Farmers, ranchers, insurers, agronomists and more all rely on current and reliable drought information in Alabama. Since 2023, a data collection program operated by a consortium of state agriculture and research partners has made it easy — and even vital, in fact — for property owners and other interested Alabama residents to take part in an effort to make sure the state offers drought information everyone can count on.

Providing climate data statewide, the Alabama Drought Reach (ADR) program is a collaborative effort by the Auburn University Water Resources Center, Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station (AAES), Alabama Cooperative Extension System and the Alabama State Climatologist’s Office. 

Together, these partners collect relevant information and help the public prepare for changing conditions — and they invite your help in contributing local data. 

Begun in 2023, ADR delivers weekly online drought summaries that are accessible to all. Extension agents use an internal survey to complete an assessment of specific locations. Every Monday, the Alabama state climatologist receives this information and includes it in the state report it submits to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

“The U.S. Drought Monitor is a key resource for tracking conditions nationwide,” the Alabama Cooperative Extension System said in a statement. “As a result, data is widely used by researchers, policymakers and land managers. However, the U.S. Drought Monitor does not rely solely on statistics; it incorporates physical data with drought impacts. Moreover, approximately 450 experts contribute to ensuring data precision.”

Farmer and Landowner Contributions

That’s where local farmers, landowners, and other interested Alabama residents can help. Cumulatively, they all can provide individual input through an online survey called Condition Monitoring Observer Reports (CMOR). Managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the reporting system collects contributed data nationwide and makes it available to the public. The data also is used to determine drought conditions and evaluate areas of concern.

Anyone can submit a CMOR drought report for their local area on the Alabama Drought Reach website. Data is compiled and analyzed to generate updates. The survey has a few simple questions and allows users to upload a photo for visual drought analysis.

Kent Stanford, associate professor and specialist with Alabama Extension at Auburn University, encourages Alabamians to take part in the program regardless of climatic conditions.

“We are pleased with the success of the buy-in to the ADR program, but continued support is vital to maintaining data,” said Stanford. “Fortunately, people are very inclined to submit data when we are dry. However, once the rain comes, they tend to slack off, but we need hydrological data to provide the most accurate reports.”

Agricultural producers depend on the latest drought data being readily available. For that reason, the most valid information combines boots-on-the-ground assessments through the ADR survey. It also includes producer input through CMOR reports along with vast weather data from the state climate office. For example, in 2024, ADR generated 52 drought reports and 35 crop impact reports to give farmers insight into conditions affecting production.

Insurance and Disaster Relief

Precise drought data collection is especially critical when crop insurance payouts begin to arrive. 

The Farm Service Agency (FSA), an agency within the USDA, uses U.S. Drought Monitor categories to determine whether a county qualifies for assistance programs. The availability of valid weekly data is vital for the U.S. Drought Monitor to reflect verified conditions.

The Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) calculates payments to livestock forage producers based on the weekly U.S. Drought Monitor. As a result, timely on-the-ground data is crucial to these producers being able to fully benefit from disaster relief and recoup some of their losses. Consequently, this program is based solely on drought severity and the number of weeks a county spends in specific levels of drought to qualify for assistance.

In addition, Whole-Farm Revenue Protection through the USDA’s Risk Management Agency also offers assistance with drought coverage for producers of varying commodities. Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), under the provisions of the Federal Crop Insurance Act, allows growers to purchase insurance coverage for their operations.

The Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station (AAES) plays an important role in data collection with ADR. AAES outlying units are equipped with weather stations — called Auburn’s Weather Exchange — by agricultural software service Medius Ag. By combining ADR reports submitted by Alabama Extension and AAES personnel at the outlying units with Auburn Weather Exchange data, the state is able to achieve more comprehensive drought monitoring.

To contribute to the collective effort and report conditions at your location, visit the Alabama Drought Reach website at aaes.auburn.edu/wrc/extension-outreach2/al-drought-reach.