NIDIS TRIBAL DROUGHT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY - 2021-2025 FOR THE MISSOURI RIVER BASIN AND MIDWEST DROUGHT EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS (DEWS)
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2021–2025 NIDIS TRIBAL DROUGHT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR THE MISSOURI RIVER BASIN AND MIDWEST DROUGHT EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS (DEWS)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
TRIBAL Eric Andrews
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Climate Change Coordinator, Roxanne Warnell DESIGN AND LAYOUT
Bad River Band of Lake Emergency Manager, Sac
James Rattling Leaf Sr. Fiona Martin
Superior Tribe of Chippewa and Fox Nation of the
Research Associate, CIRES, Science Illustrator and
Nation Mississippi
Rosebud Sioux Nation Designer, Visualizing Science
Jake Hill Syed Huq
Mark Junker
Water Program Project Water Resource Director,
Tribal Response Coordinator, FEDERAL
Leader, Sac and Fox Nation Rosebud Sioux Nation
Sac and Fox Nation of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
of the Mississippi in Iowa Sara Smith
Missouri in Kansas and
Jeri Vines Midwest Tribal Resilience Veva Deheza
Nebraska
Acting Land Manager, Liaison, College of Executive Director, NIDIS
Alisha Bartling
Cheyenne River Sioux Nation Menominee Nation, Elizabeth Ossowski
Environmental Director,
Lisa Montgomery Sustainable Development Program Manager, NIDIS,
Santee Sioux Nation of
Environmental Director, Sac Institute CIRES (University of
Nebraska
and Fox Nation of Missouri in Tim Grant Colorado Boulder)
Charlene Miller
Kansas and Nebraska Environmental Director, Rocky Bilotta
Fish and Wildlife Department
John Doyle Omaha Nation of Nebraska Physical Scientist, NIDIS
Manager, Sisseton Wahpeton
Oyate Nations Water Quality Project Doug Kluck
Director, Little Big Horn AUTHORS Central Region Climate
Charles Wilkinson
College Services Director, NOAA
Captain of Fish and Wildlife Emily Bamford
Division, Three Affiliated Kari Hedin NIDIS Graduate
Tribes Watershed Specialist, Consultant, University of OTHER
Fond du Lac Band of Lake Colorado-Boulder ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Denise Jensen
Superior Chippewa Dr. Cody Knutson
Water Quality Specialist, Britt Parker
Winnebago Tribe of Mike Durglo Missouri River Basin Water Resources Scientist,
Nebraska Prevention Department DEWS Regional Drought University of Nebraska-
Head, Confederated Salish Information Coordinator, Lincoln, National Drought
Dennis Longknife
and Kootenai Nations NIDIS, CIRES (University Mitigation Center (NDMC)
Tribal Member, Fort Belknap
Mitch Cottenoir of Colorado Boulder) Dr. Crystal Stiles
Indian Community
Tribal Water Engineer, Marianne Shiple NIDIS Applied Climatologist,
Dennis Rousseau
Eastern Shoshone Nation Graduate Consultant, University of Nebraska-
Director of Fish, Game and
Paula Antoine University of Colorado- Lincoln, High Plains Regional
Wildlife, Cheyenne River
Director of Land Boulder Climate Center (HPRCC)
Sioux Nation
Management, Rosebud Elizabeth Weight Dr. Natalie Umphlett
Doug Crow Ghost
Sioux Nation Program Manager, NIDIS, Regional Climatologist,
Water Administrator, CIRES (University of
Reno Red Cloud University of Nebraska-
Standing Rock Sioux Nation Colorado Boulder)
Director of Natural Lincoln, HPRCC
Ed Snetsinger Molly Woloszyn
Resources, Oglala Sioux Dr. Paul Lander
Environmental Manager, Midwest DEWS Regional
Nation Professor of Water,
White Earth Band of Ojibwe Drought Information Energy and Land
Nation Coordinator, NIDIS, Conservation, University of
CIRES (University of Colorado-Boulder
Colorado Boulder)
“We don’t work with strangers.
We work with relatives.”
—TRIBAL CITIZEN, OKLAHOMA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������2
Introduction 4
Drought Impacts on Tribal Nations........................................................................5
NIDIS and Tribal Engagement.................................................................................5
Goals of the NIDIS Tribal Drought
Engagement Strategy................................................................................................6
Guiding Principles of Engagement 9
4 Principle 1: Respecting Tribal Sovereignty...........................................................9
Principle 2: Ensuring Trust and Reciprocity...................................................... 10
Principle 3: Ensuring DEWS are culturally
appropriate and useful for tribal nations.......................................................... 11
Key Outcomes and Activities 14
Interdisciplinary Research and Applications.................................................... 15
Prediction and Forecasting.................................................................................. 16
9 Observations and Monitoring.............................................................................. 17
Planning and Preparedness................................................................................. 18
Communications and Outreach.......................................................................... 20
Conclusion 23
Appendix A: Historical Drought Exposure
Analysis..................................................................................................................... 24
20
Appendix B: Overview of the 2019 NIDIS
Tribal Engagement Project................................................................................... 29
References................................................................................................................ 30
Acronyms.................................................................................................................. 31
On the Cover: lands at sunset near
Rapid City, South Dakota. The area
known today as Badlands National Park
is ancestral land for many indigenous
nations. Credit: Virrage Images
SUGGESTED CITATION
Bamford, E., B. Parker, M. Shiple, E. Weight, and M.
Woloszyn. 2020. NIDIS Tribal Drought Engagement Strategy
2021–2025: For the Missouri River Basin and Midwest
23
Drought Early Warning Systems (DEWS). NOAA NIDIS.
TRIBAL DROUGHT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY NIDIS 3
INTRODUCTION
Drought has been a constant concern for many regions
of the United States, including the Midwest region and in
the Missouri River Basin. Both of these areas have experi-
enced increases in average temperatures (1–3°F) over the
past few decades, with drought and flooding becoming
more frequent and extreme (NCA 2018). Future projections
predict that these changes will continue to impact these
regions, with temperatures expected to rise by up to 3–5°F
by the mid-21st century and up to 8°F by the end of the 21st
century (NCA 2018).
