{"id":11147,"date":"2024-03-11T17:48:39","date_gmt":"2024-03-11T17:48:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/?p=11147"},"modified":"2024-09-20T20:21:45","modified_gmt":"2024-09-20T20:21:45","slug":"11147-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/11147-2\/","title":{"rendered":"How the Alabama Drought Reach Program Proactively Prepares for Drought"},"content":{"rendered":"\n[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/Horizontal-ADR-Logo-scaled.jpg” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” title_text=”Horizontal ADR Logo” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||4px|||” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]

Written By: Laura Cooley and Brianne Minton, AUWRC<\/span><\/strong><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px|||||” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]

Two years ago, the <\/span><\/span>Auburn University Water Resources Center<\/span><\/span><\/a>, <\/span><\/span>Alabama Extension<\/span><\/span><\/a>, and the <\/span><\/span>Alabama State Climate Office<\/span><\/span><\/a> saw a need to work together to improve <\/span>drought<\/span> <\/span>communications<\/span> and drought agricultural impact monitoring in Alabama. <\/span>Through a collaborative effort, they hired Brianne Minton to coordinate a new statewide <\/span>drought program called <\/span><\/span>Alabama Drought Reach<\/span><\/span><\/a> (<\/span>ADR)<\/span>. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

As program coordinator, Brianne has spent the last ten months increasing public drought literacy by <\/span>writing communication pieces for Extension, speaking at conferences, engaging with growers, and strengthening the foundational relationship between Extension and the AL State Climate Office. M<\/span>uch of her time has been spent learning how drought <\/span>impacts<\/span> farmers directly and finding ways to proactively <\/span>monitor<\/span> conditions in preparation for future droughts.<\/span> <\/span>What she has found is that a loss to our farmers is a loss to us all.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/Screenshot-2024-03-11-at-12.26.02\u202fPM-e1710178808853.png” alt=”Example of stream bank erosion” title_text=”Bree Speaking” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″ align=”center”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]

Brianne Minton<\/span> (ADR Program Coordinator) <\/span>Speaking at a Conference. Photo Credit: Dr. Brenda Ortiz<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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Impacts of Drought in Alabama<\/span><\/strong><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

Drought <\/span>affects <\/span>everyone in <\/span>different ways<\/span>, but it has <\/span>m<\/span>ajor impacts on our agricultural community. Alabama\u2019s 37,000 farms <\/span>span <\/span>nearly <\/span>8.6<\/span> million acres<\/span>, provides jobs to 600,000 Alabamians, and <\/span>produces <\/span>roughly <\/span>$9 billion<\/span> in agricultural products. Drought <\/span>affects not only farmers relying on their commodities to make a living but also the public who <\/span>utilizes<\/span> those commodities for foods and materials. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Luckily, <\/span>many <\/span>f<\/span>arm<\/span>ers <\/span>impa<\/span>cted<\/span> by drought can apply for federal relief funding through USDA. Some of this funding, however, is contingent on farms falling within certain drought categories on the <\/span><\/span>U.S. Drought Monitor<\/span> (USDM)<\/span> map<\/span><\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/span>The<\/span> USDM is a federal product created by the National Drought Mitigation Center, USDA, and <\/span>NOAA to classify drought severity and location across the United States.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The<\/span> AL State Climate Office is our state organization that provides <\/span>input <\/span>on Alabama <\/span>specific <\/span>conditions t<\/span>o the U.S. Drought Monitor<\/span>. When Alabama farmers fall within certain criteria of the USDM map, they can become eligible for USDA relief funding during times of drought. The AL State <\/span>Climate Office has a lot of resources to make these informed decisions, but <\/span>you<\/span> <\/span>can also provide on-the-ground drought observations that can help them make a m<\/span>ore <\/span>accu<\/span>rate<\/span> Alabama drought map.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/CowsDrought_ACESflickr.jpg” alt=”Example of stream bank erosion” title_text=”CowsDrought_ACESflickr” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]

Cattle Unable to Graze During 2019 Drought. Photo Credit: Bruce Du<\/span>pree<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-30px||-75px|||” custom_padding=”1px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px||3px|||” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]

