Wyoming Water Restrictions 2026

Water restrictions across Wyoming right now

Wyoming enters 2026 in a position that many western states can only envy: no active water restrictions are in place anywhere across the state. From the high-elevation ranching corridors of Sublette County to the energy corridors of Campbell County, municipal water systems are operating under normal conditions, with no emergency declarations, no mandatory cutback orders, and no voluntary conservation appeals currently issued by any tracked jurisdiction.

Cities such as Casper and Cheyenne — Wyoming's two most populous communities and the anchors of the state's municipal water infrastructure — are both reporting unrestricted water use as of 2026. Casper's system, which draws heavily from the North Platte River and the Casper Mountain watershed, is maintaining healthy storage levels at Alcova Reservoir and Pathfinder Reservoir. Cheyenne's water enterprise, managed by the Board of Public Utilities, is reporting stable conditions at Crystal Reservoir and Granite Reservoir, both fed by tributaries originating in the Laramie Range.

This favorable status reflects a combination of above-average precipitation during the 2025 water year, robust snowpack accumulation in the Wind River Range and the Sierra Madre, and careful long-term planning by Wyoming's water managers. The state's relatively low population density — fewer than 600,000 residents spread across nearly 98,000 square miles — also reduces aggregate demand pressure compared to neighboring Colorado and Utah, where metropolitan growth has strained reservoir systems for years.

That said, Wyoming water officials are careful not to characterize normal conditions as permanent security. The state sits at the headwaters of several major western river basins, including the Green River, the Snake River, and the North Platte River, and downstream compact obligations mean that even in years of adequate moisture, managers must balance in-state consumption against interstate delivery commitments made under compacts dating back to 1922.

Agricultural users, who account for the overwhelming majority of Wyoming's consumptive water use — often estimated at more than 85 percent of total diversions — are also operating without curtailments in 2026. The State Engineer's Office has not issued any priority calls on major streams that would force junior water rights holders to cease diversion, a further indicator of the system-wide balance currently in place.

For Wyoming residents monitoring their own water bills or planning landscaping projects, 2026 represents an opportunity to engage with voluntary conservation habits that can buffer against future shortage years. Local utilities in Cheyenne and Casper continue to promote their existing efficiency programs even in the absence of mandated restrictions, emphasizing that the best time to build conservation habits is precisely when water is plentiful and the pressure to act has temporarily lifted.

Fines and enforcement in Wyoming

Water restriction enforcement in Wyoming operates at the municipal level, with no overarching state statute that mandates specific penalty structures for municipal conservation violations. Each city and special water district sets its own enforcement mechanisms through municipal code, which means penalty schedules vary somewhat across the state, though the general architecture is similar in larger utilities.

In Cheyenne, the Board of Public Utilities enforcement structure for irrigation violations during declared conservation stages typically proceeds through a warning-based escalation. A first offense in any given season results in a written notice with no monetary penalty, allowing the customer to correct their behavior. A second offense within the same season triggers a fine in the range of $50 to $100, assessed directly on the water bill. A third offense can result in fines of $250 or more, and repeat violators may be subject to flow restrictors installed on their service lines — physical devices that reduce maximum flow to a level sufficient for indoor essential use but inadequate for outdoor irrigation.

Casper's municipal code contains comparable provisions, and both cities rely heavily on complaint-based enforcement rather than proactive patrol systems. Residents can report suspected violations to utility customer service lines or through online complaint portals, and field inspectors typically respond to complaints within one to three business days during active restriction periods. Given Wyoming's sprawling geography and relatively modest municipal staff levels, proactive drive-by enforcement is generally reserved for commercial properties and large irrigated parcels rather than individual residential lots.

Advanced metering infrastructure — commonly called AMI or smart meters — has been gradually expanding in Wyoming's larger utilities. Cheyenne's Board of Public Utilities has invested in AMI deployment, which allows staff to identify anomalous nighttime water use that may indicate irrigation system malfunctions or schedule violations, even without a citizen complaint. Casper has similarly accelerated its AMI rollout, with interval data from meters enabling the utility to generate water use reports that can flag customers consuming at rates inconsistent with declared restriction stages.

