NOAA Launches Redesigned Drought Portal, Includes Section on Impacts to Water Utilities

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has launched a redesigned U.S. Drought Portal, intended to better serve stakeholders, decision makers, and the public. The portal features updated content and new interactive architecture designed to provide actionable, shareable information and easy-to-understand graphics describing current drought conditions and forecasts by city, county, state, zip code, and at watershed to global scales. It also includes a new “By Sector” section, which describes drought’s impacts on different economic sectors, including water utilities. For water utilities, the section integrates real-time information on streamflow, snow water equivalent, and precipitation (using a 6-10 day outlook). It also describes key issues for water utility operations and lists and links to numerous resources for drought early warning. Other sectors of potential interest to WaterISAC members include energy, hazard planning and preparedness, public health, and wildfire management. Access the portal at NOAA.