National Integrated Drought Information System: (NIDIS)

1. National Integrated Drought Information System: (NIDIS) • Roger S. Pulwarty 1

2. National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS): A NOAA-led Federal, State, Tribal and Local Partnership Goal:Enable the Nation to move from a reactive to a more proactive approach to managing drought risks and impacts (Public Law 109-430, 2006) (www.drought.gov) >1YEAR 10YEARS 30YEARS 100YEARS 30DAYS 1-4SEASONS SHORT-TERM-Seasonal DECADAL.. 2

3. An E&E Publishing Service WATER: Federal judge rules against Ga. in Lake Lanier battle (Friday, July 17, 2009) Taryn Luntz, E&E reporter A federal judge ruled today that it is illegal to use Georgia's Lake Lanier for Atlanta-area drinking water, the latest development in the ongoing water wars among Georgia, Florida and Alabama. U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson said that only Congress, not the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, can authorize the water withdrawals, validating Alabama and Florida's contention that the lake was built solely to aid flood control, hydropower generation and navigation.Alabama filed the lawsuit in 1990.Atlanta depends on the lake for its drinking water, but Florida and Alabama rely on healthy water levels to support commercial fisheries, farms and cities downstream. Magnuson ordered the water withdrawals to be frozen at current levels for three years to allow Congress to work out how much water from Lake Lanier can be used to supply Atlanta. Without new authorization, withdrawals would revert to much lower levels allowed in the 1970s after the three-year time frame expires.

4. Implementation: Elements • 1. NIDIS Office • 2. U.S. Drought Portal • 3. Climate Test Beds • Integrating data and forecasts • 4. Coping with Drought • Integrated Impacts and Applications Research, Communication • (RISA,SARP,TRACS) • 5. NIDIS Early Warning Information System Development • Pilot Design and Implementation

5. NIDIS Governance Structure 1. NIDIS Executive Council Co-chairs: Director, NOAA Climate Program Office (or designee) Director, National Drought Mitigation Center (or designee) 2. NIDIS Program Office(NPO) 3. NIDIS Program Implementation Team (NPIT) Chair: NPO Director ; Co-chairs Over 50 Federal agency, state, tribal and private sector representatives from around the country 4. NIDIS Technical Working Groups Public Awareness And Education U.S. Drought Portal Engaging Preparedness Communities Interdisciplinary Research and Applications Integrated Monitoring and Forecasting National Integrated Drought Information System Drought Early Warning Information System Design, Pilots, and Implementation

6. NIDIS Governance Structure 1. NIDIS Executive Council 2. NIDIS Program Office (NPO) 3. NIDIS Program Implementation Team (NPIT) 4. NIDIS Technical Working Groups Federal, Regional, State, Tribal and Local Partner Leads Nation,regional, and local NIDIS Activities Develop pilot implementation and transferability criteria Co-Chairs selected by NPIT Public Awareness And Education U.S. Drought Portal Engaging Preparedness Communities Interdisciplinary Research and Applications Integrated Monitoring and Forecasting National Integrated Drought Information System Drought Early Warning Information System Design, Pilots, and Implementation

7. Interdisciplinary Research and Applications • NIDIS Knowledge Assessments • NIDIS Service Assessment Workshops • “

8. Implementing the NIDIS: Pilots Coordinating federal, state, and local drought-related activities (e.g. within watersheds and states) Engaging research, management and planning communities: Stakeholder defined measures of drought and triggers for decision making Prediction Monitoring Applications Research Integrating Tools:e.g. Drought Portal Identifying and diffusing innovative strategies for drought risk assessment, communication and preparedness Engaging the preparedness communities ImpactMitigation ImprovedAdaptation ProactivePlanning

9. Year 1: Designing a Drought Early Warning Information System for the Upper Colorado Basin (undeway) 2009-2010 What exists and what’s missing? Gap analyses • Monitoring and forecasting • Drought-sensitive planning indicators and management triggers assimilated into one location • Present status of impacts and demand assessments How does coordination and information flow take place? • What partnerships, decision support tools and actions are needed (to improve information development, coordination and flow for preparedness and risk reduction)? • Initiate development of Basin-specific Drought Information Monitor and Portal (as a subset of the U.S. Drought Portal) and early warning discussion groups (Denver Water, CTB, Upper CO and Northern CO Conservancy Districts) • Partnership with the Colorado Water Conservation Board)

10. Year 2. Implementation of the Drought Early Warning System (seasonal, multi-year, longer term trends) 2010-2011 • Develop (and support) CBRFC, NOAA, CPC, BoR partnerships for testing Climate Test-bed/ESP improvements • Testing: Given better data and information coordination would responses have been improved for past events? Assess (1) value of improved information, (2)responses for projected conditions (decadal, climate change), (3) feedback on priorities to Executive Council. • Feedback into “Colorado Basin” Drought Monitor and Portal, Maintain network for ongoing briefings on impacts and projections across climate timescales. Early Warning System maintenance and transferability

