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2024 Hennepin County All -Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan <br />Volume 2 — Hazard Inventory <br />4.3.8.12. Mitigation <br />Even though you can't prevent a drought from occurring, they are hard to predict, or how long they will <br />last, there are ways you can protect from some of the consequences. <br />• Monitor Drought Conditions: this can provide early warnings for policymakers and planners to <br />make decisions through actions including: <br />• Monitor Water Supply: This can save water in the long run though the following actions: <br />• Develop a drought emergency plan. <br />• Develop criteria or triggers for drought -related actions. <br />• Develop agreements for secondary water sources that may be used during drought conditions. <br />• Rotating crops by growing a series of different types of crops on the same fields every season to <br />reduce soil erosion. <br />• Practicing contour farming by farming along elevation contour lines to slow water runoff during <br />rainstorms and prevent soil erosion, allowing the water time to absorb into the soil. <br />• Using terracing on hilly or mountainous terrain to decrease soil erosion and surface runoff. <br />• Planting "cover crops," such as oats, wheat, and buckwheat, to prevent soil erosion. <br />• Using zero and reduced tillage to minimize soil disturbance and leave crop residue on the ground <br />to prevent soil erosion. <br />• Constructing windbreaks to prevent evaporation from reclaiming salt -affected soil. <br />• Collecting rainwater and using natural runoff to water plants. <br />• Encourage farmers and agriculture interests to obtain crop insurance to cover potential losses <br />due to drought. <br />4.3.8.13. Response <br />When drought occurs, the water supplier and community must take action to reduce the demand for <br />water. While increasing water supplies would be of benefit, most such remedies require more than five <br />years to plan and construct new reservoirs, canals, and/or groundwater sources. Reducing water demand <br />can result in significant positive effects within only a few days. <br />Voluntary action from water users can result in up to 25% water use reduction for short periods of time. <br />Mandatory restrictions have resulted in as much as a 40% reduction of water use. This savings effect is <br />directly related to a) the public's belief that the emergency is real; b) the public clearly understands the <br />actions required to reduce water use; and c) the active enforcement of mandatory water use restrictions. <br />It is very important for water suppliers to understand the public seldom sustains the voluntary water <br />conservation levels more than a few months. Drought response actions, even mandatory water use <br />restrictions are designed to be suspended once the drought is deemed over. Drought response programs <br />and water efficiency programs are two very different actions for two different problems. <br />Water efficiency programs are designed to effect long-term (even permanent) water use reductions; <br />drought response is designed to solve short term water supply deficits. Water efficiency programs can <br />reduce the impact of subsequent droughts, but water efficiency strategies continue beyond the term of a <br />drought. Water efficiency planning is usually based on the economics of avoided costs or least cost <br />planning. Drought response is meant to solve an emergency supply shortfall; thus, does not always need <br />to be justified by avoided costs. <br />149 <br />