Severe drought can cause significant economic harm, affect nearly all areas of the country, and exacerbate water competition. California and much of the western United States are experiencing prolonged drought. As California experiences its fourth year of drought and the Southwest endures more than a decade of drought conditions, western water management is likely to remain an issue before Congress. On January 17, 2014, Governor Jerry Brown declared a drought emergency in California. In addition, the Secretary of Agriculture has issued disaster declarations for parts of many drought-stricken states. With enactment of the permanent livestock/fruit tree disaster programs in the 2014 farm bill (P.L. 113-79), nearly all segments of the U.S. farm sector are now covered by a standing disaster program.
While the technology and science to predict droughts have improved, regional predictions remain limited to a few months in advance. The physical conditions causing drought in the United States are increasingly understood to be linked to sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the tropical Pacific Ocean. Although the impacts of drought can be significant nationally as well as regionally, comprehensive national drought policy does not exist. Developing such a policy would represent a significant challenge because of split federal and nonfederal responsibilities, the existing patchwork of federal drought programs, and differences in regional conditions and risks.
The following table provides access to names and contact information for CRS experts on policy concerns relating to drought in the United States. Policy areas identified include impacts on various sectors, response and recovery, and weather and science. (For additional information, see CRS Report R43407, Drought in the United States: Causes and Current Understanding, by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed].)
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Legislative Issues |
Name/Title |
Phone |
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Impacts |
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Farm-related Issues |
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Crops |
Renee Johnson |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Employment |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Livestock |
Joel Greene |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Market Impacts |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Water Availability |
Betsy Cody |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Electric Power Production |
Richard Campbell |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Environment |
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Drinking Water Quality |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Ecosystems and Species |
Pervaze Sheikh Specialist in Natural Resources Policy |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Lynne Corn Specialist in Natural Resources Policy |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Wildfire |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Response and Recovery |
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U.S. Department of Agriculture Disaster Assistance |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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U.S. Department of Agriculture Conservation Programs |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Bureau of Reclamation |
Betsy Cody |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
Nicole Carter |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Weather and Science |
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Climate Variability |
Jane Leggett |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Satellite Technology and Observations |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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U.S. Drought Monitor |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |