Staging version updated 12/5/2023

An initiative of the Center for Environmental Journalism at the University of Colorado Boulder

Data viz: explore our interactive dashboards for drought, precipitation and snowpack

These maps and visualizations let you interact with vital data on our water supply.

A dry subject: how scientists map drought conditions

Scientists have a variety of measures of drought, but some are starting to use the term "aridification" to describe the long-term drying of the Southwest.

Climate change will mean more multiyear snow droughts in the West

Ifclimate change continues relatively unabated, consecutive years with snow drought conditions will become much more common, with impacts on cities, agriculture, forests, wildlife and winter sports.
us drought monitor ecowest dashboard

Map: weekly drought reports

This map depicts data from the National Drought Mitigation Center. Drought intensity categories are based on numerous indicators and local reports from more than 350 expert observers around the...

Map: U.S. dams and reservoirs

The Global Reservoir and Dam Database (GRaND) is a survey listing about 7,000 larger dams and reservoirs worldwide, including 1,920 in the United States. Data includes such parameters as...
Snowpack dashboard screenshot

Map: daily nationwide snowpack

This map shows daily snowpack estimates for the contiguous United States since October 2003. Using the dropdown menu above the chart – or clicking a state on the map...