North Dakota
bison herd.
Credit: Anh Luu
4 NIDIS TRIBAL DROUGHT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY
a Missouri River Basin Tribal Nations
500
Weeks in drought
from 2000–2019
400
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DROUGHT IMPACTS ON TRIBAL NATIONS Given the prevalence and reoccurrence of ▲ Figure 1: The
number of weeks
Sixty-two federally recognized tribal nations drought, information providers should engage tribal nations within
exist within the Missouri River Basin and with tribal nations and make drought monitor- the (a) Missouri
River Basin and (b)
Midwest region and all of them have expe- ing and forecasting tools available for drought Midwest have been
rienced multiple episodes of drought since preparedness and response. in drought based on
2000, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. the severity levels
of the U.S. Drought
Figure 1 shows the number of weeks tribal NIDIS AND TRIBAL ENGAGEMENT Monitor from 2000–
nations within the (a) Missouri River Basin and The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin- 2019. The total
number of weeks is
(b) Midwest have been in drought based on istration’s (NOAA) National Integrated Drought 1,044. Credit: NOAA
the severity levels of the U.S. Drought Monitor Information System (NIDIS) program was NIDIS, Fiona Martin
from 2000–2019. On average, tribal nations in established by Congress in 2006 (Public Law
the Missouri River Basin were in drought 30% of 109-430) and reauthorized in 2014 and 2019.
the time from 2000–2019, and almost all tribal NIDIS has an interagency mandate to coordi-
nations have experienced all levels of drought nate and integrate drought research, building
at some point in the 20-year period. While upon existing federal, tribal, state, and local
drought has been longer and more severe in partnerships in support of creating a national
the Missouri River Basin, drought has also been drought early warning information system.
an issue for Midwest tribal nations. On average,
tribal nations in the Midwest were in drought A drought early warning system (DEWS) utilizes
17% of the time from 2000–2019. For the meth- new and existing networks of federal, tribal,
odology behind this historical drought analysis state, local, and academic partners to make
and individual tribal nation drought exposure climate and drought science accessible and
scores, please see Appendix A. useful for decision makers; and to improve the
capacity of stakeholders to monitor, forecast,
TRIBAL DROUGHT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY NIDIS 5
Missouri River
Basin DEWS
Pacific Midwest
Northwest DEWS DEWS
Northeast
DEWS
California-
Nevada DEWS
Intermountain
West DEWS
Coastal
Southern Carolinas
Plains DEWS DEWS
Apalachicola-
Chattahoochee-
Flint DEWS
Hawaii
▲ Figure 2: Map of
regional Drought plan for, and cope with the impacts of drought. GOALS OF THE NIDIS TRIBAL
Early Warning Currently, there are nine regional drought DROUGHT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY
Systems (DEWS). early warning systems. NIDIS will continue Indigenous experiences and perspectives of
NIDIS will be
launching a new to develop regional DEWS in watersheds and drought vary greatly across the two regions.
Southeast DEWS regions across the country (Figure 2). By integrating these diverse perspectives into
(dotted outline) in
2020. Credit: NOAA
our work, we will be able to foster a cultur-
NIDIS, Fiona Martin Within each DEWS, NIDIS works with partners ally appropriate engagement practice and
to guide activities that strengthen drought work with tribal nations as equal partners in
preparedness and early warning systems. Past responding to drought.
and current work with tribal nations led to the
See Acronyms section
for definitions (p. 31).
recognition that a more focused approach to In order to ensure the inclusion of indigenous
support tribal communities was needed, lead- perspectives in the implementation of the
ing to the development of this NIDIS Tribal DEWS, NIDIS launched a Tribal Drought Engage-
Drought Engagement Strategy. The priori- ment initiative in January 2019 in collaboration
ties identified in this strategy are meant to with the Masters of the Environment Program
complement the work occurring throughout at University of Colorado-Boulder. The project
the Missouri River Basin and Midwest DEWS. aimed to strengthen relationships with tribal
resource managers across the Missouri River
Table 1 summarizes some of the past work that Basin and Midwest DEWS regions in order to
▶ Table 1: (next NIDIS has supported over the last five years in effectively deliver timely and relevant drought
page) summarizes
some of the past
partnership with tribal nations. This table is not information (more on the project in Appendix B).
work that NIDIS exhaustive, and provides examples of the types These tribal resources managers are elected
has supported over of activities that have occurred. or duly appointed officials of tribal govern-
the last five years
in partnership with ments or authorized intertribal organizations,
tribal nations.
6 NIDIS TRIBAL DROUGHT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY
TABLE 1
Drought Observations and Monitoring
Monthly water supply and climate summaries for the Wind River Indian Reservation were developed and serve as models for
other tribal nations across the United States [HPRCC, North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center (CASC), NDMC, NIDIS ].
The HPRCC is currently working with Tribal Nations to develop Decision Dashboards that provide pertinent information on past,
present, and future environmental conditions [HPRCC, Great Plains Tribal Water Alliance (GPTWA), NOAA, NIDIS, North Central
CASC, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), NDMC, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, South Dakota State University, Colorado State
University, Louis Berger]. Examples: Rosebud Sioux Decision Dashboard and Wind River Decision Dashboard.
Drought Planning and Preparedness
NOAA and other partners (NDMC, HPRCC, North Central CASC) have supported tribal nations of the Missouri River Basin over the
last five years in successful proposals to receive BIA Tribal Resilience Grants to do drought vulnerability assessments, drought
planning, and training on accessing drought tools and information.
• The Great Plains Tribal Water Alliance, has successfully competed for a series of Tribal Resilience Grants for drought
vulnerability assessments and drought planning with the Rosebud, Oglala, Standing Rock, and Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribes.
• Led by Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska, the four Tribal Nations of northeastern
Kansas/southeastern Nebraska received funding for a drought adaptation planning project.
• The Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes of the Wind River Indian Reservation received multiple
Tribal Resilience Grants to fund a vulnerability assessment focused on the impacts of drought, to develop
a drought plan, and for the development of decision tools to support drought preparedness.
