scholarly journals Exploring Drought Conditions in the Three River Headwaters Region from 2002 to 2011 Using Multiple Drought Indices

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyi Wang ◽  
Tiejian Li ◽  
Jiahua Wei

The Three River Headwaters Region (TRHR) has great uncertainty on drought conditions under climate change. The aim of this study is to compare the drought conditions detected by multiple drought indices across the TRHR. We applied four single drought indices, i.e., Precipitation Condition Index (PCI), Temperature Condition Index (TCI), Soil Moisture Condition Index (SMCI), and Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), and two combined drought indices, i.e., Combined Meteorological Drought Index (CMDI) and Combined Vegetation drought index (CVDI), to explore the drought conditions across the TRHR. Three in situ drought indices, Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and Standardized Non-Parametric Index (SNPI) were used to evaluate the performances of multiple drought indices. The results include various drought conditions detected by multiple drought indices, as well as a comparative study among different drought indices. Through the comparative study, we found that PCI was a desirable single index to monitor meteorological drought. TCI was suitable for monitoring agricultural/vegetation drought. SMCI and VCI should be avoided for monitoring drought in this region. CMDI was an appropriate meteorological drought index, and CVDI was a promising indicator in monitoring agricultural/vegetation drought.

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 1417
Author(s):  
Muhammad Hasan Ali Baig ◽  
Muhammad Abid ◽  
Muhammad Roman Khan ◽  
Wenzhe Jiao ◽  
Muhammad Amin ◽  
...  

Drought is a complex and poorly understood natural hazard in complex terrain and plains lie in foothills of Hindukush-Himalaya-Karakoram region of Central and South Asia. Few research studied climate change scenarios in the transboundary Chitral Kabul River Basin (CKRB) despite its vulnerability to global warming and importance as a region inhabited with more than 10 million people where no treaty on use of water exists between Afghanistan and Pakistan. This study examines the meteorological and agricultural drought between 2000 and 2018 and their future trends from 2020 to 2030 in the CKRB. To study meteorological and agricultural drought comprehensively, various single drought indices such as Precipitation Condition Index (PCI), Temperature Condition Index (TCI), Soil Moisture Condition Index (SMCI) and Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), and combined drought indices such as Scaled Drought Condition Index (SDCI) and Microwave Integrated Drought Index (MIDI) were utilized. As non-microwave data were used in MIDI, this index was given a new name as Non-Microwave Integrated Drought Index (NMIDI). Our research has found that 2000 was the driest year in the monsoon season followed by 2004 that experienced both meteorological and agricultural drought between 2000 and 2018. Results also indicate that though there exists spatial variation in the agricultural and meteorological drought, but temporally there has been a decreasing trend observed from 2000 to 2018 for both types of droughts. This trend is projected to continue in the future drought projections between 2020 and 2030. The overall study results indicate that drought can be properly assessed by integration of different data sources and therefore management plans can be developed to address the risk and signing new treaties.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (15) ◽  
pp. 1773 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jae-Hyun Ryu ◽  
Kyung-Soo Han ◽  
Yang-Won Lee ◽  
No-Wook Park ◽  
Sungwook Hong ◽  
...  

Satellite-based remote sensing techniques have been widely used to monitor droughts spanning large areas. Various agricultural drought indices have been developed to assess the intensity of agricultural drought and to detect damaged crop areas. However, to better understand the responses of agricultural drought to meteorological drought, agricultural management practices should be taken into consideration. This study aims to evaluate the responses to drought under different forms of agricultural management for the extreme drought that occurred on the Korean Peninsula in 2014 and 2015. The 3-month standardized precipitation index (SPI3) and the 3-month vegetation health index (VHI3) were selected as a meteorological drought index and an agricultural drought index, respectively. VHI3, which comprises the 3-month temperature condition index (TCI3) and the 3-month vegetation condition index (VCI3), differed significantly in the study area during the extreme drought. VCI3 had a different response to the lack of precipitation in South and North Korea because it was affected by irrigation. However, the time series of TCI3 were similar in South and North Korea. These results meant that each drought index has different characteristics and should be utilized with caution. Our results are expected to help comprehend the responses of the agricultural drought index on meteorological drought depending on agricultural management.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 3748
Author(s):  
Xiaoyang Zhao ◽  
Haoming Xia ◽  
Li Pan ◽  
Hongquan Song ◽  
Wenhui Niu ◽  
...  

