The Operational Drought Plan, contained herein, is the key component for responding to the current and future drought conditions in Arizona. The Operational Drought Plan recognizes that drought events are natural disasters that touch all sectors of community, region, and state. To facilitate a coordinated response to drought events, the Operational Drought Plan identifies a process for communication and coordination between Arizona state agencies, Federal agencies, tribal governments, state lawmakers, water users, resource managers, and scientists.

Realizing the need for drought preparedness in Arizona, a Governor’s Drought Task Force was created in 2003 and the Arizona Drought Preparedness Plan developed. The plan was adopted in 2004 and its continued implementation ordered in 2007. It established a framework to monitor drought, improve understanding of drought impacts, and determine mechanisms for limiting future vulnerability. The Arizona Department of Water Resources coordinates these activities and prepares the Arizona Drought Preparedness Annual Report each year.

This document seeks to provide guidance to water users within the State and will strive to develop the building blocks for a long term, statewide conservation strategy and in the short-term, a phased approach for implementation of the strategy. This effort will not attempt to develop a “one-size fits all” approach to water conservation. Over the long term, it will merely provide the basis for assisting communities all over the state to establish new programs, strengthen existing programs and provide guidelines for more efficient water use.