Environmental Management - 0680 CIE

Drought

Overview

Drought is the slow hazard. There is no sudden shock as with an earthquake or a storm; instead the rains simply fail, week after week, until the rivers shrink, the soil cracks and the crops wither. A drought is a period of dry weather longer or more severe than normal, and because it builds so quietly it is easy to underestimate until a region tips into water shortage, crop failure and even famine.

In this lesson you will learn what causes droughts, from natural shifts in rainfall and pressure to the human pressures of farming and climate change, and why a drought can feed on itself in a vicious circle. You will then follow the Environmental Management chain of cause, impact and management, using the devastating 2011 East Africa drought as a named example, and weigh up the strategies, from emergency water supplies to desalination, that communities use to survive when the rains do not come.

Objectives

6.4.1 Define a drought as a period of dry weather that is longer or more severe than normal.
6.4.2 Describe and explain the causes of drought, limited to: (a) lack of rain (b) climate change: increase in global temperatures and increase in extreme weather events.
6.4.3 Describe and explain the impacts of drought on people and the environment, limited to: (a) water sources dry up (b) loss of crops, livestock and habitats (c) soil erosion (d) desertification (e) death of organisms (f) famine (g) increased risk of wildfires (h) decrease in air quality (i) financial losses (j) human health.
6.4.4 Describe strategies for managing the impacts before, during and after a drought, limited to: (a) monitoring and warning (b) emergency water supplies (c) water conservation (d) increasing water supply (dams and reservoirs, use of aquifers and wells, desalination and rainwater harvesting) (e) international aid.
6.4.5 Discuss the benefits and limitations of strategies for managing the impacts before, during and after a drought.

Lesson Note

Drought affects more people over a longer time than almost any other hazard, and it strikes hardest in the world's poorest regions, where many families depend directly on rain-fed farming. As global temperatures rise, scientists expect droughts to become more frequent and severe in many areas. Understanding how drought develops, and how it can be managed, is therefore central to Environmental Management and a rich source of cause-impact-management questions.

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Lesson Evaluation

Congratulations on completing the lesson on Drought. Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.

You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.

Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.

A drought is best defined as: A. Any month with no rainfall B. A period of dry weather longer or more severe than normal for a region C. A permanent desert climate D. A single failed harvest Answer: B
Which weather feature is most likely to bring a drought? A. A deep low-pressure system B. A persistent high-pressure system C. A warm front D. A tropical cyclone Answer: B
The process by which once-fertile land turns into desert is called: A. Desalination B. Infiltration C. Desertification D. Transpiration Answer: C
Which strategy increases the water supply during a drought? A. Drought-tolerant crops B. Reducing water waste C. Desalination of sea water D. Recycling water Answer: C
Why can the loss of vegetation make a drought worse? A. It increases transpiration and rainfall B. It reduces transpiration, so less rain forms C. It raises the water table D. It cools the soil Answer: B