Planning for drought-resilient communities: An evaluation of local comprehensive plans in the fastest growing counties in the US

•The capacity of local comprehensive plans in drought preparedness was examined.•Counties sampled are weak in drought preparedness through land use planning.•Local planners shall take the lead in drought mitigation and preparedness planning.

Drought is one of the most frequent and destructive hazards around the world. Recent droughts in the United States have revealed the increasing vulnerability of the nation to this hazard. Since the damages and costs occur at the local levels, local capacity in preparing for drought is our main concern. This study examines 81 local comprehensive plans for the 100 fastest growing counties in the US by systematically evaluating these local comprehensive plans against an evaluation protocol of what makes a drought-ready community. Results show that these fast growing counties have inadequate factual basis, unclear goals and objectives, limited policies, and weak coordination and implementation for potential drought events in their comprehensive plans. The majority of jurisdictions fail to integrate drought mitigation and adaptation strategies into their land use planning. By understanding their strengths and weaknesses, policy implications and recommendations are given.