Drought

Photographer : Janeen

What is drought?

Drought does not simply mean low rainfall although low rainfall is a sign of drought. A drought is an ongoing, abnormally dry period where a community's normal water needs cannot be met.

The definition of drought differs according to who measures it and what factors they look for. For example:

• meteorologists monitor drought by looking at rainfall deficiencies.
• agriculturalists look to its effect upon primary industries.
• hydrologists examine groundwater levels. Sociologists observe its impact upon communities.

The impact of drought

If you live in a rural area, you have probably had some sort of experience with the effects of drought. Agricultural areas suffer the effects of drought most acutely, although it does ultimately impact upon the cities.

The immediate effects of drought

Drought disrupts cropping programmes, affects the quality of breeding stock, kills animals, and reduces the productivity of farms. This impacts the economy on local and national scales.

The long term effects of drought

Vegetation loss, soil erosion, water quality and salinity issues all put the long-term health of Australia’s rural environment at risk. Bushfires are more prevalent during drought, and can also cause serious environmental damage.

What causes drought in Australia?

Geographical factors make Australia particularly drought-prone. Most of the country gets low, highly erratic rainfall due to a climate phenomenon called the Southern Oscillation, which is a shift in air pressure between Asian and East Pacific regions.

You may have heard of El Niño. El Niño is an extreme manifestation of this phenomenon. It has been the cause of many droughts over the eastern and northern parts of Australia.

How is drought managed?

The Bureau of Meteorology has a Drought Watch Service, which puts out drought alerts based on monthly analyses of rainfall in rural areas. Based on Drought Watch alerts, state governments may make drought declarations, and highlight certain regions that may need assistance. However, the government only grants ‘drought relief’ (financial assistance) when agricultural communities experience ‘exceptional circumstances’—droughts of unusual length or severity.

The requirement for ‘exceptