Types of Drought, and meteorological drought. Imagine a large swath of parched, cracked earth and you’re likely picturing the impact of meteorological drought, which occurs when a region’s rainfall falls far short of expectations. , and agricultural drought., and hydrological drought.
A inquiry we ran across in our research was “Are droughts becoming more frequent?”.
“It means that farmers and communities who rarely see drought are likely to see it more often. And those that have been managing drought for many years may now see it intensify beyond their lived experience.
On its surface, increased streamflow — the rate at which water is carried by rivers and streams — could be seen as a boon for the drought-stricken region. But too much water comes with hazards, including increased erosion, flooding and debris flows.
Lessening the impacts of future drought events will require nations to pursue development of drought policies that emphasize a wide range of risk management techniques, including improved monitoring and early warning systems, preparedness plans, and appropriate mitigation actions and programs.
Can a drought be predicted?
Many droughts can be predicted up to a month in advance, 1,2 and in rare cases it may be possible to predict drought conditions more than a year in advance. 2 However, the complexity of Earth’s climate makes drought forecasting very difficult.
Another query we ran across in our research was “Is there a link between climate patterns and drought?”.
Scientists have found a link between certain climate patterns and drought. El Niño is a weather event where the surface water in the Pacific Ocean along the central South American coast rises in temperature. These warmer waters alter storm patterns and are associated with droughts in Indonesia, Australia,.
2004 tsunami in Indonesia: affected up to 5 million people2010 earthquake in Haiti: affected 3 million people. Current drought/famine/war in the Horn of Africa: affect 8 million people in 2018.
In easier to understand terms, a drought is a period of unusually persistant dry weather that persists long enough to cause serious problems such as crop damage and/or water supply shortages. The severity of the drought depends upon the degree of moisture deficiency, the duration, and the size of the affected area.
How do droughts affect people?
The longer a drought lasts, the greater the harmful effects it has on people. Droughts affect people in a several ways. Access to clean drinking water is essential for all life, and sources of water may dwindle during a drought.
This of course begs the query “How do droughts affect irrigation?”
Irrigation is possible only when there is enough water in nearby rivers, lakes, or streams, or from groundwater. During a drought, these water sources are diminished and may even dry up, preventing crops from being irrigated and causing them to die off.
Key TakeawaysA drought is a reduction in precipitation over an extended period. Droughts damage agriculture and the food supplies. Droughts create floods and wildfires. Drought worsened the Great Depression. Agribusiness is draining the Ogallala Aquifer, which could dry up by 2100., and more items.
Impacts of Drought. Trees and other plants have adapted to withstand the effects of drought through various survival methods. Some plants (such as grasses) will slow their growth or turn brown to conserve water. Trees can drop their leaves earlier in the season to prevent losing water through the leaf surface.
What are the challenges of drought management?
Drought management raises a multitude of budgetary issues including new fiscal pressures with possibly fewer fiscal resources. Innovation and technology. The application of new technologies to the conservation of water needs to move front and center.
Many of the management alternatives available to water suppliers to prepare for and respond to drought events fall into two broad categories: demand management and supply augmentation. Public information and education campaigns Restrictions on nonessential uses of water.
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.