Monitoring Drought in New Mexico
While there are many ways that a drought can be experienced, most drought monitoring and planning rely primarily on physical measurements of drought, such as rainfall and streamflow. The consequence is that drought monitoring can sometimes overlook ways that people and ecosystems are vulnerable to drought that are not immediately apparent in traditional drought indicators. This research engaged with the New Mexico Drought Monitoring Working Group and regional drought experts to understand current challenges in drought monitoring and identify opportunities for strengthening the monitoring process. The final report highlights current gaps in drought data and difficulties in aligning drought indicator data with they way that drought is experienced by local residents. Continued investment in drought data, such as groundwater recharge and soil moisture, along with continued investment in community engagement and trust-building, are crucial steps towards strengthening drought monitoring and response.
"I was interested in identifying gaps in drought monitoring, especially for people across different communities or from different economic sectors and trying to understand who is missing at the table. I asked people what their perspective on drought was. How do they define drought? How do they experience drought in their sectors? And what is missing?"
– Christina Greene, CLIMAS
CLIMAS Lead: Christina Greene
Research Team: Dan Ferguson
Partners: New Mexico Drought Monitoring Working Group