What are Droughts?
What is the most common cause of drought?
Lack of precipitation (rain, snow, or sleet)
What is the common name used for the current water crisis in Australia?
"The Big Dry"
Why is adressing drought important?
So we can prepare properply as droughts significantly impact public health, agriculture, economies, energy production, and the environment.
What is a Meteorological drought?
When there is less rain than usual. Or in science speak, when there is a significant negative deviation from mean precipitation.
What are some environmental impacts of droughts?
Drying up of wetlands, increased wildfire risk, loss of biodiversity, and soil degradation.
What is the diffrence between an El Nino and a La Nina?
Warming of tropical waters in the eastern and central Pacific Ocean is an El Nino, while cooling of those waters in a La Nina.
What are some short-term drought solutions?
- Water Conservation
- Emergency Water Plans
- Manage water resources during droughts
What is an Agricultural drought?
An agricultural drought occurs when the soil moisture decreases because of evapotranspiration (drying because of the sun) faster than it is replenished by rain.
What are some social impacts of droughts?
Food and water shortages, displacement of populations, increased risk of disease, and social unrest.
How much (in percentage) will rainfall in Australia decrease by 2030?
10 percent
What are some ways infrastructure improvement can affect drought management?
- Rainwater Harvesting
- Green Infrastructure
- Water-Efficient Landscaping
- Reservoirs and Dams
- Water Storage Tanks and Pipes
What is a Hydrological drought?
This is when stream flow decreases to the point that it threatens water resources.
What are some economic impacts of droughts?
Crop failures, reduced agricultural yields, livestock losses, and damage to industries reliant on water.
(FILL IN THE BLANK)
___ percent declines in precipitation over the past decade.
15 to 20 percent
What can you do at home to help?
- Reduce Personal Water Usage
- Support Local Drought Relief and Fundraisers
- Advocate for Stronger Climate and Water Policies
What is a Socio-economic drought?
When there is not enough water to meet demand.
How many people are affected by droughts every year?
55 MILLION people per year!
What percentage of the water usage from the Murray-Darling River Basin is used for crop irrigation?
70 percent
What are some agricultural practices that can help mitigate drought impacts.
- Improve Soil Health
- Crop Selection
- Crop Editing
- Drip Irrigation
What is the most dangerous type of drought?
Hydrological drought (because it affects the long-term availability of water resources)