Tools for Action

In continuing to increase our understanding of climate change, addressing the vulnerabilities and the hazards of climate change events and extreme weather is key to both adaptation and mitigation efforts. As a recent Yale survey has further substantiated, frontline communities – those with the greatest exposures to climate impacts – are as worried about global warming as non-frontline communities. However, given the exposures to these frontline communities, they are more worried about the hazards – extreme heat, the water and air pollution, droughts and water shortages - near-term hazards affecting the health, their environment and their financial outcomes. It is the collective responsibility of national, state and local governments and individuals and communities to act, collectively, with responsibility to each other. The action of individuals and communities can be amplified with access to needed data in data democratization, making data accessible and understandable more broadly. Data provided here include:

• Heat index

• Air quality

• Wildfires

• Flooding – coastal and inland

• Water supplies – ground water and western water

• Drought

• Extreme precipitation

  • • Dams

    • Landslides

• Cleanups in My Community

• Drinking water quality

• Risk information

AIR QUALITY

Air quality data -  AirNow 

AirNow is a one-stop source for air quality data that highlights air quality in your local area first, while still providing air quality information with state and national views. With AirNow’s interactive map, you can get the big picture or zoom to view data for a single air quality monitor. AirNow’s Fire and Smoke map uses a variety of products including low-cost sensors to provide detailed, up-to-date information that can be critical to users experiencing smoke events.

WILDFIRES

The National Interagency Coordination Center provides 7-day and monthly outlooks on significant wildland fire potential.

North American Seasonal Fire Assessment and Outlook (June 15, 2026)

Real-time wildfires is provided by  Watch Duty This app tracks active wildfires and firefighting aircraft. Active and retired emergency dispatchers, first responders, and reporters verify and publish the information. Updates are based on official sources, radio communications, and confirmed on-scene reports.

States also provide detailed analysis of ground water levels. One example is California.

NOTE : the existing graph on the CA groundwater level conditions from above  will come after this.

Western water supplies - Western water supply forecast

The Colorado River Basin provides water for more than 40 million people with hydropower for seven U.S. states. It supports over 5 million acres of agriculture and agricultural communities and important ecosystems with endangered species. It includes the river’s upper basin states, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico and the lower basin, California, Arizona and Nevada. The Western Water Supply Forecast provides water supply forecasts, these are impacted by current and antecedent hydrological conditions including snowpack, soil moisture, weather forecasts and climate information.

Drought Monitor

The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) is a map released every Thursday, showing where drought is and its extent across the U.S. and its territories. The map uses six classifications: normal conditions, abnormally dry (D0), showing areas that may be going into or are coming out of drought, and four levels of drought: moderate (D1), severe (D2), extreme (D3) and exceptional (D4).

EXTREME PRECIPITATION

Climate change brings heavier rainfall extremes. Increases in temperature results in the air holding more moisture increasing the probability of heavier downpours and flash floods.

Climate Central

Dams and extreme precipitation

National Inventory of Dams

There are over 90,000 dams in the US, 3/4 of which are classified as high hazard potential with an average age of 65 years. A high hazard potential classification is where dam failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life. Extreme precipitation events can cause dam overtopping, one of the most common reasons for dam failure. For earthen dams, overtopping can often cause them to fail catastrophically and completely unless they are designed to overtop. The Association of State Dam Safety Officials provides essential information for those living downstream of dams , Living Near Dams: Extreme Rainfall Events. The US Army Corps of Engineers National Inventory of Dams provides a national database on US dams, from a national, state to individual dams.

Landslides and extreme precipitation

Extreme precipitation or snowmelt can accelerate the development of landslides. In addition to rainfall, several other factors influence landslide development including geology, slope, rock type, orientation, and overall rock condition.

U.S. Landslide Inventory and Susceptibility Map – The US Geological Survey has used  high-resolution digital-elevation data and data from hundreds-of-thousands of landslides to show differences in susceptibility across the country using the concentration of landslide prone slopes. 

A recent example of extreme precipitation and resulting landslides was the effects of Hurricane Helene. It resulted in nearly 2000 landslides with 260 major ones that damaged multiple homes or were imminent threats to people.

Debris flows are among the most destructive and dangerous types of landslides. Common in the southern Appalachians, they can occur during the hurricanes and less intense rainfall events. With mixtures of rocks, water, mud, and other debris, they can move very quickly, over long distances, often destroying everything in their path with little or no indication of an approaching landslide. 

