MONTGOMERY— With the passage of new legislation, the State of Alabama has taken a step forward in recognizing drought as a long-term issue that requires constant vigilance because of the adverse impact it can have on residents, industries, agriculture and recreation.
Governor Robert Bentley signed into law the Alabama Drought Planning and Response Act on April 9, establishing state government’s role in planning, monitoring and responding to severely dry conditions.
Alabama experienced one of the driest years on record in 2007 and portions of the state have been affected
by drought at least six times since the early 1980s. Operating under the authority of a series of gubernatorial executive orders, the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs’ Office of Water Resources has served since 2002 as the state’s lead office for drought planning and response activities. During drought periods, OWR works with local water systems, farmers, reservoir operators and industries to encourage water conservation and to mitigate negative impacts like water shortages, pulp and paper mill shutdowns and crop failure.
The new law replaces executive orders issued by Bentley in 2011 and 2013, creates the Alabama Drought Planning and Assessment Team and defines permanent roles for OWR and other state agencies.
“Drought is a slow and silent natural disaster that can cause water shortages, job losses and damage to crops and livestock,” Bentley said. “With careful monitoring and planning, we can stay ahead of potential problems associated with drought and mitigate some of the negative impacts.”
Major provisions of the act include:
• Permanently establishing the Alabama Drought Planning and Assessment Team. The team advises the governor and OWR about state activities related to droughts and includes the Monitoring and Impact Subgroup that collects and analyzes stream-flow levels, rainfall, soil moisture and other drought-related data. The team is made up of representatives from Alabama Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Alabama Department of Environmental Management, Alabama National Guard, Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries, Geological Survey of Alabama, the Alabama State Climatologist, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Alabama Forestry Commission, Farm Service Agency, ALFA, Alabama Forestry Association, and the Choctawhatchee Pea and Yellow Rivers Watershed Management Authority.
• Requiring that OWR update the Alabama Drought Management Plan at least every five years. OWR issued a revised plan in 2013 that updates the specifies steps to be taken in response to potential drought conditions.
• Defining the role of the Alabama State Climatologist in coordinating with OWR to provide input about conditions in the Alabama for inclusion in the U.S. Drought Monitor Map, a weekly snapshot of drought conditions across the country.
• Directing each public water system in the state to create a water conservation plan -if not already developed- for responding to drought conditions and requiring the systems to report any drought-related water restrictions or conservation measures to OWR.
• Enabling OWR to issue Alabama drought declaration advisories based on data collected and analyzed by the Monitoring and Impact Group of the Alabama Drought Assessment and Planning Team.
More information about Alabama’s drought monitoring and planning process is available at www.adeca.alabama.gov/water.
MEDIA RELEASE/ALABAMA DEPARTMENT ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS
