## Breadcrumb

-  Science 
-  Science Explorer 
-  Climate 

# Droughts and Climate Change

## Drought and America's Southwest

### Drought adversely affects everything from plants to soil. Learn more about USGS drought research.

See Research Topics

## Have Questions about Drought?

### We have answers. Here's everything you need to know about drought.

Things to Know

## Monitoring Vegetation Drought Stress

### No two droughts are alike. Here's how we study the impact of drought on vegetation.

Read More

            -              Overview           
            -              Publications           
            -              Science           
            -              Data and More           
            -              Multimedia           
            -              News           
            -              Connect           
            -              FAQ           

### **How does Climate Change Impact Droughts?**

Defining drought may seem easy. If an area receives less rain or snow than expected over the course of a year, it can be classified as being in drought. The severity of drought increases over time depending on how long an area remains arid. However, there’s more to the story than solely if there isn’t enough rain or snow.

Droughts don’t just affect water stored in wetlands, lakes, and rivers, but also water below ground stored in aquifers and in the soil. When this groundwater gets used up, the dry ground can act like a sponge, sucking surface water straight in. The surface water-groundwater relationship gets even more complicated with snowpack. If snow melts too early in the year, water can move through the environment too quickly, causing the ground to dry up and become “thirsty” too soon. So even if there is “enough” water, the timing of the water may dictate whether an area is in a drought.

Climate change has further altered the natural pattern of droughts, making them more frequent, longer, and more severe. Since 2000, the western United States is experiencing some of the driest conditions on record. The southwestern U.S., in particular, is going through an unprecedented period of extreme drought. This will have lasting impacts on the environment and those who rely on it.

View Media Details

### **USGS Science Helps Communities Understand, Prepare, and Mitigate Droughts**

The USGS employs its wide range of scientific expertise to study how droughts affect human and natural communities and how to effectively predict, prepare for, manage, and recover from water shortages. USGS research spans geographic and temporal scales, exploring everything from short, local “flash” droughts to long-term, large-scale “mega” droughts.

Our science helps to:
                                - Understand how climate change contributes to modern droughts
                                - Explore the effects of droughts on plants, animals, ecosystems, and communities
                                - Help develop water management strategies under drought conditions
                                - Develop tools to assess the severity of droughts and to predict future droughts
                                - Understand the connection between droughts and wildfires
                                - Use the fossil record to compare past droughts to current ones

View Media Details

Droughts: Things to Know

View Media Details

ecological drought

View Media Details

“OneHealth” approach

### **USGS Data, Science, and Prediction**

The USGS actively coordinates our drought research efforts among our many diverse scientists. Experts like water scientists, wildlife biologists, and geologists all work together to study droughts and their impacts. This effort strengthens our existing observation networks by investing in real-time data collection on rainfall, stream flows, and environmental impacts. With these improved data sets, USGS scientists are working to better understand when and how droughts occur. We are also developing models to help predict which communities and landscapes may be vulnerable to future droughts, as well as when, how long, and how severe those droughts might be. We provide this information to help cities and natural resource managers develop plans to prepare for future droughts and lessen the impacts of droughts on natural and human communities.

 

### **Additional Resources**

                                - Current Map | U.S. Drought Monitor (unl.edu)
                                - National Current Conditions | Drought.gov
                                - Climate Prediction Center - United States Drought Information (noaa.gov)

## Publications

March 28, 2022

####                 Landscape-scale forest restoration decreases vulnerability to drought mortality under climate change in southwest USA ponderosa forest              

Ecosystems Mission Area, Southwest Biological Science Center

January 10, 2022

####                 Biocrusts mediate a new mechanism for land degradation under a changing climate              

Ecosystems Mission Area, Southwest Biological Science Center

June 5, 2017

####                 USGS integrated drought science              

Ecosystems Mission Area, Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, 3D Elevation Program, Drought

View All

## Science

link

November 29, 2021

####                 CASC Drought Research Highlights              

Climate Adaptation Science Centers

link

November 29, 2021

####   CASC Drought Research Highlights

Learn More

link

February 24, 2021

####                 The Colorado River Basin Pilot Project              

link

February 24, 2021

####   The Colorado River Basin Pilot Project

Learn More

link

March 29, 2020

####                 Atmospheric Warming, Loss of Snow Cover, and Declining Colorado River Flow              

Water Resources Mission Area

link

March 29, 2020

####   Atmospheric Warming, Loss of Snow Cover, and Declining Colorado River Flow

Learn More

link

March 25, 2020

####                 Past Perspectives of Water in the West              

Climate Research and Development Program, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

link

March 25, 2020

####   Past Perspectives of Water in the West

Learn More

link

October 23, 2019

####                 Drivers and Impacts of North Pacific Climate Variability              

Climate Research and Development Program, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

link

October 23, 2019

####   Drivers and Impacts of North Pacific Climate Variability

Learn More

View All

## Connect

####                 Water Resources Mission Area - Headquarters          

USGS Headquarters12201 Sunrise Valley DriveReston, VA20192United States

####                 National Climate Adaptation Science Center              

12201 Sunrise Valley DriveMS 516Reston, VA20192United States

casc@usgs.gov

(703) 648-5801

View All

## Multimedia

PubTalk-02/2022 - Do Droughts Affect Groundwater Quality? A California Story

February 24, 2022

#### PubTalk-02/2022 - Do Droughts Affect Groundwater Quality? A California Story

link

Do Droughts Affect Groundwater Quality? A California Story

By Zeno Levy, USGS Research Geologist

Public Lecture Series

February 24, 2022

#### PubTalk-02/2022 - Do Droughts Affect Groundwater Quality? A California Story

link

#### PubTalk-02/2022 - Do Droughts Affect Groundwater Quality? A California Story

link

Do Droughts Affect Groundwater Quality? A California Story

By Zeno Levy, USGS Research Geologist

Public Lecture Series

EoE - ECOSTRESS and Water Use thumbnail

Eyes on Earth Episode 67 - ECOSTRESS and Water Use

EoE - ECOSTRESS and Water Use thumbnailEoE - ECOSTRESS and Water Use thumbnail

February 7, 2022

#### Eyes on Earth Episode 67 - ECOSTRESS and Water Use

link

If you want to know how much rain fell yesterday, you can catch it and measure it. Water vapor? That's not so easy. Which is a problem if you want to know how quickly that rate is returning to the atmosphere. Water vapor is the single largest part of the water budget, but without space-based observations, it would be all but impossible to measure at wide scale.

Core Science Systems, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center 

EoE - ECOSTRESS and Water Use thumbnailEoE - ECOSTRESS and Water Use thumbnail

February 7, 2022

#### Eyes on Earth Episode 67 - ECOSTRESS and Water Use

link

#### Eyes on Earth Episode 67 - ECOSTRESS and Water Use

link

If you want to know how much rain fell yesterday, you can catch it and measure it. Water vapor? That's not so easy. Which is a problem if you want to know how quickly that rate is returning to the atmosphere. Water vapor is the single largest part of the water budget, but without space-based observations, it would be all but impossible to measure at wide scale.

Core Science Systems, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center 

Lake Powell -  1984

Lake Powell

Lake Powell -  1984Lake Powell -  1984

October 15, 2021

#### Lake Powell

link

This year is the 150th Anniversary of John Wesley Powell’s expedition to explore the Colorado River, a 1,450-mile long waterway that runs through the Western United States and into Mexico.

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center 

Lake Powell -  1984Lake Powell -  1984

October 15, 2021

#### Lake Powell

link

#### Lake Powell

link

This year is the 150th Anniversary of John Wesley Powell’s expedition to explore the Colorado River, a 1,450-mile long waterway that runs through the Western United States and into Mexico.

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center 

KS Drought 2012

September 23, 2021

#### KS Drought 2012

link

Kansas Water Science Center

September 23, 2021

#### KS Drought 2012

link

#### KS Drought 2012

link

Kansas Water Science Center

Comal Springs (dry)

Drought at Comal Springs

Comal Springs (dry)Comal Springs (dry)

September 23, 2021

#### Drought at Comal Springs

link

Comal Springs, one of the largest springs in Texas, ran dry during the 2013 drought

Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Drought

Comal Springs (dry)Comal Springs (dry)

September 23, 2021

#### Drought at Comal Springs

link

#### Drought at Comal Springs

link

Comal Springs, one of the largest springs in Texas, ran dry during the 2013 drought

Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Drought

Eyes on Earth - Gabriel Senay

Eyes on Earth Episode 17 - Evapotranspiration

Eyes on Earth - Gabriel SenayEyes on Earth - Gabriel Senay

February 24, 2020

#### Eyes on Earth Episode 17 - Evapotranspiration

link

It’s easy enough to measure rainfall, and nearly as easy to measure streamflow. Calculating the efficiency of water use through the metric of evapotranspiration (ET) – evaporation off the Earth’s surface and transpiration from the leaves of plants – is a far trickier proposal.