Appeals of fines are handled administratively through the utility's customer service division in both cities, with a formal hearing process available if the customer disputes the violation finding. Customers who believe their landscaping or occupancy circumstances warrant exemption — such as properties with newly planted trees under drought stress — can apply for a variance through a written process coordinated with the utility's conservation office.

HOA protections in Wyoming

Wyoming does not have a statute that broadly prohibits homeowners associations from restricting or penalizing water-efficient landscaping choices in the way that several other western states have enacted. States like Colorado, Nevada, and California have passed specific laws limiting HOA authority to mandate water-intensive turf or to fine residents for xeriscape installations made during drought emergencies. Wyoming has not enacted equivalent legislation as of 2026.

The primary body of law governing HOA authority in Wyoming is the Wyoming Homeowners Association Act, codified at Wyoming Statutes Title 34, Chapter 26. This statute establishes general governance requirements for homeowners associations, including requirements for open meetings, record-keeping, and due process in enforcement actions. However, it does not contain provisions specifically addressing landscaping mandates or water conservation exemptions that would supersede HOA covenants.

This means that in practice, Wyoming homeowners subject to HOA covenants who wish to convert their lawns to drought-tolerant landscaping — buffalo grass, blue grama, or native sagebrush plantings — may face covenant enforcement actions if the HOA's architectural guidelines require maintained turf or prohibit xeriscaping without committee approval. HOA boards in Wyoming retain broad authority under their declarations and bylaws to regulate the appearance of landscaped areas, including plant species selections.

The Wyoming Legislature has periodically considered but not passed landscaping protection measures similar to those in other Rocky Mountain states. Water conservation advocates, including representatives from the Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts, have pointed out that HOA turf mandates can actively work against municipal conservation programs, particularly in new subdivisions in the Cheyenne and Casper metropolitan areas where HOA governance is widespread.

Homeowners navigating this landscape in 2026 are advised to review their specific CC&Rs carefully before undertaking landscaping conversions, and to submit formal requests to their HOA architectural review committee in writing to establish a documented record. Some HOAs in Wyoming have voluntarily updated their covenants to permit or encourage drought-tolerant landscaping, particularly those located in communities where the municipal utility actively promotes xeriscape through its conservation programs. Consulting a Wyoming real estate attorney regarding HOA covenant interpretation is advisable before making significant landscaping investments.

Where Wyoming gets its water

Wyoming occupies a remarkable hydrological position: it is the only state in the continental United States that contributes water to three separate oceanic drainages. Precipitation falling on the western side of the Continental Divide flows into the Colorado River Basin via the Green River, while water on the eastern slope feeds the Missouri River Basin through the North Platte, Powder, Tongue, and Bighorn rivers. Water from the northwest drains into the Columbia River system through the Snake River. This geographic complexity makes Wyoming's water supply picture unusually diverse but also unusually complicated from a management and interstate compact standpoint.

The Green River is among Wyoming's most strategically important watercourses. Rising in the Wind River Range near Pinedale, it flows south through Sublette County and into the Flaming Gorge Reservoir, which straddles the Wyoming-Utah border. Flaming Gorge, operated by the Bureau of Reclamation, holds approximately 3.79 million acre-feet at full capacity and serves as a critical storage buffer for both Wyoming and downstream Colorado River compact states.

On the eastern slope, the North Platte River system anchors water supply for central Wyoming. Pathfinder Reservoir, constructed in 1909 by the Bureau of Reclamation near Alcova, holds up to 1.02 million acre-feet and feeds Alcova Reservoir downstream, which in turn serves Casper's municipal system along with extensive agricultural irrigation in Natrona County. Seminoe Reservoir, further upstream on the North Platte near Rawlins, adds additional storage capacity and supports hydropower generation.

The Bighorn Basin in north-central Wyoming is served by the Bighorn River and its major tributary, the Shoshone River, which is impounded by Buffalo Bill Reservoir west of Cody. Constructed in 1910, Buffalo Bill Reservoir holds approximately 636,000 acre-feet and is the primary water source for irrigation in Park County. The Wind River, before it becomes the Bighorn north of the Wind River Canyon, provides critical supply to Fremont County irrigators and the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho nations of the Wind River Indian Reservation, whose water rights — confirmed in the landmark 1989 Wyoming Supreme Court case In re General Adjudication of All Rights to Use Water in the Big Horn River System — represent the senior priority in the entire Bighorn Basin.

