Drought Phenomenon
Drought is a general deficiency in water resources in a specific area during a certain period of time, leading to water scarcity and a significant reduction in water availability across various sources. This results in decreased water levels in wells and reduced flow in streams, negatively impacting the needs of humans, animals, and plants. In this article, we will present the causes of drought.
Causes of Drought
Several factors contribute to the occurrence of drought, including:
- Sudden Decline in Rainfall: Rainfall often occurs in large amounts over a short period, leading to an increased rate of water runoff in valleys.
- High Evaporation Rates: Caused by significant increases in temperature, global evaporation rates rise by 3000-4000 millimeters annually.
- Soil Characteristics: Some soils contribute to water storage, which in turn increases the volume of evaporated water.
- General Decline in Rainfall: This heavily impacts rain-fed agriculture.
- Increased Cold Weather in the Northern Hemisphere: This has led to droughts in coastal regions.
Consequences of Drought
Drought has numerous direct impacts on life and the ecosystem, including:
- Decline in Water Quality: Reduced water levels lead to higher concentrations of toxic and pollutant substances, increasing contamination in other water sources.
- Reduced Agricultural Production: This affects crop growth and lowers output, hampering the development of livestock dependent on plants.
- Spread of Famine: Due to a lack of irrigation water.
- Increase in Malnutrition-Related Diseases: These are linked to drought conditions.
- Rise in Migration Rates: Caused by shortages of food and water.
- Reduced Electricity Production: Due to insufficient cooling materials in power plants and lower water flow in hydroelectric dams.
- Increased Wildfires: Drought conditions exacerbate forest fires.
Tips to Mitigate Drought
- Desalination of Saltwater: Turning seawater into freshwater for irrigation, drinking, and other uses.
- Cloud Seeding: An artificial technique used to induce rainfall.
- Water Conservation: Reducing water usage in activities such as bathing, washing cars, and other high-consumption practices.
- Constructing Artificial Canals: Redirecting water to agricultural areas affected by drought.
- Optimizing Agricultural Land Use: By cultivating crops that require less water.
