Drought-stricken U.S. states have more comprehensive water-related hazard planning

Abstract

Abstract Despite the devastating impacts of droughts, the United States lacks a national drought plan. This leaves states to address this challenge in water, hazard, and stand-alone drought plans which are designed to reduce drought vulnerability and to prepare government, industry, and society to cope with its impacts. Yet, there is limited empirical research that evaluates the comprehensiveness of these plans in terms of whether they include a range of measures from preparedness and mitigation to triggers for action and response. To fill this gap, we created an evaluation framework using principles from the drought mitigation literature. We evaluated 171 state-level plans with the framework, and simultaneously collected interview data to contextualize the results. The scoring results are then employed in a statistical analysis of whether states with higher physical exposure to drought have higher planning scores. The study finds states that have experienced more frequent and severe drought plan more comprehensively, suggesting that the occurrence of drought may be an intrinsic driver for planning. The results allow for generalizations about what states are doing to mitigate the effects of drought and suggest that worsening drought may be a driver for states to improve their planning.