Although unpredictable in their occurrence, duration, and intensity, drought and other water supply emergencies can be anticipated and planned for. The goal of drought contingency planning is to prepare, in advance, policies and procedures for implementing measures in response to drought that minimize the risk, and mitigate the impacts, of water shortage. Identify and evaluate short-term water supply and demand management response measures. Design a plan which includes trigger conditions, multiple response stages, response measures, and monitoring, notification, and enforcement procedures. However, only a few of these utilities have recent experience with the implementation of mandatory drought response measures.
Small communities are generally less prepared and know little about their vulnerability to drought.
Many small communities do not have a drought contingency plan and therefore respond to drought in an ad hoc manner. Also, many small water systems lack the data and expertise required to develop an effective drought contingency plan. Most drought contingency plans have three to five drought response stages. Many communities report a high degree of compliance with both voluntary and mandatory measures. Several of those surveyed reported water use reductions of 10-15 percent as a result of appeals for voluntary conservation.