Impacts & Responses to Drought (Edexcel GCSE Geography A)
Revision Note
Written by: Jacque Cartwright
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Why Droughts are Hazardous
Droughts, unlike earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, are not sudden hazard events
They start and end slowly, making them hard to gauge and they can last for months
Droughts are often accompanied by high temperatures, which increases the rate of evaporation, depleting water supplies faster
The length of a drought varies from place to place
The UK suffered a drought for 16 months between 1975 and 1976
In any given year, 14% of the USA is in a drought
The Horn of Africa is experiencing its worst drought in 40 years
Water supplies such as lakes, aquifers and rivers become depleted as people continue to abstract water during a drought
Other impacts include:
Water becomes contaminated, causing a range of diseases, such as cholera and typhoid
Farmers experience high crop or livestock losses and a reduction in land value
People may experience famine
With less moisture and rainfall, wildfires can become common, damaging crops, buildings, and even death
Businesses and services that rely on clean water may have to close, e.g. hospitals and restaurants
Conflict or war between people and countries can happen when there is pressure on water supplies
Drought can also lead to outward migration
Impacts of Drought on California and Ethiopia
California background
California is situated on the west coast of the USA
It has a population of around 39 million people
It has a Mediterranean-like climate with warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters
It has deserts to the east, with south-westerly winds from the Pacific Ocean bringing rain in winter
Annual precipitation is between 200-500 mm
50% of precipitation falls between November and March, leading to seasonal shortages
Threat
California has approximately 24 million acres (or 9.7 million ha) of farmland
The state supplies 40% of the USA's vegetables, fruit and nuts, which generates around $50 billion each year
However, these crops need a lot of irrigation and freshwater supplies are in constant demand
Rising temperatures, falling rainfall levels and a growing population also place high demands on fresh water supplies
Cause
California relies on winter rain and snow to carry its water supply through the year
High pressure systems over the Pacific Ocean diverted the south-westerly winds away from the California coast
Keeping a dry air mass above the state for a long time
This prevented normal winter storms from reaching California
Drought in California
California is vulnerable to drought. The graph shows how the state moves from one drought event into another, although the drought of 2011–2017 has been the longest one to date.
Impacts
From 2011 to 2017, California experienced extreme drought conditions
By January 2014, the entire state was in a drought emergency, with Central Valley being the worst-affected area
With continued lower than normal precipitation and over dependence on the Colorado River, water supplies dropped
The Social, Economic and Environmental Impacts of California's Drought
Social | Economic | Environmental |
|---|---|---|
Subsidence: as groundwater levels dropped, land settled to lower levels, damaging properties People were asked to conserve water and hosepipe bans were put in place Farmers were unable to grow crops on thousands of acres of land, leaving many farmers unable to support themselves and abandoning their farms People paid private companies to drill private wells to extract precious groundwater supplies Wildfires burned many homes, leaving thousands homeless. People found it difficult to rebuild their homes and insurance premiums became too expensive | The cost of the drought has been approximately $2.7 billion a year, meaning less state money to spend on services such as schools and hospitals California has the largest agricultural industry in the country, worth around $50 billion each year. In 2014 alone, the industry lost $5 billion Wine production was particularly affected and 17,100 agricultural workers lost their jobs Prices of beef and grain rose due to a supply shortage. Food prices also increased by 6% Hydroelectric dams stopped producing electricity | Rivers dried up and prevented fish, such as salmon, from reaching their breeding grounds Wetlands were drained to secure water supplies, altering natural habitats and reducing fish populations Wildfires: vegetation became very dry, and fires started and spread quickly. Intense heat, such as lightning strikes, can easily set vegetation alight In dried-up forest areas, wildfires destroyed plant and animal habitats and killed wildlife Sea water ingress: land and drinking water became contaminated by seawater |
Ethiopia background
Ethiopia is an emerging country located in the Horn of Africa, on the east coast of Africa
It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Somalia and Djibouti in the east, Eritrea in the north and Kenya in the south
Since the 1980s, the country has experienced many droughts, leading to famines and huge loss of life
85% of the population live in rural areas, rely on agriculture and are dependent on rainfall and traditional technologies
The worst droughts were 1984, 1994 and 2014–2016
The 2015 drought was the worst in 30 years
The threat is still ongoing
Threat
Ethiopia relies on two rainy seasons throughout the year
Belg: afternoon showers become more frequent from February to May
Kiremt: rains nearly every day through the summer months and accounts for 50–80% of annual rainfall
Ethiopia's first crop season depends on the belg rains, while the main agricultural season relies on the summer kiremt rains
Since the 1980s, the short belg season has been getting shorter and increasingly delayed
The longer kiremt season has become unpredictable
Where it used to rain for weeks, this has now reduced to days and this fails to supply enough water for the country
There are not enough wells to access groundwater to provide irrigation when the rains fail
Since 1985, 77% of tree cover has been cut down, reducing transpiration into the air
Ongoing conflict in northern Ethiopia damages infrastructure and food supplies
Cause
Between 1950 and 2014, the population grew from 18.1 million to 96.5 million people, increasing the demand for water
The rising standard of living, economic growth and industrial development all increase water demand
In urban areas, the demand for piped water and flush toilets has increased
Weather conditions over the Pacific, including an unusually strong El Niño, interrupted seasonal rains for two consecutive seasons
Global warming has added to the problem of increasing temperatures and changes in weather patterns
Drought in Ethiopia
Ethiopia is vulnerable to drought
Impacts
The Social, Economic and Environmental Impacts of Ethiopia's Drought
Social | Economic | Environmental |
|---|---|---|
85% of the population live in rural areas and depends on farming The lack of rain led to crop failure and widespread loss of livestock, as high as 40%–60% in some areas, which decreased milk production as well as increasing a poor harvest People suffered hunger and malnutrition, exposing them to disease Many women and children had to walk up to 20 km to collect water, leaving less time for farming and school Wood and grasses used for building became scarce, leaving many people without protection from the weather | Cereal prices rose to record levels, while livestock prices and wages fell, reducing purchasing power across the region Many people migrated from rural to urban areas, increasing economic costs to the country Food and water aid needed for 20 million people Conflict in northern Ethiopia caused $22.7 billion worth of damage to infrastructure and a further $6 billion of productivity losses The ongoing food and water insecurity costs Ethiopia US$1.1 billion per year | Overgrazing and over-cultivation of drought-prone areas led to desertification and degradation of land There was an increase in diseases in wildlife due to reduced water and food supplies Wildfires: vegetation became very dry, and fires started and spread quickly. Over 200,000 hectares of forest were lost each year In dried-up forest areas, wildfires destroyed plant and animal habitats and killed wildlife |
Responses to Drought by California and Ethiopia
Response | California | Ethiopia |
|---|---|---|
Governments | State government ran campaigns to educate people to save water State laws were brought in to reduce water use in California by 25% | Overseas governments have given aid In 2015, the USA gave $128.4 million in food aid |
Organisations | Research projects by the University of California helped investigate ways to effectively manage groundwater | Aid agencies such as Oxfam and UNICEF are helping to secure water supplies Education charities are helping people secure jobs in urban areas |
Individuals | Farmers were encouraged to use water efficient irrigation such as drip irrigation Homeowners were advised to check for water leaks Protestors campaigned against companies selling bottled local water | Large charity events such as Live Aid helped raise awareness and money |
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