or more important than recent drought experiences. They
speculated that the increase in State drought planning activities may also
have been the result of improved capabilities of State Governments in
conjunction with the Reagan administration's "New Federalism" initiative
and concurrent Federal regulatory mandates to State and local governments,
States' concerns about Federal intrusion into State-level water resource
planning and water rights, and some States' early experiences in working
with the newly fanned FEMA. Issues such as these may have contributed to
an increased awareness of the value of drought planning within some State
Governments. In the past decade, States have also been able to consult model
drought plans (\Vestern States Water Council, 1987; Wilhite, 1991b) and the
growing number of State plans as a guide to the planning process.

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