Drought is one of the most complex and least-understood environmental disasters that can trigger environmental, societal, and economic problems. To accurately assess the drought conditions in the Yellow River Basin, this study reconstructed the Land Surface Temperature (LST) using the Annual Temperature Cycle (ATC) model and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The Temperature Condition Index (TCI), Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), Vegetation Health Index (VHI), and Temperature-Vegetation Drought Index (TVDI), which are four typical remote sensing drought indices, were calculated. Then, the air temperature, precipitation, and soil moisture data were used to evaluate the applicability of each drought index to different land types. Finally, this study characterized the spatial and temporal patterns of drought in the Yellow River Basin from 2003 to 2019. The results show that: (1) Using the LST reconstructed by the ATC model to calculate the drought index can effectively improve the accuracy of drought monitoring. In most areas, the reconstructed TCI, VHI, and TVDI are more reliable for monitoring drought conditions than the unreconstructed VCI. (2) The four drought indices (TCI, VCI, VH, TVDI) represent the same temporal and spatial patterns throughout the study area. However, in some small areas, the temporal and spatial patterns represented by different drought indices are different. (3) In the Yellow River Basin, the drought level is highest in the northwest and lowest in the southwest and southeast. The dry conditions in the Yellow River Basin were stable from 2003 to 2019. The results in this paper provide a basis for better understanding and evaluating the drought conditions in the Yellow River Basin and can guide water resources management, agricultural production, and ecological protection of this area.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 2066
Author(s):  
Jin Hyuck Kim ◽  
Jang Hyun Sung ◽  
Eun-Sung Chung ◽  
Sang Ug Kim ◽  
Minwoo Son ◽  
...  

Due to the recent appearance of shares socioeconomic pathway (SSP) scenarios, there have been many studies that compare the results between Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP)5 and CMIP6 general circulation models (GCMs). This study attempted to project future drought characteristics in the Cheongmicheon watershed using SSP2-4.5 of Australian Community Climate and Earth System Simulator-coupled model (ACCESS-CM2) in addition to Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5 of ACCESS 1-3 of the same institute. The historical precipitation and temperature data of ACCESS-CM2 were generated better than those of ACCESS 1-3. Two meteorological drought indices, namely, Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) were used to project meteorological drought while a hydrological drought index, Standardized Streamflow Index (SDI), was used to project the hydrological drought characteristics. The metrological data of GCMs were bias-corrected using quantile mapping method and the streamflow was obtained using Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and bias-corrected meteorological data. As a result, there were large differences of drought occurrences and severities between RCP4.5 and SSP2-4.5 for the values of SPI, SPEI, and SDI. The differences in the minimum values of drought index between near (2021–2060) and far futures (2061–2100) were very small in SSP2-4.5, while those in RCP4.5 were very large. In addition, the longest drought period from SDI was the largest because the variation in precipitation usually affects the streamflow with a lag. Therefore, it was concluded that it is important to consider both CMIP5 and CMIP6 GCMs in establishing the drought countermeasures for the future period.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oualid HAKAM ◽  
◽  
Abdennasser BAALI ◽  
Touria EL KAMEL ◽  
Ahouach Youssra ◽  
...  