CMOR (Condition Monitoring Observer Reports)<\/span><\/span><\/a> is a public tool created by the National Drought Mitigation Center in partnership with the National Integrated Drought Information System and the USDA. It allows anyone to report drought-related conditions and impacts on their property. You do not have to be a farmer to complete this survey. Even dry conditions in your back yard can provide useful data for the AL State Climate Office. Submitting a CMOR report is quick and easy, and your report becomes a permanent record that can help inform more accurate drought maps of Alabama. Submitting a report can be a way to support the agricultural community.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Aside from reporting, Alabama Drought Reach is also working to keep Alabama citizens informed on drought conditions by creating infographics with data compiled by the U.S. Drought Monitor and the AL State Climate Office. These Alabama Drought Updates include past and present drought conditions, climate highlights from the AL State Climate Office, and the drought forecast for the upcoming week. <\/span><\/p>\n

The example below showcased some of the worst conditions from the Fall 2023 drought. The large map in the center shows the location of drought on November 21, 2023. The colors on the map correspond to one of the five USDM drought categories, which can be seen in the statewide coverage table. Note that D0 (Abnormally Dry) indicates dryness but not<\/i> actual drought. D1 (Moderate Drought) is the first official drought category. According to this visual, most of the state was experiencing either Severe or Extreme Drought. The statewide coverage table tells you what percentage of the state is experiencing each level of drought and the percentage change in drought severity from the previous week. For example, 40.7% of Alabama was in D2 (Severe Drought) on November 21, which was an 11.2% change from the previous week. <\/span><\/p>\n

The small map in the bottom left corner serves as the visual reminder of what drought conditions looked like from the previous week. The icons surrounding the central map indicate climatological trends that the AL State Climate Office wants to highlight. For this week, they wanted to highlight the beneficial rainfall that kept conditions from worsening and the increase in streamflow after months of serious drought. Lastly, the statewide condition summary on the right features the overall drought trends that week. \u201cWhat\u2019s Changed\u201d specifically outlines changes in drought severity. \u201cWhat\u2019s New\u201d talks about climatological patterns in drought indicators like precipitation and temperature. \u201cWhat\u2019s Next\u201d forecasts potential drought trends for the following week based on rainfall predictions.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Drought <\/span>impacts<\/span> us all. Alabama is one of the first states to <\/span>utilize<\/span> a program like Alab<\/span>ama Drought Reach<\/span> <\/span>to proactively prepare for and mitigate drought impacts. <\/span>V<\/span>isit <\/span><\/span>www.aub.ie\/drought<\/span><\/span><\/a> <\/span>to learn more about the Alabama Drought Reach <\/span>program and<\/span> stay up to date on statewide drought conditions by following their Twitter (<\/span><\/span>@<\/span>ALDroughtReach<\/span><\/span><\/a>).\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n<\/div>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/ADR_DroughtUpdate.png” alt=”Example of stream bank erosion” title_text=”ADR_DroughtUpdate” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]

Nov. 21, <\/span>2023<\/span> AL Drought Update \u2013 Example of Graphic Made by Alabama Drought Reach<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_text][et_pb_social_media_follow _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network=”twitter” url=”https:\/\/twitter.com\/AuburnWater” _builder_version=”4.22.2″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#000000″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” follow_button=”off” url_new_window=”on”]twitter[\/et_pb_social_media_follow_network][et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network=”facebook” url=”https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/auwrc” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#3b5998″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” follow_button=”off” url_new_window=”on”]facebook[\/et_pb_social_media_follow_network][et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network=”instagram” url=”https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/auburnwater\/” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#ea2c59″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” follow_button=”off” url_new_window=”on”]instagram[\/et_pb_social_media_follow_network][\/et_pb_social_media_follow][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Written By: Laura Cooley and Brianne Minton, AUWRCTwo years ago, the Auburn University Water Resources Center, Alabama Extension, and the Alabama State Climate Office saw a need to work together […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[103,155],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11147","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-drought","category-wrc-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11147","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11147"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11147\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11161,"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11147\/revisions\/11161"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11147"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11147"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11147"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}