• The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe received a grant to bring together the tribes of North
and South Dakota for a Tribal Adaptation Planning Training and Workshop.
Drought Communication and Outreach
A monthly climate summary and outlook webinar series for the North Central U.S. has been delivered since 2012. These
resources are critical to providing partners, including tribal nations, with the latest climate and drought conditions. Webinar
frequency increased during the 2017 Missouri River Basin drought with additional webinars for tribal nations.
The HPRCC has produced quarterly drought and climate two-page summaries focused on the Missouri Basin states since 2011.
Drought Impact Briefs were issued for the lower Missouri River Basin during 2018 drought conditions.
Several workshops were held to understand and synthesize tribal drought impacts, vulnerabilities, critical needs, and priorities.
• Climate Change, Drought and Early Warning on Western Native Lands (2009)
• Drought Preparedness for Tribes in the Four Corners (2010)
• Tribal Climate Change Adaptation Planning and Intergovernmental Coordination (2010)
• Kansas Tribes Meet on Extreme Events, Drought Resiliency (2014)
• Extreme Events and Drought Resiliency (2014)
Interdisciplinary Research and Applications
2017 Northern Plains Drought Assessment was completed in partnership with tribal nations in the Upper Missouri River Basin.
• Flash Drought: Lessons learned from the 2017 Drought Across the U.S. Northern Plains and Canadian Prairies report released
• The Causes, Predictability, and Historical Context of the 2017 U.S. Northern Great Plains Drought report released
• Hoell, A., et al. 2020. Lessons Learned from the 2017 Flash Drought Across the U.S. Northern
Great Plains and Canadian Prairies. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc. 1–46.
TRIBAL DROUGHT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY NIDIS 7
responsible for managing natural resources on organizations. These partnerships are
the Reservation (e.g., Fish and Wildlife, Water focused on coordination to reduce engage-
etc.). ment fatigue, which results when multiple
organizations are holding meetings, trainings,
The NIDIS Tribal Drought Engagement Strategy and workshops. Coordination ensures that
was developed following this project, which tribal nations are not receiving redundant
included a year of consulta- requests and encourages leverage of proj-
tions with tribal resource ects and funding.
managers across the
Federal Tribal Missouri River Basin Working through tribal alliances and networks
Agencies and Resource and Midwest Regions. is also very important. Each tribe is unique,
Regional and Water
These consultations and it takes time to build trust and relation-
Organizations Managers
helped identify criti- ships. For a small program like NIDIS, working
cal engagement gaps through existing alliances and networks can
Tribal and the actions that result in reaching more communities with
Engagement could be taken to address pertinent products and information.
them. The engagement
in these two DEWS will NIDIS would also like to engage with the
Tribal Tribal
Colleges and Alliances and
inform consultations Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU). NOAA
Universities Networks with tribal nations as has a longstanding partnership with these
a foundation for scal- entities to support tribal members in enter-
ing the Strategy to other ing the science and technology fields. NIDIS
regions. has the opportunity to build on this, espe-
cially in the area of increasing the monitoring
▲ Figure 3:
Employing Multiple Two types of information are encompassed and observation capabilities on tribal lands.
Knowledge in the Strategy. The first are a set of Guiding Engagement with these key categories of
Systems. Credit:
NOAA NIDIS,
Principles of Engagement that capture import- partners will strengthen DEWS implementa-
Fiona Martin ant approaches that NIDIS wants to embody tion and ensure the inclusion of indigenous
in partnerships with tribal nations. perspectives into all aspects of NIDIS’ work.
Following these principles are Key Outcomes Finally, this Strategy aims to complement
and Activities that are organized around the NOAA’s agency-wide Tribal Relations Strat-
five components of a DEWS (interdisciplin- egy, which is intended to provide guidance
ary research and applications; predictions to NOAA line offices to support a more consis-
and forecasting; observations and monitor- tent, effective, and proactive approach to
ing; planning and preparedness; and commu- conducting government-to-government
nications and outreach). The Strategy also consultations with federally-recognized
provides a framework for integrating indige- tribes under Executive Order 13175 and the
■
nous perspectives into the DEWS. Ultimately, Department of Commerce’s Tribal Consulta-
implementation of the Strategy will lead to tion Policy (NOAA 2013).
improved drought monitoring, forecasting,
and resilience for tribal nations.
Tribal natural resource managers have been
and will remain focal points of contacts for
NIDIS, but expanded engagement with the
other tribal partners is a key priority moving
forward (Figure 3). NIDIS works closely
with other federal agencies and regional
8 NIDIS TRIBAL DROUGHT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY
ENGAGEMENT
GUIDING
PRINCIPLES OF
ENGAGEMENT
It is important to NIDIS to develop trust
and a shared vision for improving drought
preparedness in our partnerships with
tribal nations. The following Principles of
Engagement were developed following
robust dialogue with more than 22 tribal
natural resource managers and leaders
across the Midwest and Missouri River
Basin regions. Although tribal members
all had different stories to tell, their
key recommendations followed similar
themes. These themes, reflected as Key
Principles, are listed below.
PRINCIPLE 1: RESPECTING
TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY
i) Acknowledging and Respecting
Tribal Sovereignty
The first key principle, and perhaps the most
important, involves the respect and acknowl-
edgement of tribal sovereignty and indige-
nous peoples’ right to self-determination. This
sovereignty intcludes lawmaking and enforce-
ment, regulating trade and property, and
Federal Trust Responsibility forming alliances with other nations through
Executive Order 13175 of November 6, 2000 directs all treaties and other agreements (NOAA 2013).
federal agencies to develop an “accountable process” for This sovereignty also means that tribal nations
ensuring meaningful and timely input by tribal officials
in the development of legislation and regulatory policies
are nations in their own right. As such, tribal
that have tribal implications (Federal Register 2000). This representatives should be engaged with on a
includes all regulations, proposed legislation, and other government-to-government basis.
policies, states, reports, or actions that have substantial
and direct effects on tribal nations. Additionally, it is vital that the boundaries
Presidential Memorandum E9-27142 of November 5, 2009 of these sovereign nations are represented
reaffirms this policy and requires federal agencies to have on drought maps and other communica-
an even higher degree of accountability to this legislation tion materials, as would be the case for other
(Federal Register, 2009). nations. A key complaint voiced by tribal
resource managers is that there is limited
reservation-specific monitoring and forecast-
ing data available for use by tribal nations. In
many cases, tribal resource managers have to
Sunrise over Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota. Credit: Zak Zeinert
TRIBAL DROUGHT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY NIDIS 9
rely on county-level data which is not always
reliable or reflective of drought conditions on
the reservations. This remains a key constraint
in terms of drought monitoring and planning.
