HELENA — The Governor’s Drought and Water Supply Advisory Committee met Thursday at the DNRC headquarters to discuss the latest step in developing drought resiliency in Montana.
The latest milestone: a new management plan and accompanying website has officially been launched.
This comes after several years of work and public engagement.
“What it means to have an updated drought plan is first of all, it kind of documents and daylights who does what with drought management in response, which different agencies, local, state, federal, so people can have a clearer idea of who's in charge of what," Cori Hach, DNRC Water Planning, Implementation, and Communication Bureau Chief, told MTN News.
The new plan includes a breakdown of drought response in Montana. Who does what and when? This comprehensive document has the answers, as well as a guide to ongoing drought monitoring throughout the state.
"I think people were just really interested to hear how that process works. It's a weekly process involving multiple different people from multiple different agencies," Hach explained.
The updated plan aims to help local and regional planners figure out where to direct resources during periods of drought.
The plan was last renewed over 25 years ago, before the invention of a key tool.
"So the last time that Montana Drought Management Plan was updated was in 1995, which predated the invention of the US Drought Monitor, which is now the kind of classification system for drought and the way to any kind of federal aid that comes into the state during a disaster declaration," Hach said.
Explore the new plan and website here:
