REMOTE SENSING FOR HYDROLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES

DROUGHT
GROUP MEMBERS:
KHAIRIL ALI MIZAM BIN HARUN MIZAM AZIERAH BINTI ABU KASIM NUR RITASHA BINTI TARIDI EMILIA BINTI ZAINAL ABIDIN NURUL ATHIRAH BINTI MOHAMAD SALJI

OUTLINES
Introduction of Drought

Definition of Drought
Causes of Drought Types of Drought

Effects of Drought
Regions Affected How Meteorologist Predict Drought

Management of Drought
Example cases of Drought

Introduction of Drought
Drought is one of the most widespread complex and complicated disasters.

Introduction of Drought
In general, drought means different things to

different people.
Agriculturist: Deficiency of soil moisture in the crop root zone Meteorologist: Absence of rain Hydrologist: Lowering of water levels

Different view of drought definition

Thus, it is unrealistic to expect a universal definition

of drought for all fields of activity.

Some Early Operational Definitions

Great Britain (1936): 15

consecutive days with daily precipitation totals of less than .25 mm United States (1942): Less than 2.5 mm of rainfall in 48 hours India (1960): Actual seasonal rainfall deficient by more than twice the mean deviation Bali (1964): A period of six days without rain Libya (1964): Annual rainfall less than 180 mm

Definition of Drought
Deficiency in precipitation over an extended

period, usually a season or more. Drought is a normal part of climate, and it can occur almost anywhere on earth. Drought's features and effects vary from place to place because of different geographical features and cultures, which affect how people use water.

Causes of Drought
Caused by lack of water vapor in the atmosphere, which is responsible for precipitation (rainfall or snowfall).

Why??
Winds cause weather patterns to move around the world, including clouds that bring rain. Over the years, these patterns become routine, creating climate. Sometimes, these patterns change and when they do, some areas can receive less rainfall than normal.

Types of Drought

Meteorological Drought

Socioeconomic Drought

Hydrological Drought

Agricultural Drought

Meteorological Drought
Referring to a lack of

precipitation. Meteorological drought often leads to reduction of natural stream flows or groundwater levels, plus stored water supplies. It is the least severe form of drought and is often identified by sunny days and hot weather.

Hydrological Drought
Referring to low
California water levels at an all time low. ( Jan 17 2014)

levels of water in lakes and reservoirs. Main impact is on water resource systems.

Hoover Dam water from the Arizona in 2009

Agricultural Drought
Referring to a lack of moisture

level in the soil to maintain average crop yields. Initial consequences are in the reduced seasonal output of crops and other related production. An extreme agricultural drought can lead to a famine, which is a prolonged shortage of food in a restricted region causing widespread disease and death from starvation.

Kansas Drought

Socioeconomic Drought
Correlates the supply and demand of foods and

services with the three above-mentioned types of drought. When the supply of some goods or services such as water and electricity are weather dependent then drought may cause shortages in supply of these economic goods.

 Effects of drought can be divided in three (3)

categories:
Economic

Environmental
Social

Economic
Damage to crop quality and less food production

- Less income for famers and retailers - Increased prices for food Damage to wildlife and fish habitat - Increased death rates Damage to recreational and tourism industries Forest fires increase

Environmental
Lack of feed and drinking water - All living must have water to survive Increases in insect infestations, plant disease, and

wind erosion of soils Disease

-

creates a lack of clean water for drinking, public sanitation and personal hygiene

Loss of wildlife in some areas

- wildlife habitat may be ruined through the loss of wetlands, lakes, and vegetation

Social
Food shortages

- The lack of water creates a corresponding lack of food, people will compete
Health, public safety, conflicts between water

users, and reduced quality of life - Many people migrate to areas outside the drought-affected location

National Drought Summary for March 18, 2014

Precipitation mainly confined to the drought-free

areas of the eastern U.S although localized drought relief was noted across south-central portions of the nation. Drought persisted/intensified across the west (where alarmingly low water-year precipitation and meager mountain snowpack continued).

 PUERTO RICO

in the Carribean, rain mostly bypassed Puerto Ricos D0 area, with light to moderate showers (0.50 to 2.50 inches) confined to western portions of the island. D0 was expanded northeast (north of Caguas) to account for 90day precipitation totals that are less than 70 percent of normal.

 HAWAII

D0 was reduced along the lower windward elevations of the Big Island due to favourable rainfall over the past 7 to 10 days and above average rainfall so far this month.

