Disaster and Drought Information
The United States Department of Agriculture is working with producers, communities, affected states and other agencies to help address the current west-coast drought. Information on this page outlines programs and services available through USDA, coordinated with the seven agencies of the National Drought Resilience Partnership. USDA encourages affected producers to document their losses and to work closely with staff in their local USDA Service Centers.
Additional resources are available on the California Department of Food and Agriculture Drought website.
2015 Drought Disaster Updates
Disaster Fast Track Map Updated 07/01/15
Drought Disaster Designations Map (PDF, 6.4MB)
Text-only (accessible) version
Map shows designations due to drought across the country under USDA's amended rule. Any county declared a primary (red) or contiguous (orange) disaster county makes producers in that county eligible for certain emergency aid.
List of Designated Drought Disaster Counties (PDF, 244KB)
2014 Drought Disaster Updates
Disaster Fast Track Map Updated 03/25/15
Drought Disaster Designations Map (PDF, 3MB)
Text-only (accessible) version
Map shows designations due to drought across the country under USDA's amended rule. Any county declared a primary (red) or contiguous (orange) disaster county makes producers in that county eligible for certain emergency aid.
List of Designated Drought Disaster Counties (PDF, 365KB)
Drought News
- USDA Provides Aid to 73,000 Rural Californians Impacted by Drought (USDA Press Release 7/18/14)
- USDA Provides 12-Week Progress Update on Disaster Assistance (USDA Press Release 7/9/14)
- Reclamation in Partnership with Natural Resources Conservation Service Announces $6.3 Million to Fund Projects for Improved Agricultural Water Use Efficiencies in Drought-Stricken California (Natural Resources Conservation Service Press Release 5/6/14)
- USDA Continues to Support Oregon's Upper Klamath Basin, Helps Landowners Conserve Water (Natural Resources Conservation Service Press Release 5/2/14)
- US Forest Service Proposes New Management Practices for Stewardship of Water Resources (Forest Service Press Release 5/2/14)
- Cost of Fighting Wildfires in 2014 Projected to be Hundreds of Millions of Dollars over Amount Available (Forest Service Press Release 5/1/14)
- USDA Designates 240 Counties in Texas as Primary Natural Disaster Areas with Assistance to Producers in Surrounding Area (Farm Service Agency Press Release 4/23/14)
- Sign-Up Begins Today for USDA Disaster Assistance Programs Restored by Farm Bill (USDA Press Release 4/15/14)
- Obama Administration Announces Additional Assistance to Californians Impacted by Drought (USDA Press Release 2/14/14)
- USDA's Emergency Conservation Program Approved for Drought Assistance in Multiple California Counties (Farm Service Agency Press Release 2/5/14 - PDF, 86KB)
- Federal Agencies and State of California Coordinating Response to Drought (U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Press Release 2/5/14)
- USDA Launches Effort to Assist California Producers Affected by Drought (USDA Press Release 2/4/14)
- Obama Administration's National Drought Resilience Partnership to Help Communities Prepare for Drought (USDA Press Release 11/15/13)
Fact Sheets
- Farm Service Agency Livestock Forage Disaster Program (PDF, 240KB)
- Food and Nutrition Service Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) in California (PDF, 75KB)
- Food and Nutrition Service Summer Food Service Program in California (PDF, 73KB)
- Risk Management Agency Drought Fact Sheets
- Rural Development Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants (ECWAG) (PDF, 46KB)
U.S. Drought Monitor
The U.S. Drought Monitor
shows current drought conditions in the U.S.