Drought Response in Montana: Who does What . . . and When?

Montana has five stages to guide drought management. Increasing drought severity triggers progressively more intensive response at the state level. Explore the tabs below to understand what types drought management and response actions correspond to each stage of drought, and which agency or actor is responsible for each. 

Knowing who is responsible for each aspect of drought management in Montana is a huge part of making sure resources are efficiently allocated and delivered to local communities during a drought. Montana's operational and administrative framework for drought management identifies the key players involved in state-level management and shows the pathway from drought monitoring and assessment to state and federal-level declarations, which are what triggers the delivery of resources to local communities. Some of the key partners and their roles in drought management are:
 
Drought and Water Supply Advisory Committee (DWSAC) - DWSAC is the statutorily-defined committee that integrates state, federal, tribal, and local entities that are responsible for managing natural resources and supporting constituents affected by drought. DWSAC is chaired by a representative of the Governor’s Office and comprises seven additional voting members representing state agencies with direct roles in drought management, including the Montana Departments of: Agriculture (DOA); Commerce; Environmental Quality (DEQ); Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP); Livestock (DOL); Military Affairs – Disaster and Emergency Services (DES); and Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC). Members aid in assessing, responding to, and preparing for drought, and they also provide a range of expertise, knowledge, and technical assistance. DWSAC meets semi-regularly from March to October, as conditions warrant.

Drought Monitoring Subcommittee (Monitoring Subcommittee) - The Monitoring Subcommittee leads the weekly assessment of statewide drought conditions that provides the state's recommendation to the U.S. Drought Monitor. It is composed of representatives from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC); Montana State Library (MSL), Montana Climate Office (MCO), and the National Weather Service (NWS). The Monitoring Subcommittee is supported by a large network of affiliated federal, tribal, state, and local professionals who provide on-the-ground observations and water supply information.

Federal, State, Tribal, and Local Entities - DWSAC and the Monitoring Subcommittee are supported by federal, state, tribal, and local partners who help assess conditions and coordinate resources. Federal partners provide meteorological and hydrologic data, as well as financial assistance and planning programs. They include: NWS, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)- Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Farm Service Agency (FSA), the National Agricultural Statistics Service, and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Tribal governments and local partners report conditions and impacts and help to identify community needs and implement science-based solutions to address drought and water security. They include county and city governments, local planning organizations, non-governmental organizations, and other state partners, such as the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (MBMG) Groundwater Information Center and Montana State University Extension Service.

Figure caption: Montana's operational framework depicts the processes for drought monitoring and assessment, emergency declarations, and delivery of resources to local communities.