Droughts are cyclical and “slow-onset ”, meaning that much can be done to make the livelihoods of people likely to be affected by droughts much more resilient.
Thus, droughts are a natural phenomenon, beyond human control and prevention. In modem times, by the use of satellites, we can predict the weather pattern over a particular area. Drought-like conditions can be overcome by better water harvesting techniques.
Why do droughts only happen once?
Droughts only occur when an area is abnormally dry. Here’s why: Rain and snow don’t fall evenly across Earth. Some regions are routinely wet and others are routinely dry. From season to season — and from year to year — the amount of rain or snow in a location can vary.
Weather has been recorded for over 100 years within the United States and there have been a handful of severe droughts with each lasting up to 8 years within that period including the infamous Dust Bowl (4). Most of the severe droughts were cyclical in nature as shown in the table to the left.
Some articles claimed droughts occur (now more frequently) because storm paths have changed. For example, the winter rains in Mediterranean climates (Central California, South Africa, Victoria in Australia) are being pushed either north or south, sometimes into atmospheric rivers.
The tools and management practices which led to the stark contrast have been around for 30 years, including the 90’s drought, the 2003 drought and every other one since. There is always a cost in a drought. The difficult thing is to restrict the cost to a financial one.
How can droughts be managed?
, and emergency management. During times of serve drought, local governments need to have the needed emergency infrastructure in place to mitigate the impacts. Intergovernmental relations, regionalism, and collaboration. Establishing cross-sector relationships during uneventful times creates a level of trust needed to operate outside typical boundaries during times of crisis., and strategic planning. Drought management and water conservation require local governments to plan, anticipate, and formulate a focused approach., and financial management. Drought management raises a multitude of budgetary issues including new fiscal pressures with possibly fewer fiscal resources.
How to manage drought?
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Improved soil and water conservation practices and the associated reduced tillage systems. Optimization of the fit between crop growth cycle and the available moisture. , weed control Soil fertility management with respect to the water regime., and more items.
Plant crops that withstand dryness, hold water, and reduce the need for irrigation. Rotate crops in ways that increase the amount of water that enters the soil. Shift to cropping systems that are less water dependent than your current system.
When I was writing we ran into the query “How to manage lawn in a drought?”.
Just because a plant will grow in your zone doesn’t mean it is a good choice for your area. A couple more things to take a look at: fertilize, mulch, install a smart irrigation system, tune up the irrigation system, design for water retention, mow high and often, go native, consider alternative irrigation water sources, and cut back on grass, if you must.
What determines the severity of drought?
The severity of the drought depends on the amount of time that a region receives below-average precipitation. For example, a few weeks without rain could stress a farmer’s crops during the growing season.
The human factors that tend to cause drought are deforestation, mining and pollution. The weather pattern of highs and low rainfall are natural but when affected by human activities .. The effects become severe…. 25 insanely cool gadgets selling out quickly in 2021.
What is the meaning of drought?
Drought meaning a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, leading to a shortage of water. This happens due to a mixture of human and natural causes. The human factors that tend to cause drought are deforestation, mining and pollution.
A drought is a period of time when an area or region experiences below-normal precipitation. The lack of adequate precipitation, either rain or snow, can cause reduced soil moisture or groundwater, diminished stream flow, crop damage, and a general water shortage. Droughts are the second-most costly weather events after hurricanes.