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Landsat Missions

Eyes on Earth - Gabriel SenayEyes on Earth - Gabriel Senay

February 24, 2020

#### Eyes on Earth Episode 17 - Evapotranspiration

link

#### Eyes on Earth Episode 17 - Evapotranspiration

link

It’s easy enough to measure rainfall, and nearly as easy to measure streamflow. Calculating the efficiency of water use through the metric of evapotranspiration (ET) – evaporation off the Earth’s surface and transpiration from the leaves of plants – is a far trickier proposal.

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Landsat Missions

Ecological Drought: Exploring impacts on natural/cultural resources

January 17, 2017

#### Ecological Drought: Exploring impacts on natural/cultural resources

link

This webinar presentation was conducted as part of the Climate Change Science and Management Webinar Series, hosted in partnership by the USGS National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center and the FWS National Conservation Training Center.

Climate Adaptation Science Centers, Communications and Publishing, Drought

January 17, 2017

#### Ecological Drought: Exploring impacts on natural/cultural resources

link

#### Ecological Drought: Exploring impacts on natural/cultural resources

link

This webinar presentation was conducted as part of the Climate Change Science and Management Webinar Series, hosted in partnership by the USGS National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center and the FWS National Conservation Training Center.

Climate Adaptation Science Centers, Communications and Publishing, Drought

Drought, Drinking Water and Natural Environments

September 1, 2016

#### Drought, Drinking Water and Natural Environments

link

This short video is one of a series of four total shorts highlighting USGS water science in California's Delta region. The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is the hub of the state's water system. Water quality touches on all aspects of life. Teams of U.S.

Communications and Publishing, Drought, San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary

September 1, 2016

#### Drought, Drinking Water and Natural Environments

link

#### Drought, Drinking Water and Natural Environments

link

This short video is one of a series of four total shorts highlighting USGS water science in California's Delta region. The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is the hub of the state's water system. Water quality touches on all aspects of life. Teams of U.S.

Communications and Publishing, Drought, San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary

Co-producing Tools to Plan for Drought on the Wind River Reservation

July 21, 2016

#### Co-producing Tools to Plan for Drought on the Wind River Reservation

link

**Webinar Summary:**The Wind River Reservation in west-central Wyoming is home of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes. The reservation has experienced severe drought impacts on Tribal livelihoods and cultural activities in recent years.

Climate Adaptation Science Centers, Communications and Publishing, Drought

July 21, 2016

#### Co-producing Tools to Plan for Drought on the Wind River Reservation

link

#### Co-producing Tools to Plan for Drought on the Wind River Reservation

link

**Webinar Summary:**The Wind River Reservation in west-central Wyoming is home of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes. The reservation has experienced severe drought impacts on Tribal livelihoods and cultural activities in recent years.

Climate Adaptation Science Centers, Communications and Publishing, Drought

View All

## News

Lake Powell’s storage capacity updated for first time since 1986

March 21, 2022

####   Lake Powell’s storage capacity updated for first time since 1986

Future Peak Flow Along Rio Grande May Arrive Early Due to Climate Change

February 2, 2022

####   Future Peak Flow Along Rio Grande May Arrive Early Due to Climate Change

Groundwater Flow to Colorado River May Decline by a Third over Next 30 Years

October 28, 2021

####   Groundwater Flow to Colorado River May Decline by a Third over Next 30 Years

View All

The USGS has hundreds of publications on drought. Here are a few of our favorites on drought and climate change!

March 28, 2022

####                 Landscape-scale forest restoration decreases vulnerability to drought mortality under climate change in southwest USA ponderosa forest              

Ecosystems Mission Area, Southwest Biological Science Center

January 10, 2022

####                 Biocrusts mediate a new mechanism for land degradation under a changing climate              

Ecosystems Mission Area, Southwest Biological Science Center

June 5, 2017

####                 USGS integrated drought science              

Ecosystems Mission Area, Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, 3D Elevation Program, Drought

Explore USGS research projects on drought and water availability under climate change.

link

November 30, 2016

####                 USGS Integrated Drought Science Plan              

Drought

link

November 30, 2016

####   USGS Integrated Drought Science Plan

Learn More

link

November 29, 2021

####                 CASC Drought Research Highlights              

Climate Adaptation Science Centers

link

November 29, 2021

####   CASC Drought Research Highlights

Learn More

link

February 24, 2021

####                 The Colorado River Basin Pilot Project              

link

February 24, 2021

####   The Colorado River Basin Pilot Project

Learn More

link

March 29, 2020

####                 Atmospheric Warming, Loss of Snow Cover, and Declining Colorado River Flow              

Water Resources Mission Area

link

March 29, 2020

####   Atmospheric Warming, Loss of Snow Cover, and Declining Colorado River Flow

Learn More

link

March 25, 2020

####                 Past Perspectives of Water in the West              

Climate Research and Development Program, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

link

March 25, 2020

####   Past Perspectives of Water in the West

Learn More

link

October 23, 2019

####                 Drivers and Impacts of North Pacific Climate Variability              

Climate Research and Development Program, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

link

October 23, 2019

####   Drivers and Impacts of North Pacific Climate Variability

Learn More

link

May 30, 2019

####                 Wetlands in the Quaternary              

Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Research and Development Program

link

May 30, 2019

####   Wetlands in the Quaternary

Learn More

link

March 3, 2019

####                 SPARROW modeling: Estimating nutrient, sediment, and dissolved solids transport              

Water Resources Mission Area, National Water Quality Program, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Gulf of Mexico

link

March 3, 2019

####   SPARROW modeling: Estimating nutrient, sediment, and dissolved solids transport

Learn More

link

December 31, 2018

####                 State of the Science Synthesis on Transformational Drought: Understanding Drought’s Potential to Transform Ecosystems Across the Country              

Climate Adaptation Science Centers

link

December 31, 2018

####   State of the Science Synthesis on Transformational Drought: Understanding Drought’s Potential to Transform Ecosystems Across the Country

Learn More

link

November 28, 2018

####                 Natural Drought and Flood Histories from Lacustrine Archives              

Climate Research and Development Program

link

November 28, 2018

####   Natural Drought and Flood Histories from Lacustrine Archives

Learn More

link

December 31, 2017

####                 Identifying Characteristics of Actionable Science for Drought Planning and Adaptation              

Climate Adaptation Science Centers

link

December 31, 2017

####   Identifying Characteristics of Actionable Science for Drought Planning and Adaptation

Learn More

link

December 31, 2016

####                 Balancing Water Usage and Ecosystem Outcomes Under Drought and Climate Change: Enhancing an Optimization Model for the Red River              

Climate Adaptation Science Centers

link

December 31, 2016

####   Balancing Water Usage and Ecosystem Outcomes Under Drought and Climate Change: Enhancing an Optimization Model for the Red River

Learn More

link

December 31, 2015

####                 Eco-drought Actionable Science Working Group              

Climate Adaptation Science Centers

link

December 31, 2015

####   Eco-drought Actionable Science Working Group

Learn More

#### Pagination

-                Current page            1 
-                Page            2 
-  Next page›› 
-  Last pageLast » 

Check out some of our favorite tools and visually stunning interactive narratives describing USDS drought work.

May 11, 2021

####                 Ecological Drought Across the Country              

Learn about how the Climate Adaptation Science Centers have been exploring the topic of ecological drought across the country. 

Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Adaptation Science Centers

April 27, 2021

####                 From Snow to Flow (data visualization story)              

A majority of the water in the western U.S. comes from snowmelt, but changes in the timing, magnitude, and duration of snowmelt can alter water availability downstream. This data visualization story explores what changing snowmelt means for water in the West, and how new USGS efforts can advance snow science by modeling snowpack and snowmelt dynamics and linking these results to streamflow.

Water Resources Mission Area, California Water Science Center, Nevada Water Science Center, Saline Lakes Ecosystems Integrated Water Availability Assessment

Check out some of the amazing USGS photos, videos, podcasts, and webinars on drought and climate change.

