Prescott Library: Science Seminar: Earth Science: Drought

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Drought
Nearly every part of our country experiences periods of reduced rainfall. If we plan for drought, then we can enjoy the benefits of normal or rainy years and not get caught unprepared in dry years.
California’s Extreme Drought, Explained
California is experiencing the worst drought in its history, and the effects are being felt nationwide.
California Imposes First Mandatory Water Restrictions to Deal With Drought
Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday ordered mandatory water use reductions for the first time in California’s history, saying the state’s four-year drought had reached near-crisis proportions after a winter of record-low snowfalls.
The Economics of California's Drought
As the U.S. Northeast emerges from yet another snowstorm, California has just concluded its hottest winter ever, registering average temperatures 4.4 degrees warmer than the state's 20th-century average.

Drought
Drought is characterized by various combinations of unusually low precipitation, low humidity, high temperatures, and high wind velocities. Extended droughts can reduce water supplies to the point where they are inadequate to support the demands of plants, animals, and humans.
drought
A hydrological drought is one during which the groundwater decreases and the water table falls markedly. This reduces the flow of streams and rivers. It can be caused either by a prolonged period without rain over the watershed supplying the groundwater or by an unusually low accumulation of winter snow in a mountainous region, leading to a reduced flow of melt water in spring.