Putting it into Practice #1:
Recognition of Tribal Sovereignty
and Federal Trust Responsibility
All NIDIS strategies, documents, and other
communication materials that pertain to
tribal nations should contain an acknowl-
edgement of tribal sovereignty and federal
tribal trust responsibility.
ii) Fulfilling Federal ▶ A young Sioux
participates in the
Trust Responsibility 49th annual United
The Federal Trust Respon- Tribes Pow Wow in
sibility is an import- Bismarck, North
Dakota. September
ant legal principle that 2018. Credit: Pierre
instructs the Federal Jean Durieu
Government to consult
with tribal nations regarding decisions that PRINCIPLE 2: ENSURING
affect their future [American Indians/Alaska TRUST AND RECIPROCITY
Natives (AI/AN) Fact Sheet 2014]. When the trust
responsibility is acknowledged and upheld i) Establishing Trust
by the Federal Government, a true govern- Establishing the trust and respect of tribal
ment-to-government relationship and tribal resource managers and leaders is the corner-
sovereignty can exist and thrive (GovInfo 2012). stone of this Strategy. Most tribal resource
Ensuring that the Federal Trust Responsibility managers engaged in this project stated that
is upheld within NIDIS’ tribal engagement is key effective engagement first requires recogni-
to expanding partnerships with tribal nations. tion of the historical trauma and trust issues
indigenous persons face when working with
the Federal Government. NIDIS engagement
Putting it into Practice with tribal nations seeks to be sensitive to and
#2: Fulfilling Federal Trust respectful of this historical context.
Responsibility
Consultation with tribal nations requires a Rebuilding trust requires that we approach
genuine, respectful, government-to-govern- tribal citizens with an authentic and respect-
ment partnership. Native American tribal
ful manner. This includes learning from
partnerships are a necessary and core aspect
of NIDIS. This can be put into practice by tribal members about their resilience in
including tribal nations in the development past droughts, adaptation strategies, and
and implementation of applied research respecting and elevating Traditional Ecolog-
priorities, tools and services, and by work- ical Knowledge (TEK). TEK consists of the
ing with tribal nations to clarify procedures body of knowledge, beliefs, traditions, prac-
and responsibilities within the partnerships.
tices, institutions, and worldviews developed
and sustained by indigenous communities
in interaction with their biophysical environ-
ment (Toledo 2002, Berkes 2004). This is not to
10 NIDIS TRIBAL DROUGHT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGYappropriate the knowledge, but to acknowl- ii) Ensuring Reciprocity
edge the deep understanding and connec- The notion of reciprocity is central to Native
tion with the natural world and integrate this American society and culture. It is the basis
knowledge to fully reflect their contribution for indigenous peoples’ interaction with both
to the DEWS. humans and the environment. Reciprocity is a
native social norm that encourages a positive
This effort to genuinely understand and appre- action to be rewarded with another positive
ciate indigenous values and the appropriate action, motivating kind, respectful, and gener-
use of language can help establish a posi- ous behavior.
tive paradigm shift by moving away from a
“top-down” style of engagement, to one which
is more culturally respectful and relevant. This Putting it into Practice #5:
approach is an important step in establishing Ensuring Reciprocity
authentic and lasting partnerships with tribal In the case of federal–tribal engagement,
communities. reciprocity means that tribal engagement
projects are designed in a way that the
primary beneficiary is tribal citizens, and that
Putting it into Practice #3: any information collected must be openly
shared with tribal members. Engaging with
Initiating the Conversation with
tribal nations and understanding their needs
Authenticity and Empathy throughout the life of a project ensures that
Respectful engagement with tribal members outcomes are agreed upon and mutually
includes an upfront discussion of what infor- beneficial.
mation the nontribal partner is hoping to
gather, how this information will be used,
and why it will be useful, particularly for the ◀ Wild horse in
tribal nation. The transparency and respect Theodore Roosevelt
National Park,
garnered in this initial exchange will ulti-
North Dakota.
mately help foster trust. Once information Credit: Zak Zeinert
has been collected, documents and other
materials should be shared with the tribal
nation for input and permission received
before publicly sharing any information.
Putting it into Practice #4:
Respecting Time Demands
Similar to many natural resource managers,
PRINCIPLE 3: ENSURING
tribal resource managers are overstretched DEWS ARE CULTURALLY
and often only have the capacity to deal with
the emergent issues of the day, with limited
APPROPRIATE AND USEFUL
time and resources to dedicate to non-ur- FOR TRIBAL NATIONS
gent issues. In addition, many agencies and
institutions are approaching tribal nations for i) Encourage the integration of Native
various reasons, which may put additional
American knowledge and values into
stress on resources and time. Coordination
among agencies to work together and avoid NIDIS drought programs.
duplicative requests would help reduce this
stress. Native Americans consider all beings (includ-
ing plants, animals and water) in the natu-
ral environment to be relatives, elders, and
teachers. Further, they believe that these
TRIBAL DROUGHT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY NIDIS 11“We don’t live in a world full of
resources, we live in a world
full of relatives. We feel like
drought monitoring systems
are primarily geared towards
the economic needs of
non-native farmers.”
—TRIBAL RESOURCE MANAGER
MISSOURI RIVER BASIN DEWS
beings can teach valuable lessons, which have
been passed down for generations and have
ensured the survival of indigenous people
(GLIFWC 2018).
Tribal environmental perspectives focus on
observation, deliberation, and adaptation to
the environment, instead of trying to change
it. This holistic, interconnected view of the
environment translates into integrated natu-
ral resources management in tribal communi-
ties. For example, natural resource managers
may also actively engage in water manage-
ment and agricultural activities, particularly
during a drought crisis.
Putting it into Practice #6:
Successfully Integrating TEK and
Indigenous Ways of Knowing
• Asking permission before using or inter-
preting traditional knowledge and give
credit where it is due. This is to ensure
that this knowledge is protected and
utilized correctly.
Water is Life • Acknowledging the role and value of
For Native Americans, water does not only sustain life—it diverse knowledge.
is sacred. The phrase “Mní Wičóni”, which means “water
is life”, is used by the Lakota people, and highlights the • Asking culturally relevant and respectful
importance of water in the dry Missouri River Basin. For questions.
the Blackfeet Tribe of Montana, when time began, divine • Ensuring the collection of TEK is carried
water beings instructed the Blackfeet to protect the water out ethically and is not shared for profit.
world, a responsibility that they still hold sacred to this
day (Grist 2017).
Sylvan Lake, SD. Credit: Zack Frank
12 NIDIS TRIBAL DROUGHT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGYii) Respecting traditional are not always easily translated into indige- ▼ More than
drought resilience strategies nous languages. Any drought concepts should 900 dancers and
musicians gather
For thousands of years, Native Americans be explained in plain language to increase to celebrate native
have possessed a deep knowledge of water shared understanding. In addition, there are american culture at
and drought and have developed their own several words and phrases which many tribal the United Tribes
Pow Wow. Bismark,
■
methods of dealing with limited water supply, members may find offensive; these are listed ND, September
in harmony with the natural environment. For below and should be avoided (Table 2). 2018. Credit: Pierre
Jean Durieu
example, in the Pacific Northwest, tribal citi-
zens make use of the dams created by beavers
to improve water storage in streams and rivers
during the drier months. Indigenous peoples
also sow drought-resilient plants and use tradi-
tional techniques to prevent drought-related
fire (Fond du Lac Band 2019).
Tribal nations have a wealth of knowledge to
share with nontribal partners that can help
support and strengthen all drought mitiga-
tion strategies.
iii) Ensure the use of
appropriate language
Language plays an integral role in sustain-
ing indigenous culture and ways of knowing.
Understanding the appropriate language is “All the information we need on
a critical tool for strengthening relationships
with tribal communities. Not all tribal citizens
drought is out there, it’s just
will have a knowledge of technical western too complex with too many
science terminology and their application in conflicting indicators.”
relation to drought. In addition, technical terms
—TRIBAL RESOURCE MANAGER
MISSOURI RIVER BASIN DEWS
TABLE 2
◀ Table 2: Appropri-
To Avoid Preferred Term ate terminology for
use during all forms
Stakeholders: implies that Native Americans only Rights holders or tribal citizens: terms that are of tribal commu-
hold limited stakes in a project or issue a more accurate portrayal of Native Americans in nication based on
input from tribal
relation to their sovereignty and the rights they
members at work-
hold as citizens shops, meetings,
and in conversa-
Indian: is a term that can have negative Indigenous persons or Native Americans: the tions that informed
connotations due to its colonial origins original or earliest known inhabitants of this land, this engage-
in contrast to those that have settled, occupied or ment strategy.
colonized the area more recently
Vulnerability: this term infers weakness and Resilience: a more accurate depiction of the
should be avoided strength exhibited by tribal nations throughout
history
Tribe: a term that is often used for shorthand in Tribal nation: the preferred term that
referring to indigenous communities acknowledges sovereignty
TRIBAL DROUGHT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY NIDIS 13OUTCOMES
Winnebago tribe in
Nebraska. Credit:
Jacob Boomsma
Observations
and Monitoring
KEY OUTCOMES
Interdisciplinary
Research and
Applications
Drought
Early
Predictions and
Forecasting
AND ACTIVITIES
Warning
System The Key Outcomes and Activities are potential tribal
engagement activities for NIDIS to implement in 2021
and beyond, organized around the five components
Planning and Communication of a DEWS (Figure 4). It is not a prescribed list; rather,
Preparedness and Outreach it is a flexible menu of options that NIDIS and part-
ners can use to strengthen engagement with tribal
communities.
▲ Figure 4: The
components of a This Strategy is considered a living document in conversations repeatedly and should be
Drought Early Warn- and through meetings and further consulta- considered for early implementation.
ing System (DEWS). tion with our tribal partners, priority activities
An early warning
system is the provi- will be selected, actions can be added, and Finally, this Strategy was developed in collab-
sion of timely and the plan may be adjusted to address emerg- oration with many tribal natural resource
effective informa-
tion that allows
ing issues as needed. After five years, an eval- managers and networks, federal agencies, and
individuals exposed uation should be undertaken to determine regional organizations. Through continued
to a hazard to take progress and a more robust process should coordination, we can work together to meet
action to avoid or
reduce their risk. be considered to update the priorities and many of the needs voiced during this process.
Credit: NOAA NIDIS, activities. Activities that include an asterisk
Fiona Martin (*) next to them denote those that came up
14 NIDIS TRIBAL DROUGHT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGYINTERDISCIPLINARY to document the most prominent drought
RESEARCH AND impacts and communicate them to drive miti-
gation actions in the tribal community.
APPLICATIONS
In order to better predict, understand, Activity 1.2b: NIDIS and partners will ensure
and respond to drought, the characteris- that these documented impacts are included
tics and impacts of drought must first be in relevant external communication materials
properly understood. In the case of many for tribal citizens (including the U.S. Drought
tribal nations, this knowledge exists, but Portal, etc.)
has not yet been documented. Integrating
the results of drought research into tribal OUTCOME 1.3
decision-making is needed. Reservation-specific drought mitigation
actions are better understood and resilience
A key concern raised by tribal resource manag- is improved.
ers is that there is too much information out
there, indicators of drought are often complex, Activity 1.3a*:
and they don’t always represent the condi- Through meet-
tions on the ground. In this regard, NIDIS and ings, workshops,
partners have an opportunity to improve a n d l e v e ra g-
understanding of drought indicators, their ing other NIDIS
appropriate uses, and strengths and weak- drought mitiga-
nesses. This will help tribal resource manag- tion research,
ers select the best indicators for their location. tribal resource
managers gain
OUTCOME 1.1 a better under-
▲ Corn leaves
Tribal Nations have an improved understand- standing of the causes of drought and the most rolling and drying in
ing and application of drought indicators and cost-effective mitigation actions. Secondary drought conditions.
drought early warning on the reservations. impacts will also be addressed (e.g., wildfires, Credit: The Natures
soil degradation, etc.).