Groundwater also plays a meaningful role in Wyoming's supply portfolio, particularly in the Laramie Basin, where the Fox Hills-Lance Aquifer provides supplemental supply to municipal and agricultural users. Cheyenne draws on the Ogallala Aquifer at its southeastern margin for emergency backup capacity, though the city's primary supply remains surface water from the Laramie Range watershed. Snowpack accumulation in the Wind River Range, the Absaroka Range, and the Wyoming Range is the dominant driver of annual streamflow variability across virtually every basin in the state.

How Wyoming's drought framework works

Wyoming's formal response to drought conditions is coordinated through the Wyoming State Engineer's Office, which holds constitutional authority over water administration across the state under the prior appropriation doctrine enshrined in Article 8 of the Wyoming Constitution. Unlike states that rely primarily on executive emergency declarations to trigger conservation measures, Wyoming's framework is deeply intertwined with its water rights hierarchy, meaning that drought response often manifests as priority administration rather than voluntary or mandatory use restrictions in the traditional municipal sense.

The Wyoming State Drought Plan, developed in coordination with the Wyoming Water Development Office and the Governor's Office, establishes a four-phase framework keyed to U.S. Drought Monitor categories. Phase 1 is triggered when Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions persist across significant portions of the state and focuses on enhanced monitoring and stakeholder communication. Phase 2 corresponds to Moderate Drought (D1) designation and activates formal coordination between the State Engineer's Office, the Wyoming Department of Agriculture, and regional water planning entities.

Phase 3, aligned with Severe Drought (D2) status, empowers the State Engineer to expedite water rights priority calls and opens the door for municipalities to implement voluntary conservation programs with state technical support. Phase 4 — the most serious tier, triggered by Extreme (D3) or Exceptional (D4) drought designations — can involve emergency water use orders, accelerated adjudication of disputes, and formal requests for federal drought assistance through the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's WaterSMART program, which manages federal infrastructure including Flaming Gorge Reservoir on the Green River and Pathfinder Reservoir on the North Platte.

Key trigger metrics used by the State Engineer's Office include streamflow percentiles at USGS gauge stations on the North Platte at Alcova, the Green River at Warren Bridge, and the Snake River above Jackson Lake. When seven-day average flows fall below the 25th percentile of historical records at two or more of these sentinel gauges simultaneously, internal protocols call for elevated monitoring posture. Reservoir storage at Seminoe Reservoir, Boysen Reservoir, and Buffalo Bill Reservoir near Cody also serve as critical indicators for basin-specific response decisions.

Wyoming's drought framework also incorporates guidance from the Upper Colorado River Commission and the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program, reflecting the interstate dimension of the state's water obligations. Municipalities that wish to implement their own tiered conservation programs — such as staged watering schedules or rebate accelerations — typically do so under home-rule authority, coordinating with but not waiting for state-level drought phase declarations.

Conservation programs in Wyoming

Although Wyoming is not under drought emergency conditions in 2026, both state agencies and municipal utilities maintain active conservation programs designed to reduce per-capita water use, improve infrastructure efficiency, and build the demand-side flexibility that will be critical in future dry years.

The Wyoming Water Development Office administers the Water Conservation Technical Assistance Program, which provides engineering and planning support to municipalities, irrigation districts, and water user associations seeking to reduce system losses or implement more efficient delivery technologies. This program provides cost-share funding for feasibility studies, with the state typically covering up to 50 percent of study costs. Canal lining projects and pressurized irrigation conversion studies have been supported through this mechanism in Fremont and Hot Springs counties.

Cheyenne's Board of Public Utilities operates one of Wyoming's most comprehensive municipal conservation programs. The utility offers rebates of up to $200 per residential customer for the installation of WaterSense-certified irrigation controllers, which use weather data to automatically adjust watering schedules and can reduce outdoor water use by 15 to 30 percent compared to timer-based systems. A separate rebate of up to $100 is available for the replacement of older, inefficient toilets with WaterSense-labeled models using 1.28 gallons per flush or less.

