Developing Strategies to Maximize Available Water Supplies and Reduce Water Use During Times of Shortage

Chronic drought conditions from inadequate snowpack and reduced precipitation levels are a significant concern for the City. Given the susceptibility of Montana to drought, the City initiated development of a Drought Management Plan to establish procedures to better predict, manage, and mitigate drought impacts, or an event that compromises the ability to provide water to the community.

The Drought Management Plan created by AE2S in collaboration with the City focuses on six key tasks:

• Vulnerability Assessment: Evaluate existing water resources drought and related event impacts.
• Drought Monitoring Plan: Identify critical parameters to be monitored, predict, measure, and assess drought severity.
• Drought Mitigation Plan: Establish protocol for actions, programs, and strategies for implementation to increase system resiliency and lessen drought impacts.
• Drought Response Plan: Identify drought stage triggers and recommend actions to reduce demand, encourage water savings, and enforce ordinances.
• Operational and Administrative Framework: Identify roles, responsibilities, and procedures to support drought monitoring, initiate mitigation/response, and update the plan.
• Drought Management Plan Update: Establish a process to monitor effectiveness of the drought management plan, consider enhancements, and implement changes.