U.S. Drought Monitor and U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook 
www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/expert_assessment/drought_assessment.shtml

 
Long Term Palmer Drought Severity Index
www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/regional_monitoring/palmer.gif

CONCEPTS FOR THIS WEBPAGE

This web site provides BLM Nevada’s drought information and direction. It is intended for use by BLM personnel, public land users, and the public. A public website allows everyone with an interest to see the information that BLM is using in its drought planning and management. Although many of the principles behind BLM’s drought guidance are well established, using a website allows updates when weather conditions warrant. BLM Nevada’s drought management guidance and policies are designed to meet or comply with our multiple use mandate, land use plan objectives, other applicable legal and regulatory requirements, and achieve land health. Plus, if the predicted increase in weather variability and extreme events happens, the value of a venue such as this may increase.

While other topics will appear on this web site, the main subjects will be precipitation, expected plant growth, and livestock grazing management. BLM authorizes livestock grazing on most of the public lands in Nevada. Drought has two obvious impacts on public land grazing, reduced forage production and reduced amount and availability of drinking water. Both situations have repercussions beyond range management. Sometimes livestock management has to be modified in response to drought, and sometimes it can be used to manage drought impacts.

This website will be updated monthly from November through May. In the Great Basin this is when the precipitation occurs that determines the amount of vegetation produced in the next growing season. Big storms and unique events might also warrant updates. The Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) snow surveys are read monthly from January through April (www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/wsf/wsf.html). This is one of the better predictors of water availability in Nevada. By May most grazing management decisions have been made. Although this website focuses on drought, the common weather problem in Nevada, some of the ideas are applicable to other issues.