A partner-driven water resource management tool on the Navajo Nation

Without water, we cannot survive. Without the tools needed to understand the patterns of water availability, it is difficult to make decisions about how to manage water and provide resources to regions that need it most. On the Navajo Nation (NN), in the four corners of the southwestern U.S., there is a need for data-driven management of water resources. Water is scarce, highly variable, and drought declarations are common. Paired with in-situ rain gauge data, satellite-based remote sensing of precipitation, vegetation, and drought indices on the NN may improve upon the ability to monitor and report drought conditions. This project has created a cloud-based web application, the Drought Severity Evaluation Tool (DSET), for improved drought reporting that integrates remotely-sensed, modeled, and in-situ data on the NN. This tool harnesses the capabilities of Google Earth Engine (GEE), specifically through a partnership with the Desert Research Institute (DRI) and ClimateEngine.org, to conduct drought and land assessments. Tool development has been an engaged and iterative process with project partners at the NNDWR and beyond to ensure usability of the tool post-development. This engagement has included regular meetings and an in-person training with Navajo partners and others, that culminated in a feedback session for tool improvements. DSET provides insight for the use of additional drought metrics and reporting mechanisms that can assist in updating the Navajo Nation Drought Contingency Plan.