Erin Bell
25668870
Influence of Climatic Processes on Drought in Southeastern Australia
Briefly discuss the concept of drought and compare the various definitions. Discuss three climatic processes that influence drought in the southeast Australia, highlighting the reasons why the region is so susceptible to various forms of drought.
Introduction: Concepts of Drought
Drought has often been referred to as a ‘creeping phenomenon’, due to its slow development and prolonged duration (Wilhite and Glantz, 1985), making it very different from most other environmental hazards such as earthquake or tsunamis (Smith, 2013, p. 337). Drought, again unlike its fellow environmental hazards, is not restricted to any specific geological area or tectonic
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The consequences of drought can be difficult or even impossible to assess due to the immense range of factors that contribute to its outcomes. These include duration, geographical location, intensity, demands of human activity, socioeconomic status of the area, and vegetative needs in the region (Wilhite and Glantz, 1985.) Simply put drought is complicated. At its simplest definition drought is an unusual dry period resulting in a shortage of water, more specifically a shortage of useful water (Smith, 2013, p.337). There are four main types of drought, including meteorological drought, or amount of rainfall in an area, hydrological drought, or the water levels in bodies of water such as streams or rivers, agricultural drought, or the water level in soils, and lastly socioeconomic drought, or the effect of drought on the economy and population of the affected area (Smith, 2013, p. …show more content…
An El Nino event , the opposite of a La Niña, occurs when the Pacific Ocean and the atmosphere interact to create a ‘feedback loop’, exaggerating small changes in the state of the ocean, causing a deviation from its usual state (Kuhnel and Coates, 2000). These changes are usually driven by temperature gradients above and below the surface, specifically the thermocline (An analysis of the La Niña events in Australia, 2014). ENSOs generally begin during autumn in the southern hemisphere, strengthening throughout winter and spring, continuing until another autumn season when the tropical Pacific Ocean temperatures settle the differences in temperature between the east and west, typically lasting for only one season (An analysis of the La Niña events in Australia, 2014). El Niño events are linked to the warming of the central and eastern tropical Pacific, because of a warming of ocean temperature in spots that are normally cool, and vice versa (An analysis of the La Niña events in Australia, 2014). During an ENSO event, trade winds may weaken or reverse moving the newly warmer water into the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean (An analysis of the La Niña events in Australia, 2014). This leaves the sea surface temperatures around northern Australia cooler than normal, lessening the chance of tropical cyclones, decreasing
Water shortage in arid and semi-arid regions and declining its availability to a crisis ...
The drought along with the dust storms as stated already made it impossible to plant crops, it also made it very difficult to provide food for the farmers and their families. If you could not plant anything, you did not have food for animals and you did not have food for families or children that needed it desperately. There was a sudden urgency of concern once farmers could not feed their family and members of those families started to starve.
The Great Basin of North America and Wyoming specifically, is known for its arid and semi-arid environment, as well as prolonged and sometimes severe droughts. Drought is the prolonged and abnormal deficiency of moisture with the concomitant decline in runoff to a level significantly lower than usual (Guldin 1989). The history of droughts in Wyoming has been uncertain in the past, but recent studies of tree rings in the Big Horn Basin of Wyoming have given insight to droughts as far back as 1260A.D. (Gray et al. 2004). Looking at tree ring records in Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and limber pine (Pinus flexilis) trees, Stephen Gray and his colleagues discovered that droughts which have been experienced in Wyoming since the 1750's, are weak in severity and length when compared to those since. The most severe drought period in Wyoming’s history occurred from 1262 to 1281. The droughts of the 1930’s and 1950’s, which have been used as benchmarks for all other droughts in the United States in recent times (Woodhouse et al. 2002), are ranked 149th and 28th respectively in comparison (Gray et al. 2004). The five top ranking droughts for 10, 15, and 20 year periods are all prior to the 1800’s, with the four driest single years being 1263, 1274, 1278, and 1280 (Gray et al. 2004). This indicates a change in precipitation patterns in the Big Horn Basin area of Wyoming since the 18th century, as all recent droughts have been mild when compared to those of Wyoming’s past.
On the heart (center) of California is a flat area with miles and miles of farms and up to 230 different crops. The central valley agriculture is essential to the United States; it not only delivers almost half of the produce but also helps the economy by also giving more job opportunities (California Department of food and agriculture, 2014). Many families depend on the central valley agriculture to survive economically in the United States. It is a well-known fact that rain and snows in the Sierra Nevada Mountains are a very important element in the central valley. No rain in the central valley can cause many devastating issues to occur quickly. Recently in the year of 2013 California received less rainfall than years before. The small amount of water the central valley is receiving is harming not only to the land but humans and animals as well. It’s destroying the habitats of animals with forest fires caused from the dry spells occurring. The central valley is going through a drought, so much that around this time of year the central valley usually accumulates enough rain for the necessities in the valley, agriculture for example. This year, however, has been different, the central valley hasn’t received enough water and this has caused a drought in the valley. Water is an important element in this world for not only human life, but for the environment in general, a shortage of water supply can bring issues to the environment and those living in it. The central valley holds the largest percent of class one soil, not only that, the valley grows a third of all the produce being grown in the United States, that’s more than 230 crops that are being grown in the central valley. However, this drought isn’t only affecting the resident...