Due to the lack of studies on drought in the Lower Sebou basin (LSB), the complexity of drought event and the difference in climate conditions. The identification of the most appropriate drought indices (DIs) to assess drought conditions has become a priority. Therefore, assessing the performance of different drought indices was considered in order to identify the universal drought indices that are well adapted to the LSB. Based on data availability, five DIs were used: Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), Standardized Precipitation and Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), Reconnaissance Drought Index (RDI), self-calibrated Palmer Drought Severity Index (sc-PDSI) and Streamflow Drought Index (SDI). The DIs were calculated on an annual scale using monthly time series of precipitation, temperature and river flow from 1984-2016. Thornthwaite's method was used to calculate potential evapotranspiration (PET). Pearson's correlation (r) were analyzed. Furthermore, five decision criteria namely robustness, traceability, transparency, sophistication and scalability were used to evaluate the performance of these indices. The results proved the fact that SPI is suitable to detect the drought duration and intensity compared to other indices with high correlation coefficients especially in sub humid regions, knowing that it tends to give more results that are humid in stations with semi-arid climates. SPI, SPEI and RDI follow the same trend during the period studied. However, sc-PDSI appears to be the most sensitive to temperature and precipitation by overestimating the drought conditions. Eventually, the results of the performance evaluation criteria revealed that SPEI classified first (total score = 137) among other meteorological drought indices, followed by SPI, RDI and sc-PDSI.


Author(s):  
A. Dare ◽  
E. J. Zakka ◽  
Maikano Samson ◽  
A. O. Afolabi ◽  
S. O. Okechalu ◽  
...  

Drought is defined as the lack of adequate precipitation, either rain or snow that causes reduced soil moisture or groundwater, diminished streamflow, crop damage and a general water shortage. The objective of this study focuses on meteorological and hydrological drought monitoring in river Kaduna catchment area. Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Reconnaissance Drought Index (RDI) drought indices were used to characterize meteorological drought while Streamflow Drought Index (SDI) was used for hydrological drought monitoring for a period of 34 years (1967 – 2001). DrinC software, a drought indices calculator, was used for the calculation of SPI, RDI, and SDI respectively. The drought severity classification based on meteorological and hydrological drought indices gave 33% and 37% drought conditions period with the year 1967 – 2001. Based on these indexes, the drought characteristics of the catchment area were investigated by analyzing meteorological data from 1967 to 2001. The results of this analysis show that more non-drought/normal conditions were predominant than drought conditions. During the period under study (34 years), only one-year return period of extreme drought condition.


Hydrology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Doan Quang Tri ◽  
Tran Tho Dat ◽  
Dinh Duc Truong

The objective of this study was to establish drought classification maps to simulate and calculate the lack of discharge in the Ba River basin in Vietnam. The maps were established using three meteorological drought indices (the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), the Drought Index (J), and the Ped Index (Ped)), the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model, and the hydrological drought index (KDrought). The results from the calculation of the SPI, Aridity Index (AI), and Ped at three stations (An Khe, Ayunpa, and MDrak) showed that the J index was suitable for the study area. Based on the J index, an extreme drought was predicted to occur at the Ayunpa, An Khe, and MDrak stations. During the calibration process, the SWAT Calibration Uncertainties Program (SWAT-CUP) model, with automatic algorithms, was used to select the parameters to optimize the SWAT model. For the calibration and validation, the observed discharge at two hydrology stations, An Khe and Cung Son, from the periods 1981–1991 and 1992–2002, respectively, were used. The simulated discharge was found to be acceptable, with the Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), Percent bias (PBIAS), and R2 reaching good levels in both calibration and validation. The results from the calculation of the drought index (KDrought), and the established drought classification maps in 2016, showed that the most affected areas were the communes of the Gia Lai and Dak Lak provinces. The results from the simulation and calculations were found to be consistent with the situation that occurred in practice. The application of meteorological and hydrological drought indices, as well as the hydrological model, to support impact assessments of drought classification in space and time, as well as the establishment of forecasting and warning maps, will help managers to effectively plan policy responses to drought.


Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 941
Author(s):  
Shifa Mathbout ◽  
Joan Albert Lopez-Bustins ◽  
Dominic Royé ◽  
Javier Martin-Vide

