0000131400 00000 n Some drought-ravaged cities are taking even more extreme measures to prepare for future droughts. Here is a list of some of the effects of drought on the economy: 1. Generally, Until recently, naturally occurring droughts were often natural phenomena triggered by cyclical weather patterns, such as the amount of moisture and heat in the air, land, and sea. Lack of water in river systems and reservoirs can impact hydroelectric power companies, farmers, wildlife, and communities. The role of methane emissions in the global warming puzzle. After a three-year drought, the worst in over a century, Cape Town's water supply is running dry and might reach the much-feared "Day Zero" in 2019 (officials had originally estimated July 2018). Drought in the USAIn August 2012, drought conditions extended over 70 percent of the United States. The end of a drought can also be difficult to determine. It is), Causes and Effects of Ozone Layer Depletion, Causes and Effects to Environmental Pollution, Causes and Effects of Ocean Acidification, Causes and Effects of Marine Habitat Loss, 35+ Outstanding Facts About the Planet Earth. @71K9LmpMgMC5 ~5`t]D[%i=+k$X"C8^1L _.t Notify me of follow-up comments by email. 0000244235 00000 n Therefore, farmers usually undergo major economic losses because of low crop yields. Little or no precipitation is one of the major causes of a drought. In Africa, the Sahel region experienced a dry period from 1400 to 1750 that radically altered thelandscape. Conditions continue to be critical in the area due to drought, overpopulation, failing crops, and high food prices. Runoff from drought-related wildfires can carry extra sediment, ash, charcoal, and woody debris to surface waters, killing fish and other aquatic life by decreasing oxygen levels in the water. Scientists have found a link between certainclimatepatterns and drought. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2f50a30a6df33b 0000001996 00000 n 0000084175 00000 n Between 2000-2015, the U.S. experienced drier than usual weather over 20-70% of its area. Dip the rim of the glass into the mixture and fill the glass with ice. Drought can limit the growing season and create conditions that encourage insect and disease infestation in certain crops. Increases in temperature have the potential to cause more frequent and severe droughts, which puts climate change in the crosshairs as a major cause of drought in the present day. But the slow rise or chronic nature of drought also can result in longer term, indirect health implications that are not always easy to anticipate or monitor. The economic impacts of drought are realized from monetary and business losses incurred during droughts by governments, businesses, families, and at the individual level. Other problems include conflicts over water usage and food, and forced migration away from drought-stricken areas. Droughts create floods and wildfires. This is potentially bad news for Australia, and similar climate regions such as California in the US. Agribusiness is draining the Ogallala Aquifer, which could dry up by 2100. The present drought in Cape Town has been caused by extremely poor rainfall in recent months, with the result that the water supplies are under . Did you encounter any technical issues? 2. Drought in South Africa caused by El Nio, human action and climate change. Learn how your comment data is processed. Construction and agricultural activities may as well reduce the overall supply quantity of water, resulting in dry spells. This can cause droughts in two ways: A: when the trees are cut, they can no longer contribute to the moisture in the air by transpiration. The last decade has been especially severe, earning it the name The Big Dry or The Millennium Drought. On this basis, extended deficiency of water can affect the society in various ways both directly and indirectly. Mainly, the damages arise out of extensive destruction of the wildlife habitats and reduction in water quality and quantity. Industries and businesses in farm equipment manufacturing and merchandising respectively loss millions of dollars when farmers lack the money to buy their resources. La Nia is the counterpart to El Nio, when the surface water in the Pacific Ocean along the coast of South America decreases in temperature. 3. While newirrigationtechniques have increased the amount of land that can be used for farming, they have also increasedfarmers dependence on water. While droughts occur naturally, human activity . In the early 1970s, more than 100,000 people died and millions of people were forced to migrate. 2 See answers 0000198678 00000 n Human acts such as deforestation, construction, and agriculture negatively impact the water cycle. HW }\V.d]^A];9V+9M"dcHVV}x.]kJUxG K Mk:kStN)p&18-Tv4kc*YGXe%_> 6-j*sB):uHUBq[3|F =| The Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI), developed in 1965 by theNational Weather Service, is the most commonly used drought monitor. land use practices can either create a drought situation (eg agricultural or hydrological drought) or make an existing one worse. Animal and plants die off as a consequence of drought. Drought conditions make it unsuitable for plants and vegetation cover to survive. In the most general sense, drought originates from a deficiency of precipitation over an extended period of time, resulting in a water shortage for some activity, group, or environmental sector. Drought definitions need to be revisited to explicitly include human processes driving and modifying soil moisture drought and hydrological drought development. Besides, fertile lands are lost as a result of drought, and in consequence, desertification sets in. Today, visitors can still see the tops of trees growing out of the lakewhere the water is now more than 15 meters (50 feet) deep. Accordingly, drought is a natural event arising due to less precipitation than expected thus defining the intricacies witnessed when the demands for water supply are higher than the available water for some activity, humans, or the environment. When most of the precipitation comes as rain, it will wash out fast, leaving the Spring with dry conditions once again. As the soil becomes drier, it is vulnerable to erosion. Massive clouds of dust and sand formed as unusually strong winds lifted the dry soil into the air. 0000004183 00000 n Yuccas, for instance, have deeproot systems that can seek out water with incredible efficiency. In extremely hot seasons or because of certain human activities, these surface water flows may dry out downstream contributing to drought meaning the demands for water supply become higher than the available water. