Curious About US Drought? The United States Drought Monitor Has Answers (and Data)

How bad is the drought in California right now?  Are there droughts elsewhere in the US?  Is there a water conservation crisis in my hometown or state?  How does the water situation now compared to last week, or even last year?   Fortunately, the United States Drought Monitor provides real time data on droughts through the country.  This authoritative source is great for concerned citizens, homeowners, students looking for information for environmental science projects on water or drought, and for anyone with an interest in the environment. 

The map is regularly updated so be sure to bookmark the link provided, but we included some samples in this post so you can see the types of information offered (including news updates, explanations of the terms used and science involved, and many helpful graphs and tables with scientific data related to drought in the United States).  

You can also checkout more detailed rundowns of different areas.  For instance, the section on the west provides detailed information on California, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, New Mexico, Iowa, Wyoming, Colorado, and Idaho.  Remember to visit the page, as it has up to date information and interactive maps.  

The U.S. Drought Monitor is jointly produced by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Map courtesy of NDMC-UNL.