PubTalk-02/2022 - Do Droughts Affect Groundwater Quality? A California Story

February 24, 2022

#### PubTalk-02/2022 - Do Droughts Affect Groundwater Quality? A California Story

link

Do Droughts Affect Groundwater Quality? A California Story

By Zeno Levy, USGS Research Geologist

Public Lecture Series

February 24, 2022

#### PubTalk-02/2022 - Do Droughts Affect Groundwater Quality? A California Story

link

#### PubTalk-02/2022 - Do Droughts Affect Groundwater Quality? A California Story

link

Do Droughts Affect Groundwater Quality? A California Story

By Zeno Levy, USGS Research Geologist

Public Lecture Series

EoE - ECOSTRESS and Water Use thumbnail

Eyes on Earth Episode 67 - ECOSTRESS and Water Use

EoE - ECOSTRESS and Water Use thumbnailEoE - ECOSTRESS and Water Use thumbnail

February 7, 2022

#### Eyes on Earth Episode 67 - ECOSTRESS and Water Use

link

If you want to know how much rain fell yesterday, you can catch it and measure it. Water vapor? That's not so easy. Which is a problem if you want to know how quickly that rate is returning to the atmosphere. Water vapor is the single largest part of the water budget, but without space-based observations, it would be all but impossible to measure at wide scale.

Core Science Systems, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center 

EoE - ECOSTRESS and Water Use thumbnailEoE - ECOSTRESS and Water Use thumbnail

February 7, 2022

#### Eyes on Earth Episode 67 - ECOSTRESS and Water Use

link

#### Eyes on Earth Episode 67 - ECOSTRESS and Water Use

link

If you want to know how much rain fell yesterday, you can catch it and measure it. Water vapor? That's not so easy. Which is a problem if you want to know how quickly that rate is returning to the atmosphere. Water vapor is the single largest part of the water budget, but without space-based observations, it would be all but impossible to measure at wide scale.

Core Science Systems, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center 

Lake Powell -  1984

Lake Powell

Lake Powell -  1984Lake Powell -  1984

October 15, 2021

#### Lake Powell

link

This year is the 150th Anniversary of John Wesley Powell’s expedition to explore the Colorado River, a 1,450-mile long waterway that runs through the Western United States and into Mexico.

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center 

Lake Powell -  1984Lake Powell -  1984

October 15, 2021

#### Lake Powell

link

#### Lake Powell

link

This year is the 150th Anniversary of John Wesley Powell’s expedition to explore the Colorado River, a 1,450-mile long waterway that runs through the Western United States and into Mexico.

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center 

KS Drought 2012

September 23, 2021

#### KS Drought 2012

link

Kansas Water Science Center

September 23, 2021

#### KS Drought 2012

link

#### KS Drought 2012

link

Kansas Water Science Center

Comal Springs (dry)

Drought at Comal Springs

Comal Springs (dry)Comal Springs (dry)

September 23, 2021

#### Drought at Comal Springs

link

Comal Springs, one of the largest springs in Texas, ran dry during the 2013 drought

Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Drought

Comal Springs (dry)Comal Springs (dry)

September 23, 2021

#### Drought at Comal Springs

link

#### Drought at Comal Springs

link

Comal Springs, one of the largest springs in Texas, ran dry during the 2013 drought

Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Drought

Eyes on Earth - Gabriel Senay

Eyes on Earth Episode 17 - Evapotranspiration

Eyes on Earth - Gabriel SenayEyes on Earth - Gabriel Senay

February 24, 2020

#### Eyes on Earth Episode 17 - Evapotranspiration

link

It’s easy enough to measure rainfall, and nearly as easy to measure streamflow. Calculating the efficiency of water use through the metric of evapotranspiration (ET) – evaporation off the Earth’s surface and transpiration from the leaves of plants – is a far trickier proposal.

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Landsat Missions

Eyes on Earth - Gabriel SenayEyes on Earth - Gabriel Senay

February 24, 2020

#### Eyes on Earth Episode 17 - Evapotranspiration

link

#### Eyes on Earth Episode 17 - Evapotranspiration

link

It’s easy enough to measure rainfall, and nearly as easy to measure streamflow. Calculating the efficiency of water use through the metric of evapotranspiration (ET) – evaporation off the Earth’s surface and transpiration from the leaves of plants – is a far trickier proposal.

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Landsat Missions

Ecological Drought: Exploring impacts on natural/cultural resources

January 17, 2017

#### Ecological Drought: Exploring impacts on natural/cultural resources

link

This webinar presentation was conducted as part of the Climate Change Science and Management Webinar Series, hosted in partnership by the USGS National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center and the FWS National Conservation Training Center.

Climate Adaptation Science Centers, Communications and Publishing, Drought

January 17, 2017

#### Ecological Drought: Exploring impacts on natural/cultural resources

link

#### Ecological Drought: Exploring impacts on natural/cultural resources

link

This webinar presentation was conducted as part of the Climate Change Science and Management Webinar Series, hosted in partnership by the USGS National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center and the FWS National Conservation Training Center.

Climate Adaptation Science Centers, Communications and Publishing, Drought

Drought, Drinking Water and Natural Environments

September 1, 2016

#### Drought, Drinking Water and Natural Environments

link

This short video is one of a series of four total shorts highlighting USGS water science in California's Delta region. The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is the hub of the state's water system. Water quality touches on all aspects of life. Teams of U.S.

Communications and Publishing, Drought, San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary

September 1, 2016

#### Drought, Drinking Water and Natural Environments

link

#### Drought, Drinking Water and Natural Environments

link

This short video is one of a series of four total shorts highlighting USGS water science in California's Delta region. The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is the hub of the state's water system. Water quality touches on all aspects of life. Teams of U.S.

Communications and Publishing, Drought, San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary

Co-producing Tools to Plan for Drought on the Wind River Reservation

July 21, 2016

#### Co-producing Tools to Plan for Drought on the Wind River Reservation

link

**Webinar Summary:**The Wind River Reservation in west-central Wyoming is home of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes. The reservation has experienced severe drought impacts on Tribal livelihoods and cultural activities in recent years.

Climate Adaptation Science Centers, Communications and Publishing, Drought

July 21, 2016

#### Co-producing Tools to Plan for Drought on the Wind River Reservation

link

#### Co-producing Tools to Plan for Drought on the Wind River Reservation

link

**Webinar Summary:**The Wind River Reservation in west-central Wyoming is home of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes. The reservation has experienced severe drought impacts on Tribal livelihoods and cultural activities in recent years.

Climate Adaptation Science Centers, Communications and Publishing, Drought

USGS CoreCast Series

Drought: the Long, Slow Natural Hazard (Part 2)

USGS CoreCast SeriesUSGS CoreCast Series

March 20, 2008

#### Drought: the Long, Slow Natural Hazard (Part 2)

link

In the second part of our two-part drought mini-series, we head down South to talk with USGS scientists Curtis Weaver and Brian McCallum about the drought situation in the Southeastern United States. We also learn some eye-opening economic implications of drought. (Did you know that it's possibly the most expensive natural hazard to address?)

Communications and Publishing

USGS CoreCast SeriesUSGS CoreCast Series

March 20, 2008

#### Drought: the Long, Slow Natural Hazard (Part 2)

link

#### Drought: the Long, Slow Natural Hazard (Part 2)

link

In the second part of our two-part drought mini-series, we head down South to talk with USGS scientists Curtis Weaver and Brian McCallum about the drought situation in the Southeastern United States. We also learn some eye-opening economic implications of drought. (Did you know that it's possibly the most expensive natural hazard to address?)

Communications and Publishing

USGS CoreCast Series

Drought: the Long, Slow Natural Hazard (Part 1)

USGS CoreCast SeriesUSGS CoreCast Series

March 19, 2008

#### Drought: the Long, Slow Natural Hazard (Part 1)

link

In the first part of our two-part series on drought, we sit down with USGS scientists Julio Betancourt and Greg McCabe to talk about drought in the Western United States, along with some other interesting and surprising drought info.

Communications and Publishing

USGS CoreCast SeriesUSGS CoreCast Series

March 19, 2008

#### Drought: the Long, Slow Natural Hazard (Part 1)

link

#### Drought: the Long, Slow Natural Hazard (Part 1)

link

In the first part of our two-part series on drought, we sit down with USGS scientists Julio Betancourt and Greg McCabe to talk about drought in the Western United States, along with some other interesting and surprising drought info.

Communications and Publishing

CoreFacts Album Artwork

When does a drought begin?

CoreFacts Album ArtworkCoreFacts Album Artwork

March 10, 2008

#### When does a drought begin?

link

Listen to hear the answer.

Communications and Publishing

CoreFacts Album ArtworkCoreFacts Album Artwork

March 10, 2008

#### When does a drought begin?

link

#### When does a drought begin?

link

Listen to hear the answer.

Communications and Publishing

CoreFacts Album Artwork

What causes drought?

CoreFacts Album ArtworkCoreFacts Album Artwork

February 4, 2008

#### What causes drought?

link

Listen to hear the answer.

Communications and Publishing

CoreFacts Album ArtworkCoreFacts Album Artwork

February 4, 2008

#### What causes drought?

link

#### What causes drought?

link

Listen to hear the answer.

Communications and Publishing

Lake Powell’s storage capacity updated for first time since 1986

March 21, 2022

####   Lake Powell’s storage capacity updated for first time since 1986

SALT LAKE CITY – A new report released today and compiled by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)...

Read Article

Future Peak Flow Along Rio Grande May Arrive Early Due to Climate Change

February 2, 2022

####   Future Peak Flow Along Rio Grande May Arrive Early Due to Climate Change

A new study finds that peak runoff on the Rio Grande could arrive earlier in the season by the end of the century, negatively impacting a watershed...

Read Article

Groundwater Flow to Colorado River May Decline by a Third over Next 30 Years

October 28, 2021

####   Groundwater Flow to Colorado River May Decline by a Third over Next 30 Years

A new study projects that a hot and dry future climate may lead to a 29% decline in Upper Colorado River Basin “baseflow” at the basin outlet by the...

Read Article

Visualizing Vulnerability: A Customizable Assessment of Climate Vulnerability in the Midwest Puts Climate Change on the Map

July 23, 2021

####   Visualizing Vulnerability: A Customizable Assessment of Climate Vulnerability in the Midwest Puts Climate Change on the Map

USGS researchers developed, in collaboration with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service managers, an interactive watershed vulnerability online dashboard...

Read Article

Data Spotlight: Predicting Conifer Regeneration After Fire and Drought

July 13, 2021

####   Data Spotlight: Predicting Conifer Regeneration After Fire and Drought

Southwest CASC supported researchers collected seed count and post-fire conifer seedling observational data, matching these observations with...

Read Article

Project Spotlight: Pacific Islands CASC Supports Drought Community of Practice in Hawai’i

June 15, 2021

####   Project Spotlight: Pacific Islands CASC Supports Drought Community of Practice in Hawai’i

The Pacific Drought Knowledge Exchange, supported by the Pacific Islands CASC, connects island resource managers with localized climate data to create...

Read Article

Recordings Available: Ecological Drought National Webinar Series

April 30, 2021

####   Recordings Available: Ecological Drought National Webinar Series

The ecological drought webinar series was co-hosted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA's) National Integrated Drought...

Read Article

Decreased flow projected for Southwest streams by end of century

February 8, 2021

####   Decreased flow projected for Southwest streams by end of century

Streamflow in the Southwestern U.S. is projected to decrease by as much as 36–80% by the end of this century, reports a new study by the U.S...

Read Article

Cross-CASC Initiative Identifies Challenges of Modern Droughts

September 28, 2020

####   Cross-CASC Initiative Identifies Challenges of Modern Droughts

In a series of workshops across the eight regional CASCs, researchers worked with land managers and stakeholders to co-produce a recently-published...

Read Article

New Research Uses Tree Ring Data to Assess Drought Severity in the Missouri River Basin

May 21, 2020

####   New Research Uses Tree Ring Data to Assess Drought Severity in the Missouri River Basin

A newly-published article, partially funded by the North Central CASC and co-authored by Alaska CASC scientists Stephen Gray and Jeremy Littell...

Read Article

Colorado River Flow Dwindles as Warming-Driven Loss of Reflective Snow Energizes Evaporation

March 29, 2020

####   Colorado River Flow Dwindles as Warming-Driven Loss of Reflective Snow Energizes Evaporation

New USGS research indicates that streamflow in the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB) is decreasing by about 5% per degree Fahrenheit as a consequence...

Read Article

Study Links Major Floods in North America and Europe to Multi-Decade Ocean Patterns

August 10, 2017

####   Study Links Major Floods in North America and Europe to Multi-Decade Ocean Patterns

The number of major floods in natural rivers across Europe and North America has not increased overall during the past 80 years, a recent study has...

Read Article

Meet some drought experts at USGS, learn more about some of our (oh so many) USGS offices working on drought and climate change, and connect with our news and social media feeds!

link**

#### Water Resources (News)

link**

#### Drought News

link**

#### Climate Adaptation Science Centers (News)

link**

#### USGS Climate

link**

#### USGS Climate

####                 Water Resources Mission Area - Headquarters          

USGS Headquarters12201 Sunrise Valley DriveReston, VA20192United States

####                 National Climate Adaptation Science Center              

12201 Sunrise Valley DriveMS 516Reston, VA20192United States

casc@usgs.gov

(703) 648-5801

#### Clint Muhlfeld, Ph.D.

##### Research Ecologist

Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center

cmuhlfeld@usgs.gov

406-600-9686

#### Jason B Dunham

##### Supervisory Research Ecologist

Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

jdunham@usgs.gov

541-750-0990

#### Nathaniel (Than) Hitt, PhD

##### Research Fish Biologist

Eastern Ecological Science Center

nhitt@usgs.gov

304-724-4463

#### Benjamin H Letcher

##### Ecologist

Eastern Ecological Science Center

bletcher@usgs.gov

413-863-3803

#### Brian R Clark

##### Deputy Program Coordinator

Water Availability and Use Science Program

##### Deputy Program Coordinator, Water Resources Availability Portfolio (WRAP)

Water Resources Mission Area

brclark@usgs.gov

501-352-1864

link

####                 What causes drought?              

A drought is a period of drier-than-normal conditions that results in water-related problems. The amount of precipitation at a particular location varies from year to year, but over a period of years the average amount is fairly constant. In the deserts of the Southwest, the average precipitation is less than 3 inches per year. In contrast, the average precipitation in the Northwest is more than...

link

####   What causes drought?

A drought is a period of drier-than-normal conditions that results in water-related problems. The amount of precipitation at a particular location varies from year to year, but over a period of years the average amount is fairly constant. In the deserts of the Southwest, the average precipitation is less than 3 inches per year. In contrast, the average precipitation in the Northwest is more than...

Learn More

link

####                 When does a drought begin and end?              

The beginning of a drought is difficult to determine. Several weeks, months, or even years might pass before people know that a drought is occurring. The end of a drought can occur as gradually as it began. The first evidence of drought is usually seen in records of rainfall. Within a short period of time, the amount of moisture in soils can begin to decrease. The effects of a drought on flow in...

link

####   When does a drought begin and end?

The beginning of a drought is difficult to determine. Several weeks, months, or even years might pass before people know that a drought is occurring. The end of a drought can occur as gradually as it began. The first evidence of drought is usually seen in records of rainfall. Within a short period of time, the amount of moisture in soils can begin to decrease. The effects of a drought on flow in...

Learn More

link

####                 Where in the Nation are droughts or very low flows occurring now? How can I see these sites on a map and get to the data?              

To view the USGS streamflow information on drought, see the drought map on our WaterWatch site, which shows below-normal, 7-day average streamflow compared to historical streamflow for the United States. Links to additional maps and drought data are listed on the USGS Drought website and the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) .

link

####   Where in the Nation are droughts or very low flows occurring now? How can I see these sites on a map and get to the data?

To view the USGS streamflow information on drought, see the drought map on our WaterWatch site, which shows below-normal, 7-day average streamflow compared to historical streamflow for the United States. Links to additional maps and drought data are listed on the USGS Drought website and the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) .

Learn More

link

####                 Why doesn't a drought end when it rains?              

Rainfall in any form will provide some drought relief. A good analogy might be how medicine and illness relate to each other. A single dose of medicine can alleviate symptoms of illness, but it usually takes a sustained program of medication to cure an illness. Likewise, a single rainstorm will not break the drought, but it might provide temporary relief. A light to moderate shower will probably...

link

####   Why doesn't a drought end when it rains?

Rainfall in any form will provide some drought relief. A good analogy might be how medicine and illness relate to each other. A single dose of medicine can alleviate symptoms of illness, but it usually takes a sustained program of medication to cure an illness. Likewise, a single rainstorm will not break the drought, but it might provide temporary relief. A light to moderate shower will probably...

Learn More

### **How does Climate Change Impact Droughts?**

Defining drought may seem easy. If an area receives less rain or snow than expected over the course of a year, it can be classified as being in drought. The severity of drought increases over time depending on how long an area remains arid. However, there’s more to the story than solely if there isn’t enough rain or snow.

Droughts don’t just affect water stored in wetlands, lakes, and rivers, but also water below ground stored in aquifers and in the soil. When this groundwater gets used up, the dry ground can act like a sponge, sucking surface water straight in. The surface water-groundwater relationship gets even more complicated with snowpack. If snow melts too early in the year, water can move through the environment too quickly, causing the ground to dry up and become “thirsty” too soon. So even if there is “enough” water, the timing of the water may dictate whether an area is in a drought.

Climate change has further altered the natural pattern of droughts, making them more frequent, longer, and more severe. Since 2000, the western United States is experiencing some of the driest conditions on record. The southwestern U.S., in particular, is going through an unprecedented period of extreme drought. This will have lasting impacts on the environment and those who rely on it.

View Media Details

### **USGS Science Helps Communities Understand, Prepare, and Mitigate Droughts**

The USGS employs its wide range of scientific expertise to study how droughts affect human and natural communities and how to effectively predict, prepare for, manage, and recover from water shortages. USGS research spans geographic and temporal scales, exploring everything from short, local “flash” droughts to long-term, large-scale “mega” droughts.

Our science helps to:
                                - Understand how climate change contributes to modern droughts
                                - Explore the effects of droughts on plants, animals, ecosystems, and communities
                                - Help develop water management strategies under drought conditions
                                - Develop tools to assess the severity of droughts and to predict future droughts
                                - Understand the connection between droughts and wildfires
                                - Use the fossil record to compare past droughts to current ones

View Media Details

Droughts: Things to Know

View Media Details

ecological drought

View Media Details

“OneHealth” approach

### **USGS Data, Science, and Prediction**

The USGS actively coordinates our drought research efforts among our many diverse scientists. Experts like water scientists, wildlife biologists, and geologists all work together to study droughts and their impacts. This effort strengthens our existing observation networks by investing in real-time data collection on rainfall, stream flows, and environmental impacts. With these improved data sets, USGS scientists are working to better understand when and how droughts occur. We are also developing models to help predict which communities and landscapes may be vulnerable to future droughts, as well as when, how long, and how severe those droughts might be. We provide this information to help cities and natural resource managers develop plans to prepare for future droughts and lessen the impacts of droughts on natural and human communities.

 

### **Additional Resources**

                                - Current Map | U.S. Drought Monitor (unl.edu)
                                - National Current Conditions | Drought.gov
                                - Climate Prediction Center - United States Drought Information (noaa.gov)

## Publications

March 28, 2022

####                 Landscape-scale forest restoration decreases vulnerability to drought mortality under climate change in southwest USA ponderosa forest              

Ecosystems Mission Area, Southwest Biological Science Center

January 10, 2022

####                 Biocrusts mediate a new mechanism for land degradation under a changing climate              

Ecosystems Mission Area, Southwest Biological Science Center

June 5, 2017

####                 USGS integrated drought science              

Ecosystems Mission Area, Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, 3D Elevation Program, Drought

View All

## Science

link

November 29, 2021

####                 CASC Drought Research Highlights              

Climate Adaptation Science Centers

link

November 29, 2021

####   CASC Drought Research Highlights

Learn More

link

February 24, 2021

####                 The Colorado River Basin Pilot Project              

link

February 24, 2021

####   The Colorado River Basin Pilot Project

Learn More

link

March 29, 2020

####                 Atmospheric Warming, Loss of Snow Cover, and Declining Colorado River Flow              

Water Resources Mission Area

link

March 29, 2020

####   Atmospheric Warming, Loss of Snow Cover, and Declining Colorado River Flow

Learn More

link

March 25, 2020

####                 Past Perspectives of Water in the West              

Climate Research and Development Program, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

link

March 25, 2020

####   Past Perspectives of Water in the West

Learn More

link

October 23, 2019

####                 Drivers and Impacts of North Pacific Climate Variability              

Climate Research and Development Program, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

link

October 23, 2019

####   Drivers and Impacts of North Pacific Climate Variability

Learn More

View All

## Connect

####                 Water Resources Mission Area - Headquarters          

USGS Headquarters12201 Sunrise Valley DriveReston, VA20192United States

####                 National Climate Adaptation Science Center              

12201 Sunrise Valley DriveMS 516Reston, VA20192United States

casc@usgs.gov

(703) 648-5801

View All

## Multimedia

PubTalk-02/2022 - Do Droughts Affect Groundwater Quality? A California Story

February 24, 2022

#### PubTalk-02/2022 - Do Droughts Affect Groundwater Quality? A California Story

link

Do Droughts Affect Groundwater Quality? A California Story

By Zeno Levy, USGS Research Geologist

Public Lecture Series

February 24, 2022

#### PubTalk-02/2022 - Do Droughts Affect Groundwater Quality? A California Story

link

#### PubTalk-02/2022 - Do Droughts Affect Groundwater Quality? A California Story

link

Do Droughts Affect Groundwater Quality? A California Story

By Zeno Levy, USGS Research Geologist

Public Lecture Series

EoE - ECOSTRESS and Water Use thumbnail

Eyes on Earth Episode 67 - ECOSTRESS and Water Use

EoE - ECOSTRESS and Water Use thumbnailEoE - ECOSTRESS and Water Use thumbnail

February 7, 2022

#### Eyes on Earth Episode 67 - ECOSTRESS and Water Use

link

If you want to know how much rain fell yesterday, you can catch it and measure it. Water vapor? That's not so easy. Which is a problem if you want to know how quickly that rate is returning to the atmosphere. Water vapor is the single largest part of the water budget, but without space-based observations, it would be all but impossible to measure at wide scale.

Core Science Systems, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center 

EoE - ECOSTRESS and Water Use thumbnailEoE - ECOSTRESS and Water Use thumbnail

February 7, 2022

#### Eyes on Earth Episode 67 - ECOSTRESS and Water Use

link

#### Eyes on Earth Episode 67 - ECOSTRESS and Water Use

link

If you want to know how much rain fell yesterday, you can catch it and measure it. Water vapor? That's not so easy. Which is a problem if you want to know how quickly that rate is returning to the atmosphere. Water vapor is the single largest part of the water budget, but without space-based observations, it would be all but impossible to measure at wide scale.

Core Science Systems, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center 

Lake Powell -  1984

Lake Powell

Lake Powell -  1984Lake Powell -  1984

October 15, 2021

#### Lake Powell

link

This year is the 150th Anniversary of John Wesley Powell’s expedition to explore the Colorado River, a 1,450-mile long waterway that runs through the Western United States and into Mexico.

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center 

Lake Powell -  1984Lake Powell -  1984

October 15, 2021

#### Lake Powell

link

#### Lake Powell

link

This year is the 150th Anniversary of John Wesley Powell’s expedition to explore the Colorado River, a 1,450-mile long waterway that runs through the Western United States and into Mexico.

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center 

KS Drought 2012

September 23, 2021

#### KS Drought 2012

link

Kansas Water Science Center

September 23, 2021

#### KS Drought 2012

link

#### KS Drought 2012

link

Kansas Water Science Center

Comal Springs (dry)

Drought at Comal Springs

Comal Springs (dry)Comal Springs (dry)

September 23, 2021

#### Drought at Comal Springs

link

Comal Springs, one of the largest springs in Texas, ran dry during the 2013 drought

Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Drought

Comal Springs (dry)Comal Springs (dry)

September 23, 2021

#### Drought at Comal Springs

link

#### Drought at Comal Springs

link

Comal Springs, one of the largest springs in Texas, ran dry during the 2013 drought

Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Drought

Eyes on Earth - Gabriel Senay

Eyes on Earth Episode 17 - Evapotranspiration

Eyes on Earth - Gabriel SenayEyes on Earth - Gabriel Senay

February 24, 2020

#### Eyes on Earth Episode 17 - Evapotranspiration

link

It’s easy enough to measure rainfall, and nearly as easy to measure streamflow. Calculating the efficiency of water use through the metric of evapotranspiration (ET) – evaporation off the Earth’s surface and transpiration from the leaves of plants – is a far trickier proposal.

