Rapid Readout: Impacts of Severe Drought

Check back soon for the video recording and highlights.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a Rapid Readout on the far-reaching implications of intensive drought across the country. For example, in the West, a lack of rain and snow this past winter, along with record-high temperatures, has sparked fears of a long wildfire season. In addition, a record-low snowpack means less water for reservoirs, which could lead to water shortages during the summer months, affecting economic activity, hydropower generation, and agriculture. This Rapid Readout connected the dots between this year’s water shortage and the broader multi-year megadrought in the West, and discussed the role of federal policymaking in safeguarding communities from impacts and generating long-term solutions.