An Evaluation of the Upper Colorado River Basin Drought Early Warning System

WWA completed an evaluation of the Upper Colorado River Basin Drought Early Warning System (UCRB DEWS), which is part of the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) and is operated out of the Colorado Climate Center at Colorado State University. The UCRB DEWS was the first of nine DEWS across the United States, and is based around regular webinars and a website that communicate drought conditions to water managers, agricultural producers, and other decision-makers. WWA’s evaluation assessed whether the UCRB DEWS is meeting NIDIS’ goals for the DEWS and improving drought preparedness in the Upper Colorado River Basin. The evaluation report describes several areas where the UCRB DEWS is succeeding and recommends steps that could be taken to improve its effectiveness. WWA’s evaluation is currently being used to inform NIDIS strategic planning across all of the DEWS.