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Landsat Missions

Eyes on Earth - Gabriel SenayEyes on Earth - Gabriel Senay

February 24, 2020

#### Eyes on Earth Episode 17 - Evapotranspiration

link

#### Eyes on Earth Episode 17 - Evapotranspiration

link

It’s easy enough to measure rainfall, and nearly as easy to measure streamflow. Calculating the efficiency of water use through the metric of evapotranspiration (ET) – evaporation off the Earth’s surface and transpiration from the leaves of plants – is a far trickier proposal.

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Landsat Missions

Ecological Drought: Exploring impacts on natural/cultural resources

January 17, 2017

#### Ecological Drought: Exploring impacts on natural/cultural resources

link

This webinar presentation was conducted as part of the Climate Change Science and Management Webinar Series, hosted in partnership by the USGS National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center and the FWS National Conservation Training Center.

Climate Adaptation Science Centers, Communications and Publishing, Drought

January 17, 2017

#### Ecological Drought: Exploring impacts on natural/cultural resources

link

#### Ecological Drought: Exploring impacts on natural/cultural resources

link

This webinar presentation was conducted as part of the Climate Change Science and Management Webinar Series, hosted in partnership by the USGS National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center and the FWS National Conservation Training Center.

Climate Adaptation Science Centers, Communications and Publishing, Drought

Drought, Drinking Water and Natural Environments

September 1, 2016

#### Drought, Drinking Water and Natural Environments

link

This short video is one of a series of four total shorts highlighting USGS water science in California's Delta region. The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is the hub of the state's water system. Water quality touches on all aspects of life. Teams of U.S.

Communications and Publishing, Drought, San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary

September 1, 2016

#### Drought, Drinking Water and Natural Environments

link

#### Drought, Drinking Water and Natural Environments

link

This short video is one of a series of four total shorts highlighting USGS water science in California's Delta region. The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is the hub of the state's water system. Water quality touches on all aspects of life. Teams of U.S.

Communications and Publishing, Drought, San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary

Co-producing Tools to Plan for Drought on the Wind River Reservation

July 21, 2016

#### Co-producing Tools to Plan for Drought on the Wind River Reservation

link

**Webinar Summary:**The Wind River Reservation in west-central Wyoming is home of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes. The reservation has experienced severe drought impacts on Tribal livelihoods and cultural activities in recent years.

Climate Adaptation Science Centers, Communications and Publishing, Drought

July 21, 2016

#### Co-producing Tools to Plan for Drought on the Wind River Reservation

link

#### Co-producing Tools to Plan for Drought on the Wind River Reservation

link

**Webinar Summary:**The Wind River Reservation in west-central Wyoming is home of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes. The reservation has experienced severe drought impacts on Tribal livelihoods and cultural activities in recent years.

Climate Adaptation Science Centers, Communications and Publishing, Drought

View All

## News

Lake Powell’s storage capacity updated for first time since 1986

March 21, 2022

####   Lake Powell’s storage capacity updated for first time since 1986

Future Peak Flow Along Rio Grande May Arrive Early Due to Climate Change

February 2, 2022

####   Future Peak Flow Along Rio Grande May Arrive Early Due to Climate Change

Groundwater Flow to Colorado River May Decline by a Third over Next 30 Years

October 28, 2021

####   Groundwater Flow to Colorado River May Decline by a Third over Next 30 Years

View All

The USGS has hundreds of publications on drought. Here are a few of our favorites on drought and climate change!

March 28, 2022

####                 Landscape-scale forest restoration decreases vulnerability to drought mortality under climate change in southwest USA ponderosa forest              

Ecosystems Mission Area, Southwest Biological Science Center

January 10, 2022

####                 Biocrusts mediate a new mechanism for land degradation under a changing climate              

Ecosystems Mission Area, Southwest Biological Science Center

June 5, 2017

####                 USGS integrated drought science              

Ecosystems Mission Area, Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, 3D Elevation Program, Drought

Explore USGS research projects on drought and water availability under climate change.

link

November 30, 2016

####                 USGS Integrated Drought Science Plan              

Drought

link

November 30, 2016

####   USGS Integrated Drought Science Plan

Learn More

link

November 29, 2021

####                 CASC Drought Research Highlights              

Climate Adaptation Science Centers

link

November 29, 2021

####   CASC Drought Research Highlights

Learn More

link

February 24, 2021

####                 The Colorado River Basin Pilot Project              

link

February 24, 2021

####   The Colorado River Basin Pilot Project

Learn More

link

March 29, 2020

####                 Atmospheric Warming, Loss of Snow Cover, and Declining Colorado River Flow              

Water Resources Mission Area

link

March 29, 2020

####   Atmospheric Warming, Loss of Snow Cover, and Declining Colorado River Flow

Learn More

link

March 25, 2020

####                 Past Perspectives of Water in the West              

Climate Research and Development Program, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

link

March 25, 2020

####   Past Perspectives of Water in the West

Learn More

link

October 23, 2019

####                 Drivers and Impacts of North Pacific Climate Variability              

Climate Research and Development Program, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

link

October 23, 2019

####   Drivers and Impacts of North Pacific Climate Variability

Learn More

link

May 30, 2019

####                 Wetlands in the Quaternary              

Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Research and Development Program

link

May 30, 2019

####   Wetlands in the Quaternary

Learn More

link

March 3, 2019

####                 SPARROW modeling: Estimating nutrient, sediment, and dissolved solids transport              

Water Resources Mission Area, National Water Quality Program, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Gulf of Mexico

link

March 3, 2019

####   SPARROW modeling: Estimating nutrient, sediment, and dissolved solids transport

Learn More

link

December 31, 2018

####                 State of the Science Synthesis on Transformational Drought: Understanding Drought’s Potential to Transform Ecosystems Across the Country              

Climate Adaptation Science Centers

link

December 31, 2018

####   State of the Science Synthesis on Transformational Drought: Understanding Drought’s Potential to Transform Ecosystems Across the Country

Learn More

link

November 28, 2018

####                 Natural Drought and Flood Histories from Lacustrine Archives              

Climate Research and Development Program

link

November 28, 2018

####   Natural Drought and Flood Histories from Lacustrine Archives

Learn More

link

December 31, 2017

####                 Identifying Characteristics of Actionable Science for Drought Planning and Adaptation              

Climate Adaptation Science Centers

link

December 31, 2017

####   Identifying Characteristics of Actionable Science for Drought Planning and Adaptation

Learn More

link

December 31, 2016

####                 Balancing Water Usage and Ecosystem Outcomes Under Drought and Climate Change: Enhancing an Optimization Model for the Red River              

Climate Adaptation Science Centers

link

December 31, 2016

####   Balancing Water Usage and Ecosystem Outcomes Under Drought and Climate Change: Enhancing an Optimization Model for the Red River

Learn More

link

December 31, 2015

####                 Eco-drought Actionable Science Working Group              

Climate Adaptation Science Centers

link

December 31, 2015

####   Eco-drought Actionable Science Working Group

Learn More

#### Pagination

-                Current page            1 
-                Page            2 
-  Next page›› 
-  Last pageLast » 

Check out some of our favorite tools and visually stunning interactive narratives describing USDS drought work.

May 11, 2021

####                 Ecological Drought Across the Country              

Learn about how the Climate Adaptation Science Centers have been exploring the topic of ecological drought across the country. 

Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Adaptation Science Centers

April 27, 2021

####                 From Snow to Flow (data visualization story)              

A majority of the water in the western U.S. comes from snowmelt, but changes in the timing, magnitude, and duration of snowmelt can alter water availability downstream. This data visualization story explores what changing snowmelt means for water in the West, and how new USGS efforts can advance snow science by modeling snowpack and snowmelt dynamics and linking these results to streamflow.

Water Resources Mission Area, California Water Science Center, Nevada Water Science Center, Saline Lakes Ecosystems Integrated Water Availability Assessment

Check out some of the amazing USGS photos, videos, podcasts, and webinars on drought and climate change.

