The National Weather Service records and monitors regions for precipitation on a daily bases. If there is a significant lack of water deficiency than measures will be taken for that district.
Drought proofing enables for the proper planning, estimations, and strategies needed to solve the problem. Which ultimately will depend on whether the drought is affecting the area by: meteorological, hydrological, agriculturally, or socioeconomic.In order to take the proper steps to create an immediate plan of operation the condition has to be significant. An estimation either for the proper measures applied for short term, or long term concerns. In addition, if there is a diffident intensity of water duration at any particular location than the proper measures will need to be taken to assure successful drought proofing.
In the US the majority of states are monitored for drought preparedness where the known deficiencies in precipitation have a history of concern in those areas. Even more, many areas are monitored by checking thousands of bits of data on rainfall, stream flow, snow pack, etc.. Thereby, insuring the proper steps that need to be taken for any location that experiences water shortage.
Since 1960 the natural disaster cases has doubled every 10 years. Therefore, by knowing the history of a location that suffers from drought than the likelihood that precautions will be in place to prevent dire consequences. Even more, there already is a strategy in place for any future predicaments regarding drought in North America. Therefore, the important actions will be taken for any future concerns when need arises.
Drought is defined by one of three ways depending on circumstance of dryness. By either meteorological, hydrological, or agricultural. Furthermore, the area being surveyed and the conditions of the water demand will determine the action for either immediate, short term or long term drought, and then the proper index will be selected.
When there is inadequate precipitation than the appropriate measures must be taken so that the soil water deficits doesn’t reduce ground water or reservoir levels. To ensure the proper measures, many conditions of drought migration strategy procedures are presented. There are many solutions to resolve short term or long term concerns depending on how the drought is affecting the area in question. Once that is revealed than the appropriate action will be taken.
With water shortage water conservation practices will be designed to reduce water usage and to make sure the water is safe to use for human consumptions, harvesting needs, storing and for emergencies. The goal is always the same when it comes to achieving lasting water use for long term use that is healthy drinking water and to improve the overall water use for all the avenues of concern.
All the proper steps are taken depending on the needed resources. Furthermore, the government supplies grants and subsidies to people suffering from the affects of drought. In addition, some of the items that you can get assistance for includes: a large water tank(s), plumbing, and related fixtures. Also consider Crop Insurance for those harvesting crops. Even more, you have the option of planting drought resistant crops.There are many options available depending on your needs, and circumstances. Some of the available additional opportunities, and explanations of drought related issues are listed below.
Socioeconomics of droughts when there are droughts it stops or limits production from social and economics successfully working together to produce material and goods. During a drought water regulations are set in place, water is monitored, and managed. Those areas that are experiencing long term drought issues they must have a strategy in place in order to continue on with production.
Agricultural drought typically will affect crops first. The timely and proper response for making agricultural decisions to sustain crops is through preparedness, prevention, and relief.
Recycling water involves treating and purifying waste water for reuse.
Harvesting rainwater this form of water conservation is used when there is a severe drought. There are many options of collecting the rainwater from off the roof to having water tanks, to catch and store rain fall for domestic or irrigation usage. Also you can use Grey water which is recycled water from your indoor water from recycling shower water, and other household water use or to store for watering gardens.
Water Desalination is a technology used to take salt and other minerals out of saltwater to make fresh water for consumption. In the USA there is a plant in operation in Tampa Bay, Florida that produces 25 million gallons of salt water to fresh water a day.
Regulating water usage monitoring water usage by having restricting and limiting all outdoor water usage. In those conditions it is best to make sure you have water saving devices in your home and for outdoors. There are plenty of options for purchasing water saving devices indoors and outdoors such as with indoors low flowing shower heads, water saving toilet tanks, and many more options. Check with your hardware store.
Farm animal herd management would be to reduce the herd by eliminating the less useful animals from the water supply. By either sending to the slaughter house, or selling, or relocating the herd to an area not affected by drought.
Desertification and water shortage requires the proper measures to combat water shortage by minimizing waste, meeting soil needs, water salinisation, controlling and managing water policies in place in order to reestablish the natural resource balance.
Contouring farmland this method gives you a 50 percent reduction of soil erosion. Which is a creative way of trapping water, nutrients, sediment, and pesticides to water crops from the ridges, basins, trenches terraces, and stone walls that direct water to the crops.
Soil Conservation is a set of management strategies to prevent soil erosion by using certain methods to replenish the soil. To Tillage the ground, or mulching will allow water to seep into the soil better to prevent the soil from drying out all the way. There are varies types of conservation tillage practices such as trip, contour farming, cropping chemical, or zero, mulch tilling and by putting nutrient into the soil.
Hydrological is the study and effect of water on the earths surface. Furthermore, the use of a transvasement could be used to transport water from one river basin to another to solve problems related to imbalanced conditions with the hydrographic. It decreases drought by building aqueducts.
Aqueducts is a system of pipes, ditches, tunnels, canals, and other structures used for redirecting river water to drought-prone areas. In addition, it can be designed to store water for livestock, and agriculture use. There are unique constructions that are designed to sustain livestock and crops in times of drought by having stone walls and trenches made to contain water flow in order to water livestock and to make the soil moist to prevent the erosion of soil.
Construction of Ponds is another means to sustain water. Building percolation ponds is an excellent way for storing water for livestock, and irrigation use. In addition, they can be constructed from excavating a small reservoir, or building a barrier around a natural gully, or ravine.
Meteorological is the science of interacting with the weather related conditions such as with cloud seeding.
Cloud Seeding to produce precipitation by inducing precipitation by causing rain, or snow to fall.
Resources
http://www.thisland.illinois.edu/60ways/60ways_16.html
Climate Prediction Series
http://www.cpc.noaa.gov/products/global_monitoring/precipitation/global_precip_accum.shtml
