A Flash of Insight: Learning Lessons from the 2017 Northern Great Plains Drought

Abstract

A familiar saying among agricultural producers of the U.S. northern Great Plains region comprising Montana, the Dakotas, and the adjacent Canadian Prairies is, "We're always in a drought. It just depends on how bad it is in a given year." 2017 was a bad year. The 2017 northern Great Plains flash drought (a type of drought defined by its rapid onset or intensification) began in the spring, evolved rapidly through the summer, and became the most destructive drought in decades. The drought led to reduced agricultural production, wildfires, infrastructure damage, and financial, physical, and emotional hardship to those affected. Direct agricultural losses related to the drought exceeded $2.6 billion in the United States alone.This drought, and the devastation it caused motivated multiagency collaboration among academic, tribal, state, and federal partners to evaluate drought early warning systems, coordination efforts, communication, and management practices with the goal of improving resilience and accelerating the response to future droughts.