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Drip irrigation hopes to achieve optimum water delivery for plants and optimum moisture in the soil. how can droughts be triggered by physical natural( natural) conditions . Drought is a prolonged dry period in the natural climate cycle that can occur anywhere in the world. Other plants only grow when there is enough water to support them. Rainwater harvesting is a great way to combat drought and is now encouraged among farmers and herders to provide their agriculture with water in times of drought. Ifsignificantly less rain falls, there may be water shortages and a drought may be declared. People and governments need to adopt new practices and policies to prepare as much as possible for inevitable future droughts. The Dust Bowl of the 1930s is probably the most well-known drought experienced by the U.S. By 1934, 80 percent of the U.S. was struggling with moderate-to-severe drought conditions. Comparing Natural Disasters(Information from USAID). On the Stevens Family Farm in Glenburn, ND, a combine harvests wheat during a significant drought in the region. 0000265300 00000 n Droughts can be triggered by natural causes such as weather patterns. The U.N. estimates that in Ethiopia alone, 1 million people died, 1.5 million livestock died, and 8.7 million people were affected by the droughtincluding being hospitalized, forced to migrate, or forced to change professions. Nevertheless, it will take multiple years before groundwater and reservoir levels are back to their normal conditions, so the drought and its impacts will still remain for at least the coming years. So far this season, El Nio has beenbringing some relief to the California drought. Counties in 33 states were designated disaster counties by the government. Also, drought-fueled wildfires can expose nearby communities to smoke and pollutants, which can exacerbate chronic respiratory illnesses. Drought can also cause long-term public health problems, including: More health implications related to drought. This can be caused by a meteorological drought or high water use, for instance. For example, the ongoing California drought caused $2.2 billion in damage for the year 2014 alone. Drought-related changes in air quality, such as increased concentrations of air particulates and airborne toxins resulting from freshwater algal blooms, can irritate the eyes, lungs, and respiratory systems of persons with chronic respiratory conditions. The authors of the new study also need more research to directly link the increase in drought toward the end of the 20th century with increased production of greenhouse gases. Really hot temperatures can make a drought worse by evaporating moisture from the soil. It is an event of shortages in the water supply, surface water, or groundwater. Scientists often study historical droughts to put modern-day droughts in perspective. . 0000002435 00000 n Each of these periods seems to correspond with human activities. The retreat of a glacier can reduce stress loads on Earth's crust underneath, impacting the movement of subsurface magma. The prevailing circumstances during droughts also make it difficult for the survival of the animals. Other infectious disease threats arise when drought leads to the contamination of surface waters and other types of water that are used for recreational purposes. Some enforce water restrictions, such as limiting days when lawns and plants can be watered, and offering free high-efficiency toilets and kitchen faucets. They are the direct effects to people and communities. 0000050641 00000 n Trees can drop their leaves earlier in the season to prevent losing water through the leaf surface. The research, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, finds that greenhouse gases generated by power plants, farming, cars, trains and human activities in general have influenced the risk of droughts. All rights reserved. Because almost 80 percent of the population is rural and depends on agriculture for food and income, famine often accompanies drought. 0000004767 00000 n A September 2012National Geographicmagazine article called Texas The New Dust Bowl. By 2013, 99 percent of the state was dealing with drought. Hundreds of millions of people lack a reliable water supply. Desertification is whereby the lands become infertile and bare, frequently as a result of overgrazing and is exacerbated by drought which makes it difficult for such lands to recover. Meteorological Drought. !.&AG;D#@bguSG&)7{ @R/1cyA68} yExXr\hntLD0% SkaC!9^a{?G,rjd'J,9'r ij;#{7)Vb8:CB@zYA6E/{1cg%brypb ;K R1X~[p9c3 iUm5<8S Ck#s3%:)Rpzg''y 1xT8b $C f!An=6 b6ghuq(1~Z4]6A GK~ZBF Because the full effects of a drought can develop slowly over time, impacts can be underestimated. It . Droughts can be triggered by many of modern-day human activities all over the world. Types of Droughts. During drought, livestock can become malnourished, diseased, and die. However, if drought conditions persist, much vegetation will die. The lack of rain can result in crop loss, a decrease in land prices, andunemploymentdue to declines in production. 16-year-old South African invents wonder material to fight drought. The end result is dry and cracked soil and it even becomes easier for decertification to occur.

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