Sun, 22 Jul 2007 16:09:24 EDT http://www.noaawatch.gov/themes/drought.php NOAA Information on Drought noaawatch@noaa.gov http://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html en-us noaawatch@noaa.gov http://www.noaawatch.gov/images/rss/drought.gif http://www.noaawatch.gov/themes/drought.php NOAA Logo http://www.drought.gov California's ongoing water crisis is a major national priority, akin to restoring Florida's Everglades or the Chesapeake Bay on the East Coast, a top Obama administration official said Wednesday. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar intends to hold a public meeting in Washington next month to discuss plans to save the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the freshwater estuary that supplies drinking water to two-thirds of Californians and is one of the most important wildlife habitats on the West Coast, Deputy Interior Secretary David Hayes said. Hayes was in Sacramento to update farmers, city dwellers and environmentalists about federal efforts to free up water for crops and fisheries as the state hobbles through its third year of drought. Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:32:55 EDT carol.baldwin@noaa,gov http://www.drought.gov/portal/server.pt The Southeastern drought region should continue to see improvement, with the best odds for relief extending across the northern part of the drought area as well as along the coast. More limited improvement is expected over the longer run in the southern parts of the drought region due to seasonal forecasts of drier weather by April. Farther west, drought is forecast to persist over central Texas and in the western Oklahoma Panhandle region, with the odds still favoring expansion into west Texas and eastern New Mexico. Forecasts for drier weather have led to the Outlook showing persisting drought over southern California and southern Nevada, although deep mountain snow pack will boost water supplies this spring. Thu, 06 Mar 2008 11:10:35 EST ronald.c.jones@noaa.gov