 ALASKA

updated SNOTEL data indicated the Snow Water Equivalent (SWE). Near to above normal across interior portions of the state, facilitating the removal of Abnormal Dryness (D0) and Moderate Drought (D1).

 Current and past weather pattern.

Climate trends. Conditions in the atmosphere such as air pressure.

Clouds give meteorologist clues about what is

happening in the atmosphere. Tools and technology that used to gather data.

Clouds
Cirrus clouds
Thin & wispy Very cold in the sky where cirrus clouds form so there are made of ice, not drops of water. Do not bring rain that can end a drought.

Clouds (cont)
Cumulus clouds
Puffy clouds. Can be a good sign during a drought. can bring a rain if it grow but big cumulus clouds not always a good news during the drought (can cause flood)

Clouds (cont)
Nimbostratus clouds
Show the drought will end. Look like a thick blanket of cloud. Bring steady rain, often for days on end. The best type of rain to end a drought.

Tools and technology

Tools/ instrument

Computer

Tools and technology (cont)

Thermometer
Meteorologists can predict droughts continuously by measuring air temperature.

Tools and technology (cont)

Hygrometers
Measure humidity (the amount of moisture in the air) Humidity = low = drought

Tools and technology (cont)

Weather satellites
Shows the cloud forming. Through the forming of clouds, meteorologist can determine the types of clouds and predict if rain likely to occur.

Conventional Drought Emergency Resolution

Overview: i. Purpose of this resolution is to provide for the declaration of a water supply watch, warning or emergency and the implementation of voluntary and mandatory water conservation measures.

Conventional Drought Emergency Resolution

1. Declaration of Water Watch Take steps to inform the public and ask for voluntary reductions in water used. 2. Declaration of Water Warning Recommend restrictions on nonessential uses during the period of warning.

3. Declaration of Water Emergency Impose mandatory restrictions on water use during the period of the emergency.
4. Voluntary Conservation Measures Limit or eliminate nonessential water uses, limitations on the following uses: i. Water used for outdoor watering ii. Waste of water

Cloud Seeding

A form of intentional weather modification, is the attempt to change the amount or type of precipitation that falls from clouds, by dispersing substances into the air that serve as cloud condensation or ice nuclei, which alter the microphysical processes within the cloud.

Common chemical used: - Silver iodide - Dry ice - Liquid Propane

May dispersed by:

Aircraft Dispersion devices located on the ground

Cloud Seeding : How they work?

Silver iodide
Suitable when cloud temperature ranges between -7 to -20 degree Celsius. Silver iodide has a crystalline structure similar to ice which will induce freezing nucleation. Silver iodide can cause temporary incapacitation or possible residual injury to humans and mammals with intense or continued but not chronic exposure.

Dry ice
Expansion cools the air to such an extent that ice crystals can nucleate spontaneously from the vapour phase does not require any existing droplets or particles because it produces extremely high vapour super saturations near the seeding substance. However, the existing droplets are needed for the ice crystals to grow into large enough particles to precipitate out.

Type of Cloud Seeding

Static Cloud Seeding

Involves spreading a chemical like silver iodide into clouds. The silver iodide provides a crystal around which moisture can condense. The moisture is already present in the clouds, but silver iodide essentially makes rain clouds more effective at dispensing their water.
Dynamic Cloud Seeding

Aims to boost vertical air currents, which encourages more water to pass through the clouds, translating into more rain. Up to 100 times more ice crystals are used in dynamic cloud seeding than in the static method. The process is considered more complex than static clouding seeding because it depends on a sequence of events working properly.
Hygroscopic Cloud Seeding

Disperses salts through flares or explosives in the lower portions of clouds. The salts grow in size as water joins with them. In his report on cloud seeding, Cotton says that hygroscopic cloud seeding holds much promise, but requires further research.

Desalination
Definition Refer to any of several processes that remove some amount of salt and other minerals from saline water. More generally, desalination may also refer to the removal of salts and minerals, as in soil desalination.

Purpose Salt water is desalinated to produce fresh water suitable for human consumption or irrigation.

Desalination Process

Use membranes to desalinate, principally applying reverse osmosis technology. Membrane processes use semipermeable membranes and pressure to separate salts from water. Reverse osmosis plant membrane systems typically use less energy than thermal distillation, which has led to a reduction in overall desalination costs. Desalination remains energy intensive, however, and future costs will continue to depend on the price of both energy and desalination technology.

