Drought Preparedness for Tribes in the Four Corners Region Workshop
April 8-9, 2010, Flagstaff, Arizona

The National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS*), is hosting a 1.5 day workshop at the USGS Flagstaff Science Center, Flagstaff, Arizona, April 8-9 2010. The workshop will focus on drought and climate related concerns among Native Nations in the Four Corners region and Lower Colorado River basin of the Southwest. Workshop participants include representatives from the Southern Ute, Navajo, Hopi, Hualapai, Havasupai, and Tohono O'odham Nations in conjunction with representatives from USDA, NOAA, USGS, USBR, CLIMAS, Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP), Northern Arizona University, University of Arizona, and the University of Colorado. Native leaders and natural resource managers who are responsible for making decisions related to climate and drought for their communities should attend this workshop in order to strengthen, refine and enhance their drought plan. The purpose of the workshop is twofold:

~Identification of critical needs: In order to develop effective local drought early warning and response systems, it is necessary to articulate the drought and climate decision needs of tribal leaders and natural resource managers. How can drought plans be tailored to the resources available, and clear enough that decisive plans for mitigation can operate effectively? Any drought plan should have risk assessment criteria based on tribal needs as well as local meteorological conditions, and a mitigation plan that helps to lessen both community and resource impacts.

~Form a partnership network: NIDIS is charged with developing and implementing a drought early warning system. Native Nations can partner with NIDIS and bring visibility of local drought impacts to Federal Agencies. Federal drought relief is contingent upon information included in the Drought Monitor, a NIDIS publication. 

Workshop Materials

Agenda
Workshop Synopsis
Workshop Booklet: Drought and Climate Resources
Participant List
Workshop Presentations

Background Materials

Climate Change, Drought and Early Warning on Western Native Lands Workshop Report
9-11 June, 2009 Jackson Lodge, Grand Teton National Park, WY

*NIDIS: National Integrated Drought Information System is a federal multi-agency program to develop a US drought early warning system.

History
The National Drought Policy Commission was established under the National Drought Policy Act of 1998 to ensure collaboration between different government agencies on drought-related issues. The Commission issued a groundbreaking report, Preparing for Drought in the 21st Century, in 2000. Following the Commission's recommendations, the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) was envisioned in a Western Governors' Association Report in 2004. The NIDIS Act was introduced in the U.S. Congress and signed by the President in 2006.

Implementing NIDIS
The NIDIS Implementation team has conducted workshops and meetings with federal, state and local agencies, academic researchers, and other stakeholders. A national conference was sponsored by the Geological Society of America (GSA) and twenty other scientific and technical organizations in Longmont, CO, in September 2006. The conference organizers presented their recommendations to the U.S. Congress in July 2007, along with a fact sheet and report. We have developed an Implementation Plan based on input from these meetings.

NIDIS Implementation Plan

This workshop is a joint collaboration between the following entities:

The National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS)
Climate Assessment of the Southwest (CLIMAS)
National Drought Mitigation Center (NCDC)
The Western Water Assesment (WWA)

Workshop Steering Committee

Dan Ferguson, Program Director, CLIMAS

Margaret Hiza Redsteer, Geologist, USGS

Roger Pulwarty, Director, NIDIS

Arnold Taylor, Retired Manager, Hopi Department of Natural Resource

Kelly Redmond, Western Regional Climate Center, Desert Research Institute

Mike Hayes, Director, NDMC

Mark Svoboda, NDMC

Mehrdad Khatibi, Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals

Doug Kluck, NOAA Central Regional Office

Chad McNutt, NIDIS

Jim Verdin, Deptuty Director, NIDIS, USGS

Christina Alvord, WWA, NIDIS

Workshop Organization & Admin Support:
Melanie Whitmire, UCAR

Cathy Clark, UCAR

Workshop Location & Directions

USGS Flagship Center
2255 N. Gemini Dr.
Flagstaff, AZ 86001

Workshop will be located in Building 3, Powell Room

 

Map of Flagstaff

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