Drought is one of the most complex climate-related phenomena and is expected to progressively affect our lives by causing very serious environmental and socioeconomic damage by the end of the 21st century. In this study, we have extracted a dataset of exceptional meteorological drought events between 1975 and 2019 at the country and subregional scales. Each drought event was described by its start and end date, intensity, severity, duration, areal extent, peak month and peak area. To define such drought events and their characteristics, separate analyses based on three drought indices were performed at 12-month timescale: the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), and the Reconnaissance Drought Index (RDI). A multivariate combined drought index (DXI) was developed by merging the previous three indices for more understanding of droughts’ features at the country and subregional levels. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify five different drought subregions based on DXI-12 values for 312 Mediterranean stations and a new special score was defined to classify the multi-subregional exceptional drought events across the Mediterranean Basin (MED). The results indicated that extensive drought events occurred more frequently since the late 1990s, showing several drought hotspots in the last decades in the southeastern Mediterranean and northwest Africa. In addition, the results showed that the most severe events were more detected when more than single drought index was used. The highest percentage area under drought was also observed through combining the variations of three drought indices. Furthermore, the drought area in both dry and humid areas in the MED has also experienced a remarkable increase since the late 1990s. Based on a comparison of the drought events during the two periods—1975–1996 and 1997–2019—we find that the current dry conditions in the MED are more severe, intense, and frequent than the earlier period; moreover, the strongest dry conditions occurred in last two decades. The SPEI-12 and RDI-12 have a higher capacity in providing a more comprehensive description of the dry conditions because of the inclusion of temperature or atmospheric evaporative demand in their scheme. A complex range of atmospheric circulation patterns, particularly the Western Mediterranean Oscillation (WeMO) and East Atlantic/West Russia (EATL/WRUS), appear to play an important role in severe, intense and region-wide droughts, including the two most severe droughts, 1999–2001 and 2007–2012, with lesser influence of the NAO, ULMO and SCAND.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uttam Singh ◽  
Pooja Agarwal ◽  
Pramod Kumar Sharma

Abstract Climate change is adversely affecting the development, management, and planning of surface and groundwater resources. The meteorological drought becomes a severe natural problem, and it can occur in any climatic region of the world. So, monitoring and minimizing drought is a crucial stage for analyzing and predicting drought impacts. A single drought index can't assess each aspect of the meteorological drought. In this study, we considered seven drought indices such as the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), China Z Index (CZI), Modified China Z Index (MCZI), Percent Normal drought index (PNI), Deciles Index (DI), Rainfall Anomaly Index (RAI), and Z-score index (ZSI). The drought was analyzed for 3, 6, 9, and 12 months’ time-step, and drought classification and threshold values were estimated. SPI showed maximum correlation values 0.389, 0.412, 0.560,and 0.996 for 3, 6, 9,and 12-month time steps compared to the other drought indices. The value of correlation is increased with the increase in time step for all drought indices; therefore, the accuracy of drought assessment also increases with an increase in time step. The Mann-Kendall's trend test was analyzed at a 5% level of significance for drought assessments. The drought magnitude and severity of the Betwa river basin were estimated based on the meteorological data (Rainfall) for the year between 1970 to 2014.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niko Wanders ◽  
Anne F. Van Loon ◽  
Henny A. J. Van Lanen

Abstract. Drought is an abnormal and prolonged deficit in available water. Possible drought impacts are crop losses, famine, fatalities, power blackouts and degraded ecosystems. These severe socio-economic and environmental impacts show the need to carefully monitor drought conditions using a suitable index. Our objective is to provide an intercomparison of frequently used physical drought indices to show to which degree they are interchangeable for monitoring drought in precipitation, soil moisture, groundwater and streamflow. Physical indices are commonly introduced to predict drought impacts, because appropriate drought impact indices are still missing. Correlations (R) between frequently used indices for different drought types were calculated at the global scale. We have made the index timeseries available to the community for future studies. Precipitation drought indices show low to intermediate correlations (ranging from R = 0.1 to 0.75), soil moisture drought indices show an even lower similarity (R = 0.25). Indices for streamflow drought show the highest correlation (R = 0.5 to 0.95). Additionally, meteorological drought indices do not capture the soil moisture drought correctly (R = 0.0 to 0.6) nor streamflow drought (R = 0.0 to 0.7). These findings have implications for drought monitoring systems: (i) for each drought type, a different index should carefully be identified; (ii) drought indices that are designed to monitor the same drought type show large discrepancies in their anomalies and hence drought detection; (iii) there is no single superior physical drought index that is capable of accurately capturing the diverse set of drought impacts in all parts of the hydrological cycle.


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