Activity 1.1a: Work with tribal resource manag-
ers to improve awareness of key drought indi- OUTCOME 1.4
cators, their benefits, reliability, and how to NIDIS has an improved understanding of
use them. tribal drought risk.
Activity 1.1b: NIDIS, tribal resource managers, Activity 1.4a: NIDIS works with tribal part-
and tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) part- ners to compile additional data to strengthen
ner to carry out drought-impact mapping exer- the existing tribal Drought Exposure Analysis
cises. This information is then digitally mapped and improve our collective understanding of
by TCU students using geographic information drought resilience on tribal lands (e.g., expand-
system (GIS) technology. ing the analysis to include drought incidence
over the past 40 years and to include house-
OUTCOME 1.2 hold water supply access).
Drought research and knowledge is docu-
mented by tribal nations and used to Activity 1.4b*: NIDIS and partners use this infor-
strengthen drought early warning and mation when developing drought-resilience
response. resources in a way that maximizes impact for
tribal nations who are the most exposed to
Activity 1.2a: NIDIS and partners will work with drought.
tribal resource managers and other partners
TRIBAL DROUGHT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY NIDIS 15Activity. 2.1a: NIDIS and partners will improve
their communication of existing forecasting
by making it more relevant to tribal audi-
ences and improving the communication of
uncertainties.
Activity 2.1b*: The NIDIS website is updated
and simplified. The new Tribal Drought pages
on the US Drought Portal will include reser-
vation-specific drought data where possible,
and this information is effectively shared with
tribal partners.
Activity 2.1c*: NIDIS and partners work with
tribal resource managers to translate the prob-
abilities of future drought events into messages
relevant to tribes to inform long-term planning.
Activity 2.1d: NIDIS works with partners
(e.g., NDMC, HPRCC) to include the National
Weather Service in tribal workshops and train-
ings, in order to provide forecasting guidance
and answer questions.
OUTCOME 2.2
Tribal nations have an improved understand-
ing of long-term drought predictions and
scenarios, allowing tribal resource manag-
▲ Figure 5: Front
page of one of the PREDICTION AND ers to implement long-term drought resil-
Tribal Drought
Snapshots created
FORECASTING ience planning.
in 2019. Credit:
NOAA NIDIS While many of the improvements in fore- Activity 2.2a: Ensure long-term drought
casting can and should take place at the prediction information (e.g., data from the
federal level, tribal nations also play a National Climate Assessment, Climate Explorer
vital role in ensuring effective utilization tool, and Climate Resilience Toolkit) are shared
of this information for drought prepared- with tribal citizens, both in-person and through
ness and mitigation activities. However, online resources.
staffing constraints and competing prior-
ities often mean that tribal nations face Activity 2.2b*: Continue to develop reserva-
challenges in applying predictions and tion-specific drought snapshots with tribal
forecasts for drought in a timely manner. nations. Tribal Drought Snapshots were devel-
oped with 20 tribes across the two regions
OUTCOME 2.1 during the 2019 NIDIS Tribal Engagement
Tribal citizens have an improved understand- Project. These snapshots were created for
ing of short and medium–term forecasts and the tribes, and included drought trends and
outlooks, allowing tribal resource manag- impacts, key drought indicators, outlook infor-
ers to easily locate the data and information mation, and key partners and future engage-
which is relevant to them. ment opportunities for the tribes (Figure 5).
16 NIDIS TRIBAL DROUGHT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY◀ A mesonet station
installed above
Cooney Reservoir in
Stillwater County,
Montana. Credit:
Kevin Hyde
OBSERVATIONS AND indices for each region. Such indicators could
MONITORING include TEK, if determined appropriate by
tribal partners.
One of the major gaps identified during
consultations with tribal resource manag- Activity 3.1b*: NIDIS and partners will ensure
ers is the lack of reservation-specific that the indices selected by tribal nations are
drought observation data. Many tribal included in regional monitoring tools and plat-
nations rely on regional data, which is forms including Tribal Decision Dashboards
often collected more than a hundred such as the Wind River Decision Dashboard
miles away and is not always relevant to and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Decision Dash-
the reservation. More localized weather board, and the US Drought Portal.
stations, stream gauges, and soil mois-
ture measurements will be vital to ensure Activity 3.1c: NIDIS and partners (e.g., HPRCC
reliable observation and monitoring of and NDMC) facilitate and support tribal nations
drought on reservations. The effective to provide input into the United States Drought
maintenance of stations and gauges will Monitor (USDM), a weekly product showing
be important in order to ensure long-term parts of the U.S. that are in drought. This could
sustainability of the network and data. include establishing citizen monitoring and
partnerships with the TCUs to engage tribal
OUTCOME 3.1 youth in data and drought impact collection.
Tribal resource managers play a leading
role in strengthening existing monitoring OUTCOME 3.2
networks and drought planning across the Tribal nations receive regional observation
Missouri River Basin and Midwest. and monitoring data in a timely manner,
allowing them to respond to the expected
Activity 3.1a*: NIDIS and regional partners impacts accordingly.
(e.g., Regional Climate Centers, NDMC, etc.)
work with tribal resource managers to deter- Activity 3.2a*: Tribal resource managers are
mine the most relevant drought indicators/ added to the appropriate DEWS mailing lists
TRIBAL DROUGHT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY NIDIS 17▶ Lana Recountre
helps take care of and provided with timely regional drought
plants growing at alerts through the US Drought Portal.
