drought: groundwater surface water what to expect

March 27, 2013

Supply and Demand

Wells and Aquifers in Iowa

Supply and Demand Concerns

Demand Concerns

Northwest Iowa August 23, 2012

Central Iowa – August 20, 2012

Skunk River near Ames

Trumbull Lake Clay County, Iowa September 2012

Last 180 days - % of normal

Last 30 days - % of normal

Last 14 days - % of normal

Last 7 days - % of normal

200 cfs

6000 cfs

1000 cfs

Wells and Aquifers in Iowa

Supply and Demand Concerns

Demand Concerns

Alluvial Wells

4 ft.

2 ~3 ft.

1ft.

<1ft.

www.iowadnr.gov– search for “water summary update”

Short-Term

Monitor Your ConditionsSupply and Demand

Pay close attention to the Drought Monitor, local streamflow and precipitation, or other available data.

Write, review, and/or update a Drought Preparedness and Response Plan

U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM):

droughtmonitor.unl.edu

• State-of-the-art drought assessment in the U.S. since 1999• Collaborative effort between NOAA, USDA and NDMC

• Composite indicator blends objective indicators and indices with field input from over 350 experts

• Policy implications in Farm Bill/USDA, IRS, NOAA-NWS and several state drought task forces

• “Go to source” for media and the public

Early Warning? Early warning:

Early warning involves forecasts based on climate projections and the area’s drought history, possible outcomes of developing drought events, and answering questions about how long a drought might last and how severe it might be.

Effective early warning systems should involve both technology and all interested parties in drought planning and response.