SOME OF THE WORST DROUGHT IN HISTORY

India: 1769 1773 - Affected over 10 million people. - Consequences: Extreme food shortages, widespread disease and crippling starvation Africa: 1981 1984 - 20 nations of Africa were under severe drought. - Entire rivers and lakes completely dried up. - Up to 20,000 people starved to death each month

China: 1876 1879 Drought caused rivers to run dry and killed approximately 9 million people.

South-western United States: 1950 1957 244 out of 254 counties in Texas were considered federal disaster areas.

SEVERE DROUGHT EVENTS: 2011 EAST AFRICA DROUGHT

Countries: Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia Affected: Kenya Location: East Africa Period: July 2011August 2012 Total Deaths: 50,000260,000 Deaths Rate: 0.6-2.8 per 10,000 per day

SEVERE DROUGHT EVENTS: 2011 EAST AFRICA DROUGHT

Known as "the worst in 60 years

drought. Threatened the livelihood of 9.5 million people. Rains failed in 2011 in Kenya and Ethiopia, and for the previous two years in Somalia.
Reasons: Weather conditions over the Pacific Unusually strong La Nina

In many areas, the precipitation rate

during the main rainy season from April to June, the primary season, was less than 30% of the average

IMPACTS of 2011 EAST AFRICA DROUGHT

Crop failure.

Widespread loss of livestock, as high as 40%60% in

some areas. Cereal prices rose to record levels while livestock prices and wages fell. Refugee Crisis: By 15 September, more than 920,000 refugees from Somalia had reportedly fled to neighbouring countries, particularly Kenya and Ethiopia. In June 2011 Kenya hosted at least 440,000 people in three refugee camps, though the maximum capacity was 90,000. Health and Disease Issues: Severe measles epidemic, malaria, cholera and acute malnutrition(children).

SEVERE DROUGHT EVENTS: 2010-11 CHINA DROUGHT

Province Affected: Anhui, Gansu, Henan, Hubei, Jiangsu, Shaanxi, Shandong and Shanxi. Period: 2010-2011 People Affected: 35 million , including 4.2 million facing a drinking water shortage Relief Cost: US$ 15 billion

SEVERE DROUGHT EVENTS: 2010-11 CHINA DROUGHT

Worst drought to hit the

country in 60 years. Affected most of wheatproducing regions. Drought caused water shortages for an estimated 2.31 million people and 2.57 million livestock. Potential of damage to China's wheat harvest was likely a factor in an increase of worldwide wheat prices in early 2011.

RELIEF RESPONSE
Early February 2011, the Chinese Government spent

nearly US$ 15 billion in cash payments to farmers and subsidies. The government announced in early February 2011 several tactics to combat the effects of the drought:

estimated US$ 1 billion would be spent on obtaining water to be used on wheat fields. Drilling about 1,350 new wells sending personnel to locate new below-ground water reserves

Cloud seeding is used to induce rain.

SEVERE DROUGHT EVENTS: 1991 & 1998 MALAYSIA DROUGHT

PERLIS

1998
KEDAH

1998
PULAU PINANG K KE EL LA AN NT TA AN N PERAK

SOUTH CHINA SEA

1998

TERENGGANU

1998

PAHANG S SE EL LA AN NG GO OR R WILAYAH PERSEKUTUAN KUALA LUMPUR NEGERI SEMBILAN

STRAITS OF MELAKA

1998

M ME EL LA AK KA A JOHOR

1998

1991,1998 1998

SEVERE DROUGHT EVENTS: 1991 & 1998 MALAYSIA DROUGHT

Affected due to El-

Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Phenomenon Creates some periods of domestic water supply disruption (April-September 1998) An effect of ENSO phenomenon is the shifting of rainfall patterns over different regions of the world

WATER SHORTAGE
Malaysian Economy has gone rapid structural change since 1957 Rapid economic growth industrialization & irrigated agriculture Increasing population

Impacts on Irrigated Agriculture Paddy farmers (Kelantan, Kedah, Penang, Sabah & Sarawak) Estimated loss RM 7 million

Impacts on Water Utilities, environment and social activities Extensive wild forest fire 1.8 million residents in Klang Valley (AprSept 1998) Malacca (1991)

MAJOR WATER SUPPLY DAMSWater Supply Disruption

Sungai Batu Dam

Klang Gates Dam

Langat Dam

Semenyih Gates Dam