South Dakota’s
Sisseton Wahpeton
Oyate tribe Activity 3.2b*: NIDIS and partners will
headquarters. work with tribal resource managers to inte-
Tribal members
can pick up plants
grate tribal information and impacts into
for free. Credit: the monthly North Central U.S. Climate and
Kayla Gahagan, Drought webinars. This includes ensuring
YES! Magazine
tribal partners are included on email planning
lists and cultivating their active involvement in
webinar planning. As tribal resource managers
join this community, ensure their perspectives
are elevated and webinar content is culturally
relevant and inclusive of tribal interests.
OUTCOME 3.3
NIDIS works with tribal resource managers
to map monitoring stations on reservations
and provides support on how to address the
identified station gaps in the network.
Activity 3.3a*: NIDIS and HPRCC will work with
tribal resource managers to document gaps in PLANNING AND
reservation-level monitoring data, including PREPAREDNESS
challenges that arise from long-term main-
tenance of stations and data processing and Over the past few years, tribal nations
dissemination. have made significant advances in their
drought planning activities. Many tribal
Activity 3.3b*: NIDIS, working with partners, nations have now developed drought (or
assists the tribal resource managers to iden- climate change) risk assessments and/
tify potential funding support to establish new or action plans. However, despite this
weather stations on their reservations, partic- planning, many tribal resource managers
ularly for those reservations with the least have expressed frustration that this has
monitoring capacity. This could include lever- not always translated into action on the
aging support from other ongoing initiatives ground. A major reason for this has been
(e.g., the NWS Cooperative Observer Network, the lack of adequate funding for imple-
National Coordinated Soil Moisture Monitor- mentation of drought resilience activi-
ing Network, Community Collaborative Rain ties and the competing priorities of other
Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS), Tribal emergencies such as flooding.
Soil Climate Analysis Network (Tribal SCAN).
OUTCOME 4.1
Activity 3.3c*: NIDIS will work to establish Key tribal drought exposures and resilience
partnerships with the TCUs to deploy and across the region are better understood and
maintain weather stations on tribal lands. NIDIS prioritizes engagement with tribal
This can include work to assist tribal commu- nations accordingly.
nities in using data, data management, and
the development of data policies that support Activity 4.1a*: NIDIS facilitates the sharing of
their work. successful drought vulnerability assessments,
planning and response guidance amongst
18 NIDIS TRIBAL DROUGHT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGYtribal nations, with their permission. This guid- have yet to develop drought vulnerability
ance will include examples of results from each assessments and action planning.
stage of the planning process.
Activity 4.3c*: NIDIS and partners help iden-
Activity 4.1b*: NIDIS, in collaboration with tify grant writing resources for tribal nations.
partners, provides elevated technical support One idea could be a partnership between NIDIS
during periods of drought to impacted tribal and other federal agencies (including BIA) to
nations. develop and organize regional grant writing
capacity building workshops for tribal nations.
OUTCOME 4.2
Drought mitigation and adaptation actions Activity 4.3e: NIDIS explores options to
and approaches are better understood and provide grants to those tribal nations seeking
implemented by tribal resource managers to build drought early warning and resilience
across the two regions. capacity. This could include coordinating with
other federal agencies (e.g., Environmental
Activity 4.2a: NIDIS and partners work with Protection Agency, BIA) to see how grants can
tribal resource managers to explore more rele- be used to improve funding equity.
vant, bottom-up planning options for drought,
creating relevant, more flexible planning tools
for the tribal nations. This could include devel-
oping online resources such as flow diagrams
or decision trees to help guide communities in
planning for and responding to drought.
Activity 4.2b: NIDIS and partners work with
tribal resource managers to jointly document
drought resilience case studies, using online
platforms and networks to share these experi-
ences (with their permission) with other tribal
nations in the region.
Activity 4.2c: NIDIS facilitates and finances
state-to-state tribal exchange opportunities
across the two regions, providing opportu- OUTCOME 4.4 ▲ Cattle on Ft.
Belknap Range unit.
nities for tribal nations to share their experi- Ecosystem health across the two regions is July 2012. Blaine,
ence (with their permission) and expertise in improved through restoration efforts. MT. Credit: USDA
drought planning with other tribal nations. NRCS Montana
Activity 4.4a*: NIDIS and partners work with
OUTCOME 4.3 tribal resource managers to develop guid-
NIDIS provides technical support for tribal ance on the restoration of the water cycle
nations with significant drought exposure and associated storage, integrating TEK where
and financial need. appropriate. This guidance will be shared via
workshops, networks, and online platforms
Activity 4.3a: NIDIS works with tribal nations (e.g., the US Drought Portal).
to review drought plans and identify key fund-
ing opportunities for resilience activities. Activity 4.4b: NIDIS works with partners to
share options with tribal resource managers
Activity 4.3b*: NIDIS and partners provide for restoring soil health, based on the work
technical support to those tribal nations who of the Natural Resource Conservation Service
TRIBAL DROUGHT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY NIDIS 19▶ A youth gardening
project yields
giant zucchini on
Standing Rock
Reservation. Credit:
Cheyenne River
Youth Project
and others, and shares success stories (e.g., COMMUNICATIONS AND
through joint workshops, US Drought Portal, OUTREACH
learning networks, peer-to-peer exchanges).
Since its establishment in 2006, NIDIS has
Activity 4.4c*: engaged in communication and outreach
NIDIS facili- activities with tribal nations. NIDIS
tates a learn- intends to build on and strengthen these
ing network to partnerships, particularly to ensure that
bring together tribal nations are integral partners in the
tribal nations to implementation of NIDIS.
communicate
successes and Tribal resource managers have expressed
lessons learned. that engaging young people on water and
This would be climate-related issues is a priority for them.
part of a larger In addition, NIDIS recognizes that tribal
▲ Two Oglala tribe
members drive concept of learning networks across regional resource managers seek materials that are
through Pine Ridge DEWS, but would ensure a place for tribal oriented to tribal communities. Communica-
Indian Reservation nations to share with one another if they would tion and outreach materials and efforts are
in South Dakota.
Credit: Sopotnicki/ like to do so. not one-size-fits-all and need to be tailored
shutterstock.com to address tribal concerns.
