New World Survival · Roadmap #56
Purpose: Use this workbook to prepare for prolonged dryness, monitor local drought signals, comply with water restrictions, reduce waste, set crop priorities, ration fairly, document decisions and recover deliberately.
| Garden | Season/year | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought-plan lead | Backup lead | ||
| Last full review | Next review |
| Role | Organization/contact | Phone/email/URL | What this source controls or tells us |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water utility / district | |||
| Municipality / county | |||
| Property owner / host | |||
| Cooperative Extension | |||
| State climatologist / drought program | |||
| Other |
| Source | Normal use | Who controls it? | Meter/level indicator? | Restrictions / quality / permit notes | Reliable in extended drought? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | |||||
| Backup | |||||
| Rain storage | |||||
| Other |
Do not label rain barrels or alternate sources “reliable” without evidence. Rain storage may be empty during the period of greatest need. Verify legal and food-garden suitability of nonstandard sources.
| Control | Location | Who has access? | How to shut down safely |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main shutoff | |||
| Zone valves | |||
| Pump/control |
| Week/date | Weather context | Meter start | Meter end | Gallons or proxy | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
If there is no dedicated meter, use a consistent proxy such as zone run time and known emitter flow, tank refills or another repeatable measure.
| Check | Pass? | Problem | Corrective action | Date closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hose ends / washers | ||||
| Cracked or split lines | ||||
| Clogged emitters | ||||
| Misdirected water / path watering | ||||
| Valve leakage | ||||
| Uneven wetting | ||||
| Other |
| Date | USDM / local drought status | Utility / host notice | Rain / weather | Soil condition | Source status | Garden use / stress |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Use multiple signals. The U.S. Drought Monitor is a broad planning tool, not a local watering ordinance.
| Condition | Our local trigger(s) | Who declares it? | Required actions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthy | |||
| Watch | |||
| Correct | |||
| Stop |
Use Protect, Reduce, Harvest and Close, Pause, Stop. Do not assume every crop or bed deserves an equal share.
| Zone / plot | Crop / use | Permanent / new / critical stage? | Drying risk | Disposition | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
□ Repair known leaks before rationing crops.
□ Stop water that reaches paths or unused spaces.
□ Confirm permitted watering method and hours.
□ Use root-zone delivery where practical and allowed.
□ Check soil below the surface before irrigating.
□ Mulch appropriate beds using local Extension guidance.
□ Remove water-competing weeds.
□ Harvest mature crops promptly.
□ Pause new nonessential planting.
□ Close low-priority zones completely rather than watering them by habit.
| Zone | Disposition | Allowed day/time/method | Pre-water soil check | Responsible person | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question | Answer / adjustment |
|---|---|
| Does the allowed watering time exclude members because of work, disability, transportation or caregiving? | |
| Who can assist with watering without taking over another gardener's plot? | |
| How are exceptions approved and recorded? | |
| Who has keys / valve access? | |
| Can absent gardeners request triage help? |
| Current condition | Healthy / Watch / Correct / Stop |
|---|---|
| Effective date | |
| Authority / notice | |
| Allowed methods / times | |
| Garden priority changes | |
| What members must stop | |
| Leak reporting contact | |
| Exception contact | |
| Next review date |
| Date | Plot / issue | Request or problem | Decision | Authority / reason | Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
□ Outdoor watering is prohibited for this use.
□ Proposed source is unsafe, unauthorized or unresolved.
□ A zone is leaking or cannot deliver water where intended.
□ Current allocation cannot support new nonessential planting.
□ Crop/zone has been moved to Harvest and Close or Stop.
□ Proposed workaround conflicts with host, utility, food-safety, pesticide-label or other applicable rules.
□ Watering would require unsafe volunteer heat exposure. Use the heat-safety procedure instead.
| Date | Condition | Water use / run time | Rain | Repairs | Zones changed | Crop loss / harvest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
□ Local restrictions have been rechecked.
□ Water source status is stable enough for the proposed change.
□ Soil moisture has been checked below the surface.
□ Irrigation system has been inspected after drought operation.
□ We have chosen which crops to replant based on the remaining local season.
□ The garden will move through Watch before returning to normal operation when appropriate.
□ Members have received the recovery update.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Which trigger gave us useful early warning? | |
| Which trigger came too late or produced confusion? | |
| How much did water use change? | |
| Which leaks or system defects mattered? | |
| Which crops/plantings survived well? | |
| Which crop losses were deliberate triage versus preventable failure? | |
| Were restrictions and exceptions applied fairly? | |
| Did one person carry too much responsibility? | |
| What infrastructure or policy should change before next season? | |
| Who updates the written drought plan, and by what date? |
□ I can name the authority that controls outdoor-water restrictions here.
□ I can locate the main shutoff.
□ I can explain why one drought map is not enough to run the garden.
□ I can measure or approximate normal garden water use consistently.
□ I can classify zones as Protect, Reduce, Harvest and Close, Pause or Stop.
□ I can explain the first conservation steps before crop sacrifice.
□ I can issue a complete drought notice to members.
□ I know the garden's stop conditions.
□ I can identify the evidence needed before returning to normal watering.
This workbook accompanies Community Garden Drought Plan, New World Survival Roadmap #56. Substantive review: September 6, 2026.