Drought Management Plans in Major Cities in Alabama and the Southeastern United States

The severe drought that struck California over the last several years has led to greater awareness of the consequences of water scarcity and the lack of effective drought policy. The Southeastern U.S. is not immune to this threat, as evidenced by the devastating droughts of 2007 and 2016 and the ongoing Tri-State Water Wars. Without adequate management and effective planning, drought impacts are likely to become longer lasting and more severe. While 47 states have a drought action or response plan in effect, they are unlikely to address the local needs, policies, and implementable actions that mitigate the effects and long-term consequences of drought. Preliminary research suggests that drought management plans are much more common in the Western U.S. than the Southeast. Therefore, this study investigates local drought management plans in the Southeast and offers insight and recommendations for developing a successful plan for local communities. Characteristics of these local management plans are analyzed for a definition of drought, implementable actions (for example, over-consumption surcharges and restrictions prohibiting the washing of cars and outdoor recreation during the drought period), clear enforcement, conservation measures during non-drought periods, and goals for mitigating the impacts of future droughts. This study provides a multi-state policy analysis for several key cities in the Southeast (e.g. Birmingham, Auburn, Dothan, Tuscaloosa, Montgomery, Columbus, Atlanta, and Macon) and the Western U.S. (e.g. Los Angeles, Sacramento, and Tucson). Few studies have critically analyzed drought management plans and conceptualized the overall quality of the mitigation strategies before, during, and post-drought crises. As a proactive approach to addressing water scarcity issues and the threats of depleted freshwater supplies, these comparative and inductive methods are necessary to optimize present and future water availability of this limited resource.