DürreObservatorium

DürreObservatorium is a research institute dedicated to drought monitoring, analysis, and mitigation in the German-speaking regions. It integrates meteorological, hydrological, agricultural, and socio-economic data to assess drought risk and inform policy, infrastructure planning, and land management.

Founded in 2012 as a cooperative project among universities, meteorological services, and government agencies, the observatory operates a cross-disciplinary program that combines long-term climate records with near-real-time observations and forecast products.

Core activities include operating an observation network of weather stations, soil moisture sensors, stream gauges, and groundwater wells; data assimilation into regional climate models; development of drought indices (SPI, SPEI, PDSI) and drought forecasts up to several weeks ahead; scenario analysis for agriculture and water resources.

The observatory conducts research on drought attribution, resilience planning, and adaptation strategies. It maintains an open data portal and publishes regular drought bulletins and scientific reports. It collaborates with universities, public agencies, and civil society, and supports capacity building for local authorities and farmers.

Key initiatives include the Dürre Atlas for regional drought history, urban drought risk assessments, and integration with satellite-based monitoring from Copernicus and other missions; it also contributes to international drought research networks.

Governance and funding: governed by a scientific director and an advisory board; funded by national and regional grants, with partnerships that support open data and reproducibility. The observatory maintains ethical standards and data-sharing policies.