Mid-Atlantic counties designated
for 1999 Federal drought relief funds

 Yellow indicates primary relief and green those partially affected ("contiguous" relief). White are undesignated counties.

Notice the differences between this map and the 1995 - 1999 NDVI difference satellite image (link below). Most counties identified as seriously affected by the drought are designated, and some counties have been designated that are less seriously affected. However there are some counties that are less seriously affected and have not been designated. There could be several reasons for this inconsistency; the satellite images may emphasize forest vegetation that would be less affected by the drought, but the image gives an appearance of better conditions than were experienced by crops; the land may be not cropped at all; lobbying and political pressure may play a part in designation. These differences deserve careful study and may have important implications for future drought relief.

 The difference between the vegetation
in July 1995 and July 1999.

NDVI/Federal Disaster Relief Comparison

| Main Drought Page |