PubTalk-02/2022 - Do Droughts Affect Groundwater Quality? A California Story

February 24, 2022

#### PubTalk-02/2022 - Do Droughts Affect Groundwater Quality? A California Story

link

Do Droughts Affect Groundwater Quality? A California Story

By Zeno Levy, USGS Research Geologist

Public Lecture Series

February 24, 2022

#### PubTalk-02/2022 - Do Droughts Affect Groundwater Quality? A California Story

link

#### PubTalk-02/2022 - Do Droughts Affect Groundwater Quality? A California Story

link

Do Droughts Affect Groundwater Quality? A California Story

By Zeno Levy, USGS Research Geologist

Public Lecture Series

EoE - ECOSTRESS and Water Use thumbnail

Eyes on Earth Episode 67 - ECOSTRESS and Water Use

EoE - ECOSTRESS and Water Use thumbnailEoE - ECOSTRESS and Water Use thumbnail

February 7, 2022

#### Eyes on Earth Episode 67 - ECOSTRESS and Water Use

link

If you want to know how much rain fell yesterday, you can catch it and measure it. Water vapor? That's not so easy. Which is a problem if you want to know how quickly that rate is returning to the atmosphere. Water vapor is the single largest part of the water budget, but without space-based observations, it would be all but impossible to measure at wide scale.

Core Science Systems, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center 

EoE - ECOSTRESS and Water Use thumbnailEoE - ECOSTRESS and Water Use thumbnail

February 7, 2022

#### Eyes on Earth Episode 67 - ECOSTRESS and Water Use

link

#### Eyes on Earth Episode 67 - ECOSTRESS and Water Use

link

If you want to know how much rain fell yesterday, you can catch it and measure it. Water vapor? That's not so easy. Which is a problem if you want to know how quickly that rate is returning to the atmosphere. Water vapor is the single largest part of the water budget, but without space-based observations, it would be all but impossible to measure at wide scale.

Core Science Systems, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center 

Lake Powell -  1984

Lake Powell

Lake Powell -  1984Lake Powell -  1984

October 15, 2021

#### Lake Powell

link

This year is the 150th Anniversary of John Wesley Powell’s expedition to explore the Colorado River, a 1,450-mile long waterway that runs through the Western United States and into Mexico.

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center 

Lake Powell -  1984Lake Powell -  1984

October 15, 2021

#### Lake Powell

link

#### Lake Powell

link

This year is the 150th Anniversary of John Wesley Powell’s expedition to explore the Colorado River, a 1,450-mile long waterway that runs through the Western United States and into Mexico.

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center 

KS Drought 2012

September 23, 2021

#### KS Drought 2012

link

Kansas Water Science Center

September 23, 2021

#### KS Drought 2012

link

#### KS Drought 2012

link

Kansas Water Science Center

Comal Springs (dry)

Drought at Comal Springs

Comal Springs (dry)Comal Springs (dry)

September 23, 2021

#### Drought at Comal Springs

link

Comal Springs, one of the largest springs in Texas, ran dry during the 2013 drought

Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Drought

Comal Springs (dry)Comal Springs (dry)

September 23, 2021

#### Drought at Comal Springs

link

#### Drought at Comal Springs

link

Comal Springs, one of the largest springs in Texas, ran dry during the 2013 drought

Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Drought

Eyes on Earth - Gabriel Senay

Eyes on Earth Episode 17 - Evapotranspiration

Eyes on Earth - Gabriel SenayEyes on Earth - Gabriel Senay

February 24, 2020

#### Eyes on Earth Episode 17 - Evapotranspiration

link

It’s easy enough to measure rainfall, and nearly as easy to measure streamflow. Calculating the efficiency of water use through the metric of evapotranspiration (ET) – evaporation off the Earth’s surface and transpiration from the leaves of plants – is a far trickier proposal.

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Landsat Missions

Eyes on Earth - Gabriel SenayEyes on Earth - Gabriel Senay

February 24, 2020

#### Eyes on Earth Episode 17 - Evapotranspiration

link

#### Eyes on Earth Episode 17 - Evapotranspiration

link

It’s easy enough to measure rainfall, and nearly as easy to measure streamflow. Calculating the efficiency of water use through the metric of evapotranspiration (ET) – evaporation off the Earth’s surface and transpiration from the leaves of plants – is a far trickier proposal.

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Landsat Missions

Ecological Drought: Exploring impacts on natural/cultural resources

January 17, 2017

#### Ecological Drought: Exploring impacts on natural/cultural resources

link

This webinar presentation was conducted as part of the Climate Change Science and Management Webinar Series, hosted in partnership by the USGS National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center and the FWS National Conservation Training Center.

Climate Adaptation Science Centers, Communications and Publishing, Drought

January 17, 2017

#### Ecological Drought: Exploring impacts on natural/cultural resources

link

#### Ecological Drought: Exploring impacts on natural/cultural resources

link

This webinar presentation was conducted as part of the Climate Change Science and Management Webinar Series, hosted in partnership by the USGS National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center and the FWS National Conservation Training Center.

Climate Adaptation Science Centers, Communications and Publishing, Drought

Drought, Drinking Water and Natural Environments

September 1, 2016

#### Drought, Drinking Water and Natural Environments

link

This short video is one of a series of four total shorts highlighting USGS water science in California's Delta region. The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is the hub of the state's water system. Water quality touches on all aspects of life. Teams of U.S.

Communications and Publishing, Drought, San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary

September 1, 2016

#### Drought, Drinking Water and Natural Environments

link

#### Drought, Drinking Water and Natural Environments

link

This short video is one of a series of four total shorts highlighting USGS water science in California's Delta region. The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is the hub of the state's water system. Water quality touches on all aspects of life. Teams of U.S.

Communications and Publishing, Drought, San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary

Co-producing Tools to Plan for Drought on the Wind River Reservation

July 21, 2016

#### Co-producing Tools to Plan for Drought on the Wind River Reservation

link

**Webinar Summary:**The Wind River Reservation in west-central Wyoming is home of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes. The reservation has experienced severe drought impacts on Tribal livelihoods and cultural activities in recent years.

Climate Adaptation Science Centers, Communications and Publishing, Drought

July 21, 2016

#### Co-producing Tools to Plan for Drought on the Wind River Reservation

link

#### Co-producing Tools to Plan for Drought on the Wind River Reservation

link

**Webinar Summary:**The Wind River Reservation in west-central Wyoming is home of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes. The reservation has experienced severe drought impacts on Tribal livelihoods and cultural activities in recent years.

Climate Adaptation Science Centers, Communications and Publishing, Drought

USGS CoreCast Series

Drought: the Long, Slow Natural Hazard (Part 2)

USGS CoreCast SeriesUSGS CoreCast Series

March 20, 2008

#### Drought: the Long, Slow Natural Hazard (Part 2)

link

In the second part of our two-part drought mini-series, we head down South to talk with USGS scientists Curtis Weaver and Brian McCallum about the drought situation in the Southeastern United States. We also learn some eye-opening economic implications of drought. (Did you know that it's possibly the most expensive natural hazard to address?)

Communications and Publishing

USGS CoreCast SeriesUSGS CoreCast Series

March 20, 2008

#### Drought: the Long, Slow Natural Hazard (Part 2)

link

#### Drought: the Long, Slow Natural Hazard (Part 2)

link

In the second part of our two-part drought mini-series, we head down South to talk with USGS scientists Curtis Weaver and Brian McCallum about the drought situation in the Southeastern United States. We also learn some eye-opening economic implications of drought. (Did you know that it's possibly the most expensive natural hazard to address?)

Communications and Publishing

USGS CoreCast Series

Drought: the Long, Slow Natural Hazard (Part 1)

USGS CoreCast SeriesUSGS CoreCast Series

March 19, 2008

#### Drought: the Long, Slow Natural Hazard (Part 1)

link

In the first part of our two-part series on drought, we sit down with USGS scientists Julio Betancourt and Greg McCabe to talk about drought in the Western United States, along with some other interesting and surprising drought info.

Communications and Publishing

USGS CoreCast SeriesUSGS CoreCast Series

March 19, 2008

#### Drought: the Long, Slow Natural Hazard (Part 1)

link

#### Drought: the Long, Slow Natural Hazard (Part 1)

link

In the first part of our two-part series on drought, we sit down with USGS scientists Julio Betancourt and Greg McCabe to talk about drought in the Western United States, along with some other interesting and surprising drought info.

Communications and Publishing

CoreFacts Album Artwork

When does a drought begin?

CoreFacts Album ArtworkCoreFacts Album Artwork

March 10, 2008

#### When does a drought begin?

link

Listen to hear the answer.

