Getting a grip on drought This spring was the third warmest on record with an average temperature of 54.7F in the 48 contiguous states. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (www.noaa.gov), only the spring of 1910 (54.9F) and 2000 (54.75F) were warmer. For Oklahoma and Kansas, it was the warmest spring ever recorded. The warm weather was welcomed by many growers who had to burn less fuel to heat greenhouses. On the precipitation side, it was a different story. Some Michigan growers probably thought they were never going to see the sun again as the state experienced its wettest spring on record. Meanwhile, dry conditions in parts of the Southeast and West continue to cause concerns about adequate water supplies. Drought conditions, which have persisted for much of the past four or five years in parts of the West, are the worst in more than 400 years. Compounding the problem were drier-than-average conditions combined with warmer-than-normal temperatures. The result was rapid snowmelt, which left mountain snow pack levels below average in most parts of the West. Below-average precipitation is especially a concern in the West, where wildfires have caused millions of dollars in damage over the last few years. NOAA reported that agricultural and forestry interests were continuing to monitor the drought because of dry range conditions and the threat of wildfire activity. More than half of the ranges/pastures in California, Wyoming, New Mexico and Colorado were rated to be in poor or very poor condition. Need for a national drought policy Drought was a major issue at the meeting of the Western Governors' Association in June. On the first day of summer, governors from 18 states adopted the National Integrated Drought Information System. The governors, who called for a national drought policy, said NIDIS would play a key role in how the states would deal with drought in the future. NIDIS is aimed at integrating and building on existing drought data to develop an accessible nationwide database. Gov. Judy Martz of Montana said the current drought is no longer just a weather event, but a widespread socioeconomic tragedy. She sees NIDIS as part of a national policy that can help provide farmers and ranchers needed assistance. NIDIS cites the need for the collection of data related to agricultural yield losses not eligible for relief payments, specifically mentioning nurseries. Gov. Mike Johans of Nebraska said NIDIS will help better predict drought and will enable a more predictable drought response, which NIDIS will facilitate. The governors believe a national drought policy is long overdue since the country already has implemented policies for dealing with floods and tornadoes. They support legislation such as the National Drought Preparedness Act, sponsored by Sens. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., and Max Baucus, D-Mont. Even though the western governors have adopted NIDIS, they know it won't be established unless Congress and the president enact legislation to authorize and fund the system. The governors are well aware that NIDIS won't solve the mounting drought problems the country is facing. They are seeking a national policy that provides necessary funding and programs to address drought preparedness and response activities. For more: Western Governors' Association, 1515 Cleveland Place, Suite 200, Denver, CO 80202-5114; (303) 623-9378; fax (303) 534-7309; www.westgov.org. Send this article to a friend Enter your e-mail address: Enter your friend's e-mail address: Click the image below to send: © 2004 Branch-Smith Publishing