This web site is provided by the United States Geological Survey’s (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program as part of our effort to reduce earthquake hazard in the United States. In the 2004 reauthorization of NEHRP by Congress, NIST has been given the lead role to plan and coordinate this national effort to mitigate earthquake losses by developing and applying earth science data and assessments essential for land-use planning, engineering design, and emergency preparedness decisions.

Why a drought atlas? Every time there is a drought event, the question is asked, “How does this drought compare……”, and the comparisons are usually to the last drought event, the drought of record for an area or a significant/historical drought that was remembered even outside of the area impacted. This information, up to this point, has not been readily available at individual stations, and more often than not has only been available for climate divisions. Information contained in the NDMC Drought Risk Atlas will answer all of these questions as well as provide a user-friendly portal to access these data.