Drought

Drought is a period or condition of unusually dry weather within a geographic area where rainfall is normally present. During a drought there is a lack of precipitation. Droughts occur in all climatic zones. However, its characteristics vary significantly from one region to another.

Drought usually results in a water shortage that seriously interferes with human activity. Water-supply reservoirs empty, wells dry up, and crop damage ensues. Its seriousness depends on the degree of the water shortage, size of area affected, and the duration and warmth of the dry period. In many underdeveloped countries, such as India, people place a great demand on water supply. During a drought period there is a lack of water, and thus many of the poor die.

Impacts of Drought:

Drought produces a large number of impacts that affects the social, enviornmental, and economical standard of living. Its affects spread far beyond the physical effects of drought itself. Water is integral to produce goods and provide certain services.Some direct impacts of drought are reduced crop, rangeland, and forest productivity; reduced water leves; increased fire hazard; increased livestock and wildlife death rates; and damage to wildlife and fish habitat. A reduction in crop productivity usually results in less income for farmers, increased prices for food, unemployment, and migration.

The many effects of drought can be listed as economic, environmental, or social. However, not all impacts of drought are negative. Fortunate agricultural producers located outside the drought area benefit by selling their goods at higher prices.

Drought Gallery:

Types of Drought:

Meteorological Drought

Meteorological drought is the amount of dryness and the duration of the dry period. Atmospheric conditions that result in deficiencies of precipitation change from area to area.

Agricultural Drought

Agricultural drought mainly effects food production and farming. Agricultural drought and precipitation shortages bring soil water deficits, reduced ground water or reservoir levels, and so on. More of these effects can be listed by clicking here. Deficient topsoil moisture at planting may stop germination, leading to low plant populations.

Hydrological Drought

Hydrological drought is associated with the effects of periods of precipitation shortages on water supply. Water in hydrologic storage systems such as reservoirs and rivers are often used for multiple purposes such as flood control, irrigation, recreation, navigation, hydropower, and wildlife habitat. Competition for water in these storage systems escalates during drought and conflicts between water users increase significantly.

Socioeconomic Drought

Socioeconomic drought occurs when the demand for an economic good exceeds supply as a result of a weather-related shortfall in water supply. The supply of many economic goods, such as water, forage, food grains, fish, and hydroelectric power, depends on weather. Due to variability of climate, water supply is sufficient in some years but not satisfactory to meet human and environmental needs in other years. The demand for economic goods is increasing as a result of increasing.