Cheyenne's Board of Public Utilities also offers free residential water audits conducted by trained conservation specialists who assess indoor fixture efficiency, irrigation system coverage and uniformity, and soil moisture conditions. Customers who complete an audit and implement the recommendations typically see annual water use reductions of 10 to 20 percent, according to utility program evaluations.

The Casper Board of Public Utilities has invested in water conservation education through its partnership with the Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service, offering xeriscape plant demonstration gardens at the city's Hogadon Basin recreational area and hosting seasonal workshops on efficient irrigation practices for Natrona County residents.

At the state level, the Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts coordinates with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service to deliver the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to agricultural water users across Wyoming. EQIP funding in Wyoming has historically ranged from $15 million to $25 million annually, supporting irrigation efficiency upgrades such as drip irrigation conversion, soil moisture monitoring equipment, and pivot system retrofits that can reduce field application rates by 20 to 40 percent without reducing crop yield. Producers in the Bighorn Basin, the Laramie Valley, and along the North Platte corridor have been among the most active EQIP participants in recent years.

Lawn care in Wyoming's climate

Wyoming's climate presents a genuine challenge for residential lawn management. Elevations ranging from 3,500 feet in the Bighorn Basin to over 6,000 feet in Cheyenne and higher in mountain communities create growing conditions that are cool, dry, and intensely sunny — a combination that favors drought-tolerant grasses and penalizes water-hungry species that may thrive in humid climates to the east.

Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) remains the most widely planted turf grass in Wyoming residential neighborhoods, prized for its dense, attractive appearance and its ability to survive harsh winters. However, Kentucky bluegrass is among the highest water-consuming turf species, requiring 1.5 to 2.5 inches of supplemental irrigation per week during Wyoming's dry summer months — a demand that strains both household water budgets and municipal supply systems during drought periods. Its use in new landscaping is increasingly discouraged by Wyoming Cooperative Extension turfgrass specialists, particularly in lower-elevation, higher-temperature communities like Casper and Cheyenne.

Turf-type tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) is gaining favor as a lower-input alternative in Wyoming's transition zone communities. Tall fescue's deeper root system — reaching 18 to 36 inches compared to Kentucky bluegrass's 6 to 12 inches — allows it to access soil moisture reserves more effectively and reduces irrigation frequency by 20 to 30 percent under similar conditions. It tolerates Wyoming's wide day-night temperature swings better than many turf alternatives.

Buffalo grass (Bouteloua dactyloides) is the most drought-tolerant option available to Wyoming homeowners in lower-elevation areas. A native species of the Great Plains, buffalo grass can survive on as little as 12 to 15 inches of annual precipitation once established, which approximates natural rainfall levels in Cheyenne and the eastern Wyoming plains. It goes dormant and turns golden-brown during extreme heat but recovers quickly after moisture returns. Its primary limitation is a shorter green season than Kentucky bluegrass, typically from late May through early September.

Blue grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis), often seeded in combination with buffalo grass, adds visual texture and exceptional cold hardiness appropriate for Wyoming's elevation range. Crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum) is a widely used option for dryland revegetation and larger turf areas where a uniform mowing surface is less critical. Wyoming Cooperative Extension recommends that homeowners transitioning to drought-tolerant turf sow these species in late summer — August through mid-September — to take advantage of fall rains and soil temperatures favorable for germination before hard frost.

Drought history and 2026 outlook in Wyoming

Wyoming's water history is punctuated by drought cycles that have tested its agricultural communities, strained its reservoir systems, and shaped the policy frameworks the state uses today. Understanding this history provides essential context for interpreting current normal conditions as an interval within a longer pattern of variability rather than a permanent baseline.

The 2002 drought stands as perhaps the most severe and widespread drought event in Wyoming's modern recorded history. That year, the U.S. Drought Monitor classified most of Wyoming under Extreme (D3) or Exceptional (D4) conditions by midsummer. Pathfinder Reservoir on the North Platte dropped to critically low storage levels, and the State Engineer's Office issued priority calls that curtailed water use by thousands of junior right holders across multiple basins. Boysen Reservoir on the Wind River fell to roughly 40 percent of capacity, severely impacting irrigation deliveries in the Bighorn Basin. Statewide agricultural losses were estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

The years 2007 and 2008 brought another significant drought cycle, particularly affecting the Green River Basin in western Wyoming. Streamflows in the upper Green River dropped to below the 10th percentile at the Warren Bridge gauge station, and Fontenelle Reservoir, which holds approximately 345,000 acre-feet and serves irrigators in Lincoln and Sweetwater counties, drew down substantially below historical seasonal norms.

