1. The Drought Impact Reporter http://droughtreporter.unl.edu
Bastrop, TX
February 12, 2009

2. Why Record Drought’s Impacts?
NDMC mission:
To reduce vulnerability to drought before the next one happens
Impacts point to vulnerability
Mitigation and response

3. Drought Impact Reporter (DIR)
On-line since July 2005
“DIR 2.0” to be released in 2009
7,517 impacts,
90% culled from media reports

4. What’s in the Current DIR?
NOAA 1%
Gov’t
4.6%
Public
4.2%
Media
89%
Other
1.2%

5. What’s in the Current DIR?
1. Impacts extracted from the Media

6. What’s in the Current DIR?
2. Impacts submitted by the public, government officials, and others

7. Who Uses This Information?
Public
A voice in the policy process
Decision makers / resource managers
Drought Monitor
Early indicator of drought conditions??
“Ground truth” scientific indices

8. User Report Regarding Drought Monitor
July 4, 2006
August 1, 2006

10. DIR 2.0 Enhancements More user-friendly design
More efficient use of screen space
Improved searching and mapping

13. DIR 2.0 Enhancements More user-friendly design
More efficient use of screen space
Improved searching and mapping
Change in category names

14. Impact Categories Current Planned Report Categories Agriculture
Business & Industry
Energy
Fire
Plants & Wildlife
Relief, Response, & Restrictions
Society & Public Health
Tourism & Recreation
Water Supply & Quality
Report Categories

15. DIR 2.0 Enhancements More user-friendly design
More efficient use of screen space
Improved searching and mapping
Change in category names
Distinguishes between reports and impacts

16. Reports vs. Impacts
Report: Contains a wider range of information – baseline info, speculative/vague reports, impacts
an early indicator!
Impact: Contains a narrow range of information – only impacts
quantifiable, observable, location- and time-specific
In the new DIR we will be collecting a wider range of information than just strictly impacts. As I’ll describe in more detail in a few minutes, we’ll be collecting base-line information, which describes conditions during non-drought periods. Also, we’ll begin tracking information that is more speculative (i.e. the impacts haven't actually occurred yet, but are predicted to occur in the future) and info that doesn’t yet contain the level of detail we require to be considered a “drought impact”. Over the past several years we’ve found that this very early, speculative information is an excellent indicator of problems to come, and tracking this wider range of information increases our awareness of emerging drought conditions and hardships.
So by design, everything that comes into the DIR, all media and non-media (i.e. public, gov’t, etc.) submitted information, becomes a report. Once this information is submitted, staff at the NDMC reviews the information and flags certain reports as also containing “impact” information. What is their criteria? In the DIR an “impact” is non-base-line information that is quantifiable, observable, and happens in a defined place at a specific time.

17. Washington with reports and impacts

18. DIR 2.0 Enhancements More user-friendly design
More efficient use of screen space
Improved searching and mapping
Change in category names
Distinguishes between reports and impacts
New “submit a report” form
Ability to add photos

19. Who Can Submit a Report?
Anyone interested in reporting the impacts of drought
NOAA 1%
Gov’t
4.6%
Public
4.2%
Media
89%
Other
1.2%
We need to increase non-media reporting!
You can become a “drought spotter”

20. Submit a Report

21. Submit a Report http://torka.unl.edu/DIR2/SubmitReport.aspx
What are Baseline reports??
The Drought Impact Reporter offers the option to become a regular “drought spotter.” This includes providing baseline information that will allow others to understand the difference between what you see or experience in times of drought and in times of normal or plentiful water supply. Please check “Baseline Report” to submit a report that will serve as a basis for comparison but that does not reflect current drought.
We recommend that drought spotters report at regular intervals, perhaps quarterly, when they are not experiencing a drought, and more frequently, perhaps monthly, when there is a drought.
We recommend choosing from one to three key characteristics that are vulnerable to drought, such as the condition of a particular type of vegetation, the need to irrigate, or river or reservoir levels.

22. Submit a Report

23. Submit a Report

24. Submit a Report

25. Add Drought Impact Photos
Photographer
Date
Place
What does it show? How would it look in a non-drought year?
Permission to use?
Allows up to 5 photos per submission
October 2006
October 2007
Photos of Morgan Creek, North Carolina, from Jody Seim Timmins

26. Submit a Report

27. Networks to Add NWS Drought Reports CoCoRaHS
State reports: water systems, wildfire, burn bans
Cropwatchers
Extension Agents
State agencies, organizations, researchers

28. Thank you!
We welcome your participation and input as we improve the Drought Impact Reporter. Please contact:
Kelly Smith