Federal drought planning in the Great Plains — A first look

Abstract

Drought - the climatic nemesis of the Great Plains - has long been a topic of concern. With this situation in mind, one might wonder if the United States government ever engaged in efforts geared toward strengthening the region's resistence to this recurring phenomenon. That inquiry is explored here. In so doing, the paper presents an historical sampling of the federal role in drought planning - by the way of legislative and other means - for the period, late 1870's to 1940. Included in the sampling are the J. W. Powell report, dry-land farming, irrigation, shelterbelts, and crop insurance - to name but a few. When these drought planning measures are examined as a unit, it provides a basis for some interpretative observations - summarized in the conclusions. The postscript is a commentary on the concept of a national drought planning policy.

Categorized as the precursor to an impact assessment study, this work can serve as a reference point for additional interdisciplinary research not only on the subject of drought planning but also on the manner in which segments of society interact with climate and (as in this case) its varying components. The climatically intense Great Plains, its diversity hidden beneath a cape of perceived sameness, offers an ideal research focus but is but one example. Thus, the way seems clear for geographers, historians, sociologists, political scientists, economists, and others to continue to become increasingly involved in, and make significant contributions to, such climate-related investigations.