Building drought early warning systems for fisheries and water management across the U.S.
Integrated Water Availability Assessments
USGS Science Collaboration Portal for the Colorado River Basin
Connecting Science to Help Mitigate Drought
Connecting Science to Help Mitigate Drought
Monitoring Vegetation Drought Stress
Drought Early Warning System (DEWS)
Drought Research at the Climate Adaptation Science Center
What is streamflow drought?
Drought
Extreme drought felt by many U.S. communities has far-reaching economic and health impacts on water for people, agriculture, industry, and the nation’s natural resources. Land and water managers use USGS science to better understand the complex interactions that determine the magnitude and impact of drought on water availability and ecosystems.
Integrated Drought Science
Integrated Drought Science
Our drought science plan focuses on data collection and integration, understanding drought processes and impacts, and drought planning and decision support.
Droughts: Things to Know
Droughts: Things to Know
What is a drought? What causes droughts? Why doesn't a drought go away when it rains? Get the answers to these questions and more.
Looking for data?
Looking for data?
Drought-related data catalogs and portals are listed below. If applicable, the links will pre-populate a search for drought on each site. Refer to sidebar for drought Web Tools and Software.
News
Drought Watch Expanded to 40 Pennsylvania Counties
Drought Watch Expanded to 40 Pennsylvania Counties
USGS Colorado River Basin Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology (ASIST) Initiative Science Co-Development Virtual Workshop, June 24-25, 2025
USGS Colorado River Basin Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology (ASIST) Initiative Science Co-Development Virtual Workshop, June 24-25, 2025
Long-term drought assessment: hydrologic, ecological, and social impacts
Long-term drought assessment: hydrologic, ecological, and social impacts
Publications
Collaborative drought science planning in the Colorado River Basin Collaborative drought science planning in the Colorado River Basin
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is using collaborative, interdisciplinary planning to develop data and tools needed to optimize the management of water resources and land use by resource management agencies during an ongoing, multidecadal drought in the Colorado River Basin. The USGS Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology team works to build relationships with...
Scoping decision-maker needs and science availability to support regional natural capital accounting in the U.S. Colorado River Basin Scoping decision-maker needs and science availability to support regional natural capital accounting in the U.S. Colorado River Basin
Natural capital accounting has the potential to yield important policy insights at multiple scales, but there remains a disconnect between regional-scale natural capital accounts and their use for informing policy. In this paper, we propose a roadmap that could lead to the creation of policy-relevant regional accounts, with steps split across an initial scoping phase and a subsequent...
U.S. Geological Survey Colorado River Basin science and technology collaboration meetings on drought (2021)—Synthesis of findings U.S. Geological Survey Colorado River Basin science and technology collaboration meetings on drought (2021)—Synthesis of findings
Ongoing, prolonged, and severe drought and water overuse during the first two decades of the 21st century have reduced water supplies of the Colorado River Basin, with effects cascading to ecosystems and human communities throughout the basin. In June and July 2021, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Colorado River Basin Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology...
Science
South Atlantic Water Science Center Drought Monitoring
When rainfall is less than normal for several weeks, months, or years, the flow of streams and rivers declines, water levels in lakes and reservoirs fall, and the depth to water in wells increases. If dry weather persists and water-supply problems develop, the dry period can become a drought.
AI-driven science synthesis tools for resource managers
The scientific literature is abundant on drought-related topics in the western United States, including areas of the Colorado River Basin and the sagebrush biome. Scientists, resource managers, and decision makers use this science to assess, predict, and respond to the effects of drought on people and the environment. However, it can be difficult to quickly synthesize large amounts of research. To...
Drought versus Aridification in the Colorado River Basin
The Colorado River Basin is no stranger to drought. However, not all droughts are the same. Drought refers to a temporary state where conditions eventually return to normal. Aridification is the transition to persistent above-average dry conditions that do not return to normal. It is important to know whether the current, prolonged millennium drought (2000-present) is actually the first stages of...