Communications and Publishing

CoreFacts Album ArtworkCoreFacts Album Artwork

March 10, 2008

#### When does a drought begin?

link

#### When does a drought begin?

link

Listen to hear the answer.

Communications and Publishing

CoreFacts Album Artwork

What causes drought?

CoreFacts Album ArtworkCoreFacts Album Artwork

February 4, 2008

#### What causes drought?

link

Listen to hear the answer.

Communications and Publishing

CoreFacts Album ArtworkCoreFacts Album Artwork

February 4, 2008

#### What causes drought?

link

#### What causes drought?

link

Listen to hear the answer.

Communications and Publishing

Lake Powell’s storage capacity updated for first time since 1986

March 21, 2022

####   Lake Powell’s storage capacity updated for first time since 1986

SALT LAKE CITY – A new report released today and compiled by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)...

Read Article

Future Peak Flow Along Rio Grande May Arrive Early Due to Climate Change

February 2, 2022

####   Future Peak Flow Along Rio Grande May Arrive Early Due to Climate Change

A new study finds that peak runoff on the Rio Grande could arrive earlier in the season by the end of the century, negatively impacting a watershed...

Read Article

Groundwater Flow to Colorado River May Decline by a Third over Next 30 Years

October 28, 2021

####   Groundwater Flow to Colorado River May Decline by a Third over Next 30 Years

A new study projects that a hot and dry future climate may lead to a 29% decline in Upper Colorado River Basin “baseflow” at the basin outlet by the...

Read Article

Visualizing Vulnerability: A Customizable Assessment of Climate Vulnerability in the Midwest Puts Climate Change on the Map

July 23, 2021

####   Visualizing Vulnerability: A Customizable Assessment of Climate Vulnerability in the Midwest Puts Climate Change on the Map

USGS researchers developed, in collaboration with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service managers, an interactive watershed vulnerability online dashboard...

Read Article

Data Spotlight: Predicting Conifer Regeneration After Fire and Drought

July 13, 2021

####   Data Spotlight: Predicting Conifer Regeneration After Fire and Drought

Southwest CASC supported researchers collected seed count and post-fire conifer seedling observational data, matching these observations with...

Read Article

Project Spotlight: Pacific Islands CASC Supports Drought Community of Practice in Hawai’i

June 15, 2021

####   Project Spotlight: Pacific Islands CASC Supports Drought Community of Practice in Hawai’i

The Pacific Drought Knowledge Exchange, supported by the Pacific Islands CASC, connects island resource managers with localized climate data to create...

Read Article

Recordings Available: Ecological Drought National Webinar Series

April 30, 2021

####   Recordings Available: Ecological Drought National Webinar Series

The ecological drought webinar series was co-hosted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA's) National Integrated Drought...

Read Article

Decreased flow projected for Southwest streams by end of century

February 8, 2021

####   Decreased flow projected for Southwest streams by end of century

Streamflow in the Southwestern U.S. is projected to decrease by as much as 36–80% by the end of this century, reports a new study by the U.S...

Read Article

Cross-CASC Initiative Identifies Challenges of Modern Droughts

September 28, 2020

####   Cross-CASC Initiative Identifies Challenges of Modern Droughts

In a series of workshops across the eight regional CASCs, researchers worked with land managers and stakeholders to co-produce a recently-published...

Read Article

New Research Uses Tree Ring Data to Assess Drought Severity in the Missouri River Basin

May 21, 2020

####   New Research Uses Tree Ring Data to Assess Drought Severity in the Missouri River Basin

A newly-published article, partially funded by the North Central CASC and co-authored by Alaska CASC scientists Stephen Gray and Jeremy Littell...

Read Article

Colorado River Flow Dwindles as Warming-Driven Loss of Reflective Snow Energizes Evaporation

March 29, 2020

####   Colorado River Flow Dwindles as Warming-Driven Loss of Reflective Snow Energizes Evaporation

New USGS research indicates that streamflow in the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB) is decreasing by about 5% per degree Fahrenheit as a consequence...

Read Article

Study Links Major Floods in North America and Europe to Multi-Decade Ocean Patterns

August 10, 2017

####   Study Links Major Floods in North America and Europe to Multi-Decade Ocean Patterns

The number of major floods in natural rivers across Europe and North America has not increased overall during the past 80 years, a recent study has...

Read Article

Meet some drought experts at USGS, learn more about some of our (oh so many) USGS offices working on drought and climate change, and connect with our news and social media feeds!

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#### Water Resources (News)

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#### Drought News

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#### Climate Adaptation Science Centers (News)

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#### USGS Climate

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#### USGS Climate

####                 Water Resources Mission Area - Headquarters          

USGS Headquarters12201 Sunrise Valley DriveReston, VA20192United States

####                 National Climate Adaptation Science Center              

12201 Sunrise Valley DriveMS 516Reston, VA20192United States

casc@usgs.gov

(703) 648-5801

#### Clint Muhlfeld, Ph.D.

##### Research Ecologist

Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center

cmuhlfeld@usgs.gov

406-600-9686

#### Jason B Dunham

##### Supervisory Research Ecologist

Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

jdunham@usgs.gov

541-750-0990

#### Nathaniel (Than) Hitt, PhD

##### Research Fish Biologist

Eastern Ecological Science Center

nhitt@usgs.gov

304-724-4463

#### Benjamin H Letcher

##### Ecologist

Eastern Ecological Science Center

bletcher@usgs.gov

413-863-3803

#### Brian R Clark

##### Deputy Program Coordinator

Water Availability and Use Science Program

##### Deputy Program Coordinator, Water Resources Availability Portfolio (WRAP)

Water Resources Mission Area

brclark@usgs.gov

501-352-1864

link

####                 What causes drought?              

A drought is a period of drier-than-normal conditions that results in water-related problems. The amount of precipitation at a particular location varies from year to year, but over a period of years the average amount is fairly constant. In the deserts of the Southwest, the average precipitation is less than 3 inches per year. In contrast, the average precipitation in the Northwest is more than...

link

####   What causes drought?

A drought is a period of drier-than-normal conditions that results in water-related problems. The amount of precipitation at a particular location varies from year to year, but over a period of years the average amount is fairly constant. In the deserts of the Southwest, the average precipitation is less than 3 inches per year. In contrast, the average precipitation in the Northwest is more than...

Learn More

link

####                 When does a drought begin and end?              

The beginning of a drought is difficult to determine. Several weeks, months, or even years might pass before people know that a drought is occurring. The end of a drought can occur as gradually as it began. The first evidence of drought is usually seen in records of rainfall. Within a short period of time, the amount of moisture in soils can begin to decrease. The effects of a drought on flow in...

link

####   When does a drought begin and end?

The beginning of a drought is difficult to determine. Several weeks, months, or even years might pass before people know that a drought is occurring. The end of a drought can occur as gradually as it began. The first evidence of drought is usually seen in records of rainfall. Within a short period of time, the amount of moisture in soils can begin to decrease. The effects of a drought on flow in...

Learn More

link

####                 Where in the Nation are droughts or very low flows occurring now? How can I see these sites on a map and get to the data?              

To view the USGS streamflow information on drought, see the drought map on our WaterWatch site, which shows below-normal, 7-day average streamflow compared to historical streamflow for the United States. Links to additional maps and drought data are listed on the USGS Drought website and the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) .

link

####   Where in the Nation are droughts or very low flows occurring now? How can I see these sites on a map and get to the data?

To view the USGS streamflow information on drought, see the drought map on our WaterWatch site, which shows below-normal, 7-day average streamflow compared to historical streamflow for the United States. Links to additional maps and drought data are listed on the USGS Drought website and the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) .

Learn More

link

####                 Why doesn't a drought end when it rains?              

Rainfall in any form will provide some drought relief. A good analogy might be how medicine and illness relate to each other. A single dose of medicine can alleviate symptoms of illness, but it usually takes a sustained program of medication to cure an illness. Likewise, a single rainstorm will not break the drought, but it might provide temporary relief. A light to moderate shower will probably...

link

####   Why doesn't a drought end when it rains?

Rainfall in any form will provide some drought relief. A good analogy might be how medicine and illness relate to each other. A single dose of medicine can alleviate symptoms of illness, but it usually takes a sustained program of medication to cure an illness. Likewise, a single rainstorm will not break the drought, but it might provide temporary relief. A light to moderate shower will probably...

Learn More