11. Highlights from the Peachtree meeting (April 29-30, 2008)

12. Demands and pressures Lake Lanier water availability Metro Atlanta-demographic pressures Downstream agricultural irrigation Power facilities-water temperature and minimum flow rate Ecosystem services Apalachicola Bay oyster and seafood industry Increased salinity in the bay due to decreased fresh water flows Endangered species concerns Low water flows, wetlands Regional focus-to include the Carolinas

13. Multi-state drought mitigation plans – indicators and triggers Thorough scientific assessment and cataloguing of water resources and water users End-to-end assessment of water quality and water quantity, available in real-time Comprehensive watershed-coastal zone management Coordination and communication among federal agencies Federal agencies must understand the concerns of industry, user groups, state and local governments, and the public at large NOAA – improvements to drought monitoring and forecasting and informational products State-led forum or council to develop regional vision Reduce fragmentation Establish more consistent approaches to water resource management Set overarching regional priorities Build collaborative working relationships Possible partnerships and opportunities

14. For this workshop (Chapel Hill)-watershed to coast Critical issues-watershed, urban, coastal Unit(s) of analysis Information sources and needs Partnerships needed for early warning information system development and implementation (Fed, state, tribal, ngo etc.) Timeline-Broader Scoping meeting

15. A Prototype Pathway for NOAA RegionalClimate Information Services Process research/obs. networks: Universities and labs Integrating knowledge & products with needs assessments(e.g. RISAs, RCCs, NCDC, CSD) Operational, training (RCCs, NCDC, RFCs CPC, WFOs, SCs, other private sector) RESEARCH/MONITORING & DEVELOPMENT & PROTOTYPING OPERATIONS Regional Oversight and Evaluation OTHER NON-NOAA REGIONAL PARTNERS new or enhanced regional products information delivery technology sustained & systematic communication and feedback

16. Climate, Water and Drought: Drought and Flood ImpactsAssessments and Scenarios Monitoring & Forecasting NIDIS Information Services in support of planning and decision making Engaging Preparedness & Adaptation Communication and Outreach 16

17. Five main Colorado Basin issues for near-term action: • Assessment of gaps in present monitoring and forecasting systems within the Basin • Assimilation of existing drought-related indicators, triggers and trends into one accessible location • Assist in demand projections (Northern Water, Denver Water, Grand Valley) • Promoting interaction (existing websites, datasets) with the US Drought Portal to begin developing a Colorado Basin drought portal and information clearinghouse • Develop an Upper Colorado basin-specific drought monitor and ongoing (quarterly and as needed) discussion forum across Federal agencies, State and Tribal Water Availability Task Forces • Revisit past event and projections with key managers given new /improved information coordination and interpretation • Engage in ongoing early warning system discussions-season to season-and multi-year projections of impacts

18. From this workshop-watersheds-coasts Critical issues-watershed, urban, coastal, energy, ecosystems, cross-sector Unit(s) of analysis Information needs and sources Partnerships needed for early warning information system development and implementation (Fed, state, tribal, ngo etc.) Timeline-Broader Scoping meeting

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21. Backup slides

22. Understanding and Responding to Changing Climate-National Climate Services National Security and Economy Ecosystems and Biodiversity Agriculture Health Living Marine Resources Coastal Systems Climate Assessments, Products, and Services Transportation Energy Water Society Research and Understanding Observations Modeling Platforms: Satellites, ships, buoys, stations Earth System Models, Climate Predictions/Projections 22

23. Implementing the NIDIS: Pilots Engaging research, management and planning communities: Stakeholder defined measures of drought and triggers for decision making Prediction Monitoring Applications Research Integrating Tools:e.g. Drought Portal Engaging the preparedness communities ImpactMitigation ImprovedAdaptation ProactivePlanning

24. NIDIS offers a framework for developing and information services to support adaptation strategies as climate varies and changes

25. Drought and Water Resources: Beyond The Impact Assessment Engaging communities and resource managers in assessment and decision support as climate varies and changes (RISAs, RCCs, Climate and Hydromet Test-Beds, NWS Field Offices…. NOAA-Integrated Water Resources Services teams, Coastal Services Center, NIDIS…) = + Integrated Climate, Ecosystems, Hydrology: Technical Info & Data Watershed, state, tribal, local: Experience & Knowledge Decision Support ASSESSING CLIMATE INFORMATION USER NEEDS A forum for proactiveplanning HELPING SOCIETY ADAPT Provide best available information to inform infrastructure development and ongoing adaptation 25

26. US Drought Monitor and the NOAA Seasonal Outlooks – adapt to state, watershed and local levels Tools and products developed for the state, watershed and local levels Integration of observing networks between federal, state and local entities (esp. stream gages and precip measurements) Identify and address monitoring gaps Develop cross-agency partnerships to fill gaps Develop a suite of decision support tools for local and state decision makers Consider agricultural, recreational, water management and commercial needs Multi-disciplinary obs. integrated with impacts information Relate to impacts, climate models and improved regional forecasts Initial Findings & Opportunities

27. Recent NIDIS activities: World Water Forum March 09 US Drought Portal Assessment May 09 Drought on Tribal Lands June 09 Southeast Scoping Workshop July 09 WGA-WSWC-NIDIS Regional Partnerships Workshops