DROUGHT
Definition
Causes of Drought
Physical
Location
Human
Using resource 1 describe the location of countries that are most at
risk of drought.
In what way does the map not represent the true picture of
drought as a hazard?
Describe the location of countries that are most
at risk of mortalities due to drought
Effects of Drought
1
Crops can’t grow well
2
Ships can’t travel on waterways
3 Clay soils shrink, causing structural damage
1
8 There is an increased risk of disease as food
and water run short
4
4
1
9 People move from the country to towns
1
1
to buildings
4 People suffer mental and physical stress
10
1
Without crops to sell, farmers struggle to earn
a living
1
5 Endangered species are wiped out
There is little or no fresh drinking water
6
Aquatic life dies as streams and lakes dry up
1
1
1
1
1
11 Farmers need to spend more money on
irrigation
Place the numbers 1-11 0n the Venn diagram to classify the impacts into social, economic and environmental
impacts
Social
Environmental
Economic
Key Points
Drought in Kenya
To what extent is drought more severe in LEDCs?
Drought in Australia
Which of the factors affecting the severity of drought apply to
a) Kenya
b) Australia
Predicting Drought
Droughts can be only predicted in the short time before they happen by monitoring rainfall, soil
moisture and river levels.
Remember –Spring 2013 was the wettest drought ever in the UK!
Monitoring of temperatures over time may give advance warning of droughts.
Use of satellites to spot early changes in vegetation can help people to prepare for drought.
Responses to Drought
Improve water conservation and farming methods. Provide emergency aid in crisis but provide long
term aid packages to help people in LEDCs to use appropriate technology and not to become reliant
on aid.
Management Strategies to reduce the impacts of drought. Which of these are high tec and which low tech?
Management Strategies
Advantages
Disdavantages
MEDC/LEDC/both
Grey Water
Recycling used water for
things like watering plants.
This conserves water.
Limited uses of ‘grey water’
MEDC - Australia
Water butts
Collecting rainwater to wash
cars or water gardens.
Reduces demand on water
supplies so more water
available in a drought.
Reduces water bills
Cost of water butt. Not
everyone will buy one.Water
would have continued within
water cycle. Water then
could have been diverted to
most need.
Hose pipe ban
Sand dams
LEDCs - Kenya
Drought resistant crops
Drip irrigation
Genetically modified.
Delivers small volumes of
water directly to crop
roots.(reducing loss through
evaporation
Fresh water wells
Reservoir
Lowers the level of the water
table so can make this
situation worse in future
droughts as depleting
aquifers.
Increase water supplies
available in a drought,
reducing deaths from
dehydration, reducing
conflict over supplies and
making food supplies more
reliable.
Cloud seeding
Seawater greenhouses
Aid
Both
Expensive. Not that
successful
Additional water supplies.
Sea water greenhouses use
solar power to evaporate
seawater and produce fresh
water for irrigation
Emergency aid can provide
bottled water or water
tankers to save life by
increasing supplies.
Can fund water projects like
wells etc but can be linked
to tied aid.