The 2012 drought, which devastated much of the Great Plains and Midwest, also reached into Wyoming, particularly the eastern counties. Powder River Basin streamflows were well below average through the summer, and ranchers in Crook, Campbell, and Weston counties faced severe hay shortages and emergency livestock water hauling situations.

A prolonged dry period from 2020 through 2022 reinvigorated concerns about long-term aridification trends. Buffalo Bill Reservoir west of Cody fell to historically low levels during the summer of 2021, and the Bureau of Reclamation issued warnings about reduced delivery capacity for Shoshone Project irrigators in Park County. This episode accelerated discussion within the Wyoming Water Development Office about the need for additional storage capacity and demand management tools in the Bighorn Basin — conversations that continue to inform water planning in 2026.

Wyoming's water outlook heading into the core of the 2026 water year is cautiously optimistic, grounded in above-average snowpack accumulation through the winter of 2025-2026 in the Wind River Range, the Absaroka-Beartooth highlands, and the Wyoming Range. Natural Resources Conservation Service SNOTEL data from sites including the Togwotee Pass station and the Pole Creek station in the Wind River Range recorded snowpack values at or above the median for the majority of the season, translating into favorable runoff prospects for spring and early summer streamflow.

Reservoir storage entering 2026 is at healthy levels across most basins. Pathfinder Reservoir on the North Platte entered the water year near 75 percent of capacity, and Seminoe Reservoir was similarly well-positioned. Boysen Reservoir in the Wind River Basin entered spring with storage above its ten-year average for this period. Flaming Gorge Reservoir, while managed under agreements involving Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado, was holding above operational targets set by the Bureau of Reclamation's 2023 revised operating criteria.

The primary variables to watch through the remainder of 2026 are late-spring precipitation patterns and summer temperatures. Climate models from NOAA's Climate Prediction Center suggest above-normal temperature probabilities for the interior West through the summer of 2026, which increases evaporative demand and can accelerate snowmelt timing in ways that reduce late-summer streamflows even in years with adequate winter accumulation.

Wyoming water managers are also monitoring the status of the Colorado River Basin Drought Contingency Plan provisions that affect Flaming Gorge operations, as reduced downstream storage at Lake Powell or Lake Mead could trigger operational changes at Flaming Gorge that affect Wyoming's water accounting. The Upper Colorado River Commission's annual coordination meeting outcomes will be a key signal to watch for Wyoming's western basin water users through the 2026 season.

Frequently asked questions about Wyoming water restrictions

Are there any water restrictions in Wyoming in 2026?

No. As of 2026, Wyoming has no active water restrictions at the state level or in any tracked municipality, including Casper and Cheyenne. Both cities are reporting normal water system operations, with no emergency declarations, mandatory cutback orders, or formal voluntary conservation appeals in effect. This reflects a combination of healthy snowpack in the Wind River Range and other mountain systems, above-average precipitation during the 2025 water year, and reservoir storage at or above seasonal norms at facilities including Pathfinder Reservoir, Alcova Reservoir, and Boysen Reservoir.

Who is legally responsible for water use restrictions in Wyoming?

Water administration authority in Wyoming rests primarily with the State Engineer's Office under Article 8 of the Wyoming Constitution, which establishes prior appropriation — "first in time, first in right" — as the fundamental organizing principle of all water rights in the state. For municipal conservation programs, individual city utilities hold home-rule authority to implement watering schedules and use restrictions through municipal ordinance. The Wyoming Water Development Office coordinates statewide planning, but it does not directly regulate household water use. During severe drought, the State Engineer can issue priority calls that functionally restrict water use by compelling junior rights holders to cease diversion, which is a more powerful tool than staged municipal restrictions.

What is the difference between a voluntary and mandatory water restriction in Wyoming?

