Why Plan for Drought?
Drought is a normal part of virtually every climate on the planet, even rainy ones. It is the most complex of all natural hazards, and it affects more people than any other hazard. Analysis shows that it can be as expensive as floods and hurricanes. The impacts of drought are greater than the impacts of any other natural hazard. They are estimated to be $6-8 billion annually in the United States and occur primarily in agriculture, transportation, recreation and tourism, forestry, and energy sectors. Social and environmental impacts are also significant, although it is difficult to put a precise cost on these impacts. We have only to look back to the 1990s to realize how far drought can reach and how long it can last. During this time, drought occurred not only in the drought-prone western states but also throughout the eastern United States. The drought of 1999 in the east extended from the New England states to Florida and westward into the Ohio Valley. For the mid-Atlantic states, th
