Open AccessMethods and Tools for Drought Analysis and Management
Author(s) -
Knutson Cody
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
eos, transactions american geophysical union
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 2324-9250
pISSN - 0096-3941
DOI - 10.1029/2008eo220013
Subject(s) - livelihood , natural (archaeology) , natural disaster , natural resource economics , environmental resource management , business , environmental science , environmental planning , geography , economics , agriculture , meteorology , archaeology
Drought is an ambiguous concept. It is often difficult to tell when you are in a drought because of its slow, protracted nature and lack of news‐grabbing impacts—such as water inundating communities or buildings burning—associated with other natural disasters. It is equally difficult to track the effect of drought on people, their livelihoods, and the environment because of the ubiquitous role that water plays in our world. As a result, we often wait until we are in the midst of a water crisis to seek ad hoc solutions, which can be costly, inefficient, and highly politicized.