What are the benefits of seeing drought through a social lens?

Much of the Midwest is experiencing a drought due to very dry weather in late summer and early fall. Half of the state of Illinois is facing severe drought, and parts of central Illinois are facing extreme drought, affecting farmers’ yields, especially soybeans.

Dong Wang, a professor of information science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, developed an artificial intelligence-based drought estimation framework called Socially Informed Drought Estimation (SIDE). The tool examines the societal implications of drought beyond water availability or agricultural losses and how human behavior and environmental conditions influence each other. In this interview he discusses these ideas.

What are some of the social implications of drought beyond water shortages?

When people hear the word “drought,” they usually think of dry fields and empty reservoirs. However, drought affects more than just water: it affects almost every area of ​​daily life. This can harm local economies, disrupt food production, harm mental health and even change relationships between communities.

For example, for farmers, drought means lower yields and uncertainty about income. For small businesses related to tourism, recreation or landscaping, this can mean months of lost revenue. We also found that prolonged drought leads to stress and anxiety, particularly in rural areas where livelihoods are directly dependent on the weather. Beyond that, drought can strain ecosystems, reduce water quality and trigger conflicts over limited resources.

In short, drought not only dries out land: it also challenges the resilience and well-being of communities.

How does the SIDE framework measure the societal impacts and human behavior associated with drought?

Traditional drought monitors track physical indicators such as precipitation, soil moisture and temperature. These elements are essential, but they cannot show how people actually experience and respond to drought. This is where our SIDE framework comes in.

SIDE combines three types of information: 1) physical data such as meteorological and hydrological records; 2) social media posts, which capture personal experiences and public opinion; and 3) media coverage, which reflects how the drought is reported and discussed by journalists and local institutions.

Using artificial intelligence, SIDE brings together these data sources to estimate both the severity of the drought and its societal impact. It hosts social and topical discussions in key impact areas defined by the National Integrated Drought Information System, such as agriculture, ecosystems, water services, recreation and public health.

By mapping these conversations over time, SIDE can detect where and when people begin to feel the effects of drought and how these social signals relate to changes in physical conditions. It connects the human side of the story to real-time environmental data.

What problems do you think arise from the current drought in the Midwest?

This year’s drought in Illinois and throughout the Midwest is a clear example of how quickly conditions can change and the extent to which communities are affected. After a relatively wet start to the year, soil moisture dropped sharply at the end of summer. According to the Illinois State Climatologist, 2025 was the driest year since 1988 in parts of central Illinois, with shrinking rivers, dusty fields and even fire risks during harvest season.

Farmers report uneven corn and soybean growth, low yields and difficult harvest conditions as dry winds and brittle stalks make field work difficult. Local news reports have reported concerns about water shortages and stress from unpredictable weather conditions. Even recent rainfall has not been enough to reverse the drought, leading to uncertainty over next year’s plantings.

From a social perspective, we expect to see an increase in local online discussions about water services, crop failures and mental fatigue – signs that people are not only observing the drought, but also actively feeling its impact on their lives and livelihoods. These social signals often appear before official drought reports can give a full picture of the situation.

How can this information be useful during times of drought or other environmental crises?

By combining environmental data with social awareness, SIDE helps decision-makers understand the physical and human dimensions of a drought. This information can help water managers, farmers and policy makers respond more quickly and effectively.

For example, if SIDE detects growing public concern or stress in a certain area (e.g., even before water levels reach critical thresholds), it can alert local leaders to step up communication, provide resources, or target drought relief. Similarly, journalists and researchers can use this information to understand how people adapt, cope and communicate during extreme weather conditions.

Beyond droughts, SIDE can be adapted to floods, wildfires or heat waves, any situation in which people’s experiences offer vital signals in real time. The Wang team has been working on extending SIDE to other types of extreme events. The goal is to make environmental monitoring more human-centered, giving communities a clearer voice in how we understand and respond to crises.