The University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) announced on June 25 that it will establish a new applied research center to help decision makers manage drought risk. The Drought Risk Management Research Center (DRMRC) will complement the work of the UNL-based National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC).
The mission of the NDMC is to help people, governments and institutions prepare for and reduce their vulnerability to drought. The NDMC was established at UNL in 1995 to facilitate the development of measures to reduce society’s vulnerability to drought by stressing risk management and preparedness rather than crisis management. The DRMRC will enhance the capabilities of the NDMC and the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) by enhancing drought preparedness and planning in the context of multi-hazard mitigation planning. NIDIS, which is led by NOAA, integrates via a single web portal all federal resources on drought monitoring, early warning and preparedness.