Voluntary restrictions are appeals by a utility or municipality encouraging customers to reduce water use voluntarily, without legal obligation or penalty. They are typically implemented during Stage 1 drought conditions when supplies are below normal but not critically low. Mandatory restrictions carry the force of municipal ordinance: violations are subject to fines, flow restrictor installation, or other enforcement measures. In Cheyenne and Casper, mandatory restrictions have historically been triggered during Stage 2 or higher drought conditions, when reservoir storage or streamflow indicators fall below specific threshold levels established in utility water shortage response plans.

Does Wyoming have a drought early warning system?

Yes. The Wyoming State Drought Plan coordinates monitoring through a combination of the U.S. Drought Monitor, updated weekly by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in partnership with NOAA, USDA, and FEMA, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service's SNOTEL network, which provides real-time snowpack and streamflow data from dozens of automated stations across Wyoming's major mountain ranges. The State Engineer's Office monitors USGS gauge data on sentinel streams including the North Platte at Alcova and the Green River at Warren Bridge as early indicators of emerging water supply deficits. The Wyoming Office of Climatology at the University of Wyoming also produces seasonal climate outlooks that inform state agency drought planning.

Can an HOA in Wyoming require me to maintain a grass lawn even during drought restrictions?

Potentially, yes. Wyoming does not have a statute equivalent to Colorado's or Nevada's laws that limit HOA authority to mandate water-intensive landscaping or penalize residents for installing drought-tolerant alternatives. Under Wyoming Statutes Title 34, Chapter 26 (the Wyoming Homeowners Association Act), HOAs retain broad authority to enforce their CC&Rs, including architectural and landscaping guidelines. If your HOA covenants require maintained turf, the HOA may enforce that requirement even during drought periods unless the HOA board has voluntarily adopted exceptions. Homeowners wishing to convert to xeriscaping or drought-tolerant native plantings should submit a formal written request to their architectural review committee before undertaking any work, and should consult a Wyoming real estate attorney if the request is denied.

How do Wyoming's interstate water compact obligations affect household water availability?

Wyoming is a party to several major interstate compacts that require the state to deliver minimum water volumes to downstream states regardless of in-state conditions. The Wyoming-Colorado-Nebraska agreement governing the North Platte River, formalized through decades of litigation and the 1945 North Platte Decree, requires Wyoming to allow specified flows past the Nebraska state line. The Colorado River Compact of 1922 limits upper basin states, including Wyoming via the Green River, to a long-term average consumption ceiling. In practice, these obligations mean that during drought years, Wyoming water managers may curtail senior in-state rights — including large agricultural diversions — to meet downstream delivery obligations, which can indirectly affect water pricing and supply reliability for downstream municipal users as well as irrigators.

What should Wyoming residents do now to prepare for potential future drought restrictions?

Water managers and Wyoming Cooperative Extension specialists consistently advise residents to take advantage of normal-condition years to build drought resilience in their homes and landscapes. Converting portions of high-water-demand Kentucky bluegrass turf to buffalo grass or blue grama — ideally seeded in late August or early September — can reduce outdoor irrigation demand by 40 to 60 percent over time. Installing a WaterSense-certified irrigation controller, eligible for rebates of up to $200 through Cheyenne's Board of Public Utilities program, allows automated schedule adjustments based on local weather conditions. Fixing leaking irrigation heads, adjusting sprinkler heads to eliminate overspray onto pavement, and scheduling a free water audit through Cheyenne or Casper's utility program are all zero-cost or low-cost steps that can meaningfully reduce consumption before any mandatory restrictions require it.

What happens to Wyoming water rights during a severe drought?

During severe drought, the State Engineer's Office can administer priority calls on any stream where supply is insufficient to satisfy all rights. A priority call requires water users with junior priority dates — those who received their rights more recently — to cease diversion until senior rights holders have received their full entitlement. This mechanism was employed extensively during the 2002 drought on the North Platte and Bighorn river systems, and again during the 2020-2022 dry period in portions of the Green River and Shoshone basins. Municipal water rights, which are typically held as senior appropriations by cities with long establishment histories, are generally among the last to be curtailed, but municipal users in rapidly growing communities that hold younger water rights may face vulnerability during extended drought cycles. The Wyoming Water Development Office's demand management study program is actively working to identify and address such vulnerabilities before the next major drought emergency arrives.