Debris flows also are prone to occur after wildfires. USGS has prepared approaches for Landslide Preparedness.

https://usgs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=ae120962f459434b8c904b456c82669d

State level example, Kentucky:

https://usgs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=ae120962f459434b8c904b456c82669d

Local level example, Cincinnati area

https://usgs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=ae120962f459434b8c904b456c82669d

CLEANUPS IN MY COMMUNITY

Knowing where contaminated sites or spills are located in extreme weather events is crucial for the public. For example, in flooding events, releases can occur due to damage to the infrastructure or water entering structures containing chemicals. Under flooding conditions, contaminants can be transported faster and further than in normal conditions. Knowing in advance what potential releases are in proximity to your location is vital.

EPA conducts and supervises investigation and cleanup actions at sites where oil or hazardous chemicals have been or may be released into the environment. Cleanup activities take place at active and abandoned waste sites, federal facilities and properties, and where any storage tanks have leaked. EPA, other federal agencies, states or municipalities, or the company or party responsible for the contamination may perform cleanups. Cleanup can also include site reuse and redevelopment. 

Below are programs under which EPA and its partners conduct cleanup-related activities.  

• Emergency Response - when the danger from pollutants poses an immediate threat to human health or the environment

• Superfund Cleanup - for large, abandoned hazardous waste sites  

• Federal Facilities Cleanup - for cleanups at facilities owned by the federal government (includes Superfund and RCRA sites)

• Brownfields Cleanup - for assessments and cleanups grants related to potentially usable properties

• Underground Storage Tank Cleanup - a state-delegated program for cleanups involving underground storage tanks

• Hazardous Waste Cleanup Program - a state-delegated program for hazardous waste management facilities with a spill or release

• Cleaning Up Oil Spills - for spills of oil on land and in inland waters

• Cleaning Up Air Pollutants - for addressing releases of pollutants to the air

• Cleaning Up Water - to check on the quality of your waterways and learn about drinking water standards and where to find information about the quality of your drinking water

Below is a composite picture of US sites.

WATER QUALITY

The Drinking Water Mapping Application to Protect Source Waters (DWMAPS) is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s online mapping tool to find information about protecting sources of drinking water. DWMAPS provides easy access to information about drinking water providers, sources of drinking water, potential sources of contamination, polluted waterways, and watershed protection projects. Data can be found to protect sources water areas and manage potential sources of contamination. For accidental spills and releases, it also identifies where emergency response resources for releases must be available. Knowing where potential contaminant sources are and what response measures are available is critical before and during extreme events.

How’s My Waterway  was designed to provide the general public with information on the condition of local waters based on data that states, federal, tribal, local agencies and others have provided to EPA. Water quality information is displayed at community, state and national levels. It provides detailed information on a range of parameters on water quality including safety in drinking water, eating fish, aquatic life, and swimming.

Water quality can change rapidly during flooding events. This can include stormwater overflow to chemical releases at sites storing hazardous substances.

RISK INFORMATION

The USEPA has developed Cheminformatics modules that provide data on over one million chemicals. It includes high-quality chemical structures, experimental and predicted physicochemical properties, environmental fate and transport information, and human health and ecological toxicity data. The Cheminformatics Module is a set of prototype modules which are using a compilation of information sourced from many sites, databases and sources including U.S. Federal and state sources and international bodies that saves the user time by providing information in one location. The data are not reviewed by USEPA – the user must apply judgment in use of the information. The results do not indicate EPA’s position on the use or regulation of these chemicals.

In extreme events, conditions can result in contaminants that are by-products of the original chemical. The Cheminformatics modules identify by-products that may be produced as a result of reaction with water from flooding conditions or combustion by-products produced where wildfires have occurred. Additionally, use of non-targeted analysis to identify unknown substances in rapid response scenarios can greatly enhance identifying public health concerns.

Example results are below for the Safety Module. It provides information for response personnel and stability of the chemicals. It also identifies chemicals that are of concern for acute or short-term exposures.

The Cheminformatics Module is a set of prototype modules which are using a compilation of information sourced from many sites, databases and sources including U.S. Federal and state sources and international bodies that saves the user time by providing information in one location. The data are not reviewed by USEPA – the user must apply judgment in use of the information. The results do not indicate EPA’s position on the use or regulation of these chemicals.

The Hazard module provides a range of information on human health effects and ecotoxicity. It includes acute effects related to inhalation, ingestion or dermal contact as well as neurotoxic effects.

Where you may have the potential to be exposed to chemicals, provide the information on the chemical(s) and information in these modules to your medical care provider.