The California Water Science Center publishes water-information on many topics, including drought, and in many formats. From this Web page, you can locate, view, download, or order scientific and technical articles and reports relating to the drought in California.
For general interest publications relating to California water science, such as booklets, fact sheets, pamphlets, and posters resulting from the research performed by our scientists and partners, please visit our Publications page.
State Water Board Drought Year Watershed Analyses
Since 2014, due to severe drought conditions, annual water availability analyses are performed to determine allocations to water right holders. Water availability analyses are available through water year 2017 (September 30, 2018) and are updated on a weekly basis.
U.S. Drought Monitor
The U.S. Drought Monitor, established in 1999, is a weekly map of drought conditions that is produced jointly by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
California Department of Water Resources (DWR)
National Weather Service
Official U.S. weather, marine, fire and aviation forecasts, warnings, meteorological products, climate forecasts and information about meteorology.
California Drought, Visualized with Open Data
This website graphically visualizes data to help understand the effect of drought on rivers, streams, lakes, and reservoirs.
Vegetation Mapping
This interactive map service provides regularly updated geospatial data related to drought conditions, including eMODIS VegDRI, AVHRR VegDRI, 7-Day Average Streamflows (USGS Water Watch), Precipitation Derivatives (NWS Precipitation Analysis), and the weekly U.S. Drought Monitor.
Where Does My Water Come From? (Water Education Foundation)
Website listing the drinking water sources for incorporated cities with a population of 10,000 or greater.
Moreland, J.A., 1993 Drought: U.S. Geological Survey Water Fact Sheet, Open-File Report 93-642, 2
Drought - The Stealth Disaster Part 1, Overview
Drought - The Stealth Disaster Part 2, Science for Drought Planning
USGS Water Science School: Questions and answers about droughts