Snowpack levels in the Mountain West are below average heading into runoff season. For many tribal producers, snowmelt is essential for irrigation, livestock, and sustaining traditional foods tied to seasonal water cycles.
To help communities prepare, a spring webinar series through the Native Resilience Project is focused on adapting to ongoing snow drought conditions. The project is a four-year collaboration with the University of Montana, the Desert Research Institute, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Federally Recognized Tribes Extension Program and the USDA Climate Hubs. It is aimed at strengthening resilience in tribal agriculture, and this year’s focus reflects growing water stress across Indian Country.
Dr. Kyle Bocinsky is a partner on the project and the director of climate extension at the Montana Climate Office. He said the snow drought varies across tribal communities and is historically significant.
“What we’re seeing right now is, at least for the last 25 years, a historically low snowpack situation. And it’s going to tax a lot of our systems.”
The webinars provide tribal producers with current snow and drought information, drought assistance programs, and guidance on long-term drought planning. They also provide new pathways for tribes to directly request federal disaster declarations tied to drought impacts.
Ultimately, the series is about supporting long-term resilience for tribes as climate conditions continue to shift. Three additional webinars in the Native Resilience series are scheduled through May, continuing to focus on strategies for tribal agriculture and traditional food systems across the West.