For example, then, drought is difficult to define in modern standards, it is typically classified as a shortage of water, usually associated with a deficit of rainfall. That is, drought occurs when the demand or use for water exceeds the current supply of water. It follows, then, the Colorado river drought does not solely affect one area, it’s grandeur has affected the whole southwestern United States. Additionally, the Colorado River Basin Water Management: Evaluating and Adjusting to Hydroclimatic provides information on the meager volume of rain fall. In theory, then, combined with increased temperatures from global warming, and a deficient of rainfall both circumstances have had a descending effect on most surrounding
Second, long term and short term climate changes (e.g. global warming and El Nino) may lead to dryness. Global warming rises
The following is a report on Australian drought situation. It will identity the definition of the drought, describe the causes of drought, represent impact of drought in Queensland and introduce management to help farmers cope with future drought occurrences.
Climate change has the potential to devastate millions in Australia. Rising temperatures will impact the landscape of Australia by decreasing Australia's forests. Australia is going to have to spend billions of dollars to make sure their safety from climate change. The people in Australia will need to be strong and flexible to make it through this tough time they're going through, and Australia will have to find a way to fix this problem before it's too late. Climate change is something that will affect the entire world and it's not an issue to take lightly. Australia’s solutions are not simple at all and in order for them to work everyone will have to work together. Climate change in Australia will impact the environment, the economy, and the lives of Australians, an example of a solution is to cut down on carbon emissions.
However, the storms, floods, fire and drought that are already playing havoc with agriculture are likely to have a significant negative impact, along with the longer term flooding of coastal areas.
In the article, El Niño: Pacific wind and Current Changes Bring warm, Wild Weather by Mike Carlowicz and Stephanie Schollaert Uz they study the patterns and event changes that happens in one place and can affect life half a world away with a sudden change to the ecosystem. It is able to make half a world have wetter season and another be dryer than the dessert. This article talks about some fundamental observations, human history, and the impact and teleconnections that El niño has caused on today's world. El niño is one of the greatest weathermaker the world has ever seen in history, if its to the impact it has had on today's climate, the westerlies and pacific jets being altered, to the long history it has had on altering the underwater temperatures
Water shortage affects the agricultural sector, so as a consequence the price of production increases. The water crisis affects the economy and health of the population, so people need to understand that water is a priority to life.
“For most of the history of our species we were helpless to understand how nature works. We took every storm, drought, illness and comet personally. We created myths and spirits in an attempt to explain the patterns of nature (Druyan).” According to Fox, Drought came also be seen as a slow- motion train wreck. We still have a very short time to get the people off safely before the crash. This drought is causing long dry period in regions were rain fall is usually frequent enough. From there this drought is turning to more like a famine because the area in drought is so huge and is causing much conflict for the survival of the people (2011). These areas include Somalia, southern Ethiopia, and northern Kenya.
(2009). The 'Standard' of the 'Standard'. Drought - a fact sheet. Retrieved from: http://www.ifad.org/lrkm/factsheet/cc.pdf The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, (2007).
Many scientific studies also show increases in the intensity, duration, and extent of droughts, higher atmospheric temperatures, warmer sea surface temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns, and diminishing glaciers and snowpack. The bottom line is that causes of climate change, such as greenhouse gas emissions, will have to be minimized if people want to do as much as possible to solve the water crisis. Works Cited Water demand management: the case of Zaragoza, Spain Web 25 Nov. 2014. http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/swm_cities_zaragoza_2010/pdf/final_report_swm_cities.pdf.
An El Nino happens in intervals of 3-7 years. The formation of this is related to the Pacific Southern Oscillation which is also the cycling of the Pacific Ocean circulation. The Pacific Southern Oscillation (the change of atmospheric pressures) happens when the easterly trade winds collapse, weaken, or even reverse. As this happens, the upwelling stops. The slight weakening of the winds cause a small change in sea surface temperatures, and the wind and pressure changes increase. The warm water of the western Pacific Ocean flow eastward and sea surface temperatures increase on the western coast of South America. When this occurs, the wet weather conditions (originally in the western Pacific) move east, and dry conditions (normally in the east) appear in the west.