Activity 4.4d: NIDIS and partners will provide
technical guidance to tribal nations on how OUTCOME 5.1
to implement low cost, high-impact ecologi- An authentic, meaningful government-to-gov-
cal system restoration activities, coordinating ernment engagement is achieved when tribal
with other federal agencies (e.g., Federal Emer- resource managers play a lead role at the
gency Management Agency, EPA and Bureau decision-making table on all drought-related
of Land Management) to build on programs decisions that affect them.
already in place.
20 NIDIS TRIBAL DROUGHT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGYActivity 5.1a*: Tribal resource managers to inform the NIDIS Human Health and Drought
are invited to drought-related planning and Strategy.
response meetings and their status as sover-
eign nations is recognized and respected. Activity 5.2e: Explore the use of drought
scenario exercises for tribal nations to inform
Activity 5.1b*: NIDIS works with tribal resource drought early warning and preparedness in
managers to develop mechanisms to ensure the region.
authentic representation within NIDIS and the
DEWS, which could include creating additional Activity 5.2f: Work with tribal resource
pathways for incorporating tribal perspectives managers to integrate drought early warning
into the NIDIS consultation process. information into existing tribal communica-
tion pathways (e.g., social media, email, text
Activity 5.1c*: NIDIS ensures tribal representa- messaging alerts etc.).
tives are engaged in a process to provide input
into the planning and drafting of all key NIDIS Activity 5.2g*: Drought exposure analyses are
strategies and documents which affect tribal expanded to all DEWS regions.
nations. ▼ Drummers at
the 49th annual
OUTCOME 5.3 United Tribes Pow
Activity 5.1d*: NIDIS continues to work with NIDIS ensures that all their communication Wow, a large event
that attracts more
tribal members to further strengthen NIDIS and interaction with tribal nations is cultur- than 900 dancers
outreach and consultation activities. ally appropriate and respectful. and musicians.
Bismark, North
Dakota. Credit:
OUTCOME 5.2 Activity 5.3a: NIDIS makes a conscious effort Pierre Jean Durieu/
Drought response capacity among tribal to ensure that all relevant communication and shutterstock.com
nations is improved across the two regions. outreach mate-
rials are cultur-
Activity 5.2a*: NIDIS has dedicated staff for a l l y re l e va n t
tribal engagement who will help build and and developed
sustain meaningful and reciprocal relation- in collabora-
ships with tribal nations. tion with tribal
partners.
Activity 5.2b: Create an online Tribal Drought
Portal, through the US Drought Portal, which Activity 5.3b:
includes key learning tools for tribal resource NIDIS and part-
managers, students, and the public. These ners work with
resources will be regularly updated by NIDIS tribal nations
staff to guide drought planning and mitiga- in order to better align the language of
tion efforts. western drought science with traditional
knowledge. This includes the development
Activity 5.2c: NIDIS partners with BIA to hold of culturally-appropriate training materials.
a Tribal Conference in the Upper Missouri River
Basin. The conference will include a dedicated Activity 5.3c*: NIDIS staff and partners are
Drought Tool and Information Day, guiding encouraged to take part in Cultural Intelligence
tribal resource managers on how to access training (and certification).
and utilize existing drought resources.
OUTCOME 5.4
Activity 5.2d*: Ensure strong tribal participa- NIDIS successfully establishes and sustains
tion in Human Health and Drought workshops meaningful relationships with TCUs.
TRIBAL DROUGHT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY NIDIS 21▶ Fond du Lac
Native American
Reservation
in Northern
Minnesota. Credit:
Jacob Boomsma
Activity 5.4a: NIDIS explores opportunities with their permission via the US Drought Portal
to engage with tribal youth (e.g., comic book platform.
development, artwork, storytelling) focused
on drought resilience. The outcomes of such Activity 5.5b: NIDIS works with online plat-
efforts could be compiled and shared across form partners (e.g., ESRI, Storyvine) to create
tribal nations. one-minute drought impact videos from reser-
vations across the two regions. These stories
Activity 5.4b: NIDIS and partners establish will be mapped using GIS technology and be
relationships with the next generation of used to support training as well as commu-
climate leaders at the TCUs, working with them nication and outreach activities across the
to build capacity and roll out workshops and regions.
trainings at their colleges and reservations.
Activity 5.5c: NIDIS works with partners (e.g.,
Activity 5.4c: In collaboration with tribal lead- HPRCC, CASCs) to amplify drought messaging
ers, NIDIS develops a series of maps using and materials developed from the activities
native languages. These maps will be used to above.
facilitate drought-mapping exercises as part of
the proposed climate trainings. OUTCOME 5.6
Regional DEWS networks are strengthened
OUTCOME 5.5 as a result of tribal engagement.
Tribal nations are engaged in drought learn-
ing networks, established to increase learn- Activity 5.6a: NIDIS coordinators encourage
ing exchange between the two regions and tribal resource managers to attend and provide
across regions, utilizing the US Drought Portal opportunities for them to be active partici-
and other resources as appropriate. pants in the regional DEWS meetings.
Activity 5.5a*: NIDIS works with tribal resource Activity 5.6b*: To foster improved cultural
managers in order to document success intelligence amongst DEWS partners and
stories, innovations, lessons learned, and collaboration with tribal nations, selected
■
guidance for other tribal nations in the region. future DEWS meetings will be hosted on the
These resources will be compiled and shared reservations.
22 NIDIS TRIBAL DROUGHT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGYCONCLUSION
This NIDIS Tribal Engagement Strategy outlines a series of guiding
principles and key outcomes and activities that can be taken in order
to engage with tribal nations in an authentic and meaningful manner
to strengthen drought resilience.
While initial work may be project-focused, the hope is that by working
together, tribal nations will be fully integrated into all aspects of NIDIS’ work,
including the regional DEWS.
Building trust, respect, and reciprocity are critical for this integration. We will
use this Strategy to foster a culturally-appropriate communication style and
work with tribal nations as partners and allies in the fight against drought. We
are stronger together. A genuine, authentic collaboration with Tribal Nations
is the only way to protect communities against future drought. We look
■
forward to working more closely with tribal citizens to improve monitoring,
planning and our understanding of drought.
Bison in Custer State Park, South Dakota. Credit: Tom Reichner
TRIBAL DROUGHT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY NIDIS 23You can also read
