Drought -- National Drought Mitigation Center
Date of this Version
2014
Citation
Published in Water Resources Impact 16:1 (January 2014), pp. 21–23 (invited essay for the special issue AWRA at 50: The Future for Water Resources in the United States).
Abstract
Drought knows no political boundaries. It affects all United States (U.S.) states and most regions of the world on a frequent basis, impacting many diverse sectors. Millions of peo-ple died in recent years from starvation in the Greater Horn of Africa, and drought was a significant causal factor in that event. Millions more are threatened in other regions of Af-rica and in other developing countries each year. Much of Australia recently experienced severe drought conditions for a decade. In some areas of the country, it was the worst drought of the last century. Northeast Brazil continues to experience the devastating effects of a drought that began in 2012. Texas experienced its worst drought in state history in 2011, and two-thirds of the U.S. experienced moderate to exceptional drought in 2012, with impacts exceeding $35 billion. Drought has been pervasive throughout the western U.S. for the past decade and it appears to be becoming more frequent for this already water-stressed region. However, drought affects all portions of the U.S.; it is not just a feature of the climate of the western states. As of this writing, 46 percent of the nation is in moderate to exceptional drought conditions according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Comments
Copyright © 2014 American Water Resources Association.