! Develop criteria -- "triggers" -- for drought-related actions
! Develop early warning systems
! Inventory water bank contracts to find new water supplies for drought-stricken areas
! Evaluate water quantity and quality from new sources
! Evaluate use of ground water
! Establish new data collection networks
! Study public willingness to pay more for more reliable water supplies
! Study effectiveness of conservation measures
! Monitor vulnerable public water suppliers
! Improve the accuracy of seasonal runoff and water supply forecasts
! Establish alert procedures for water quality problems
! Investigate business and farm/ranch diversification strategies
! Evaluate capacities to withstand losses associated with drought such as incomes, assets, credit
flexibility and decision-making processes, subsidy, loan, and welfare program applicability and
the effect of government programs and policies
! Conduct public surveys on environmental, economic, and cultural beliefs for appropriate
policy formulation
! Research drought impacts on various groups (i.e., occupation, socioeconomic group,
ethnicity, age, gender, or seniority) to select appropriate “target groups”
! Inventory and monitor natural resources within the relevant areas
! Conduct further research into the relationship between drought and fires
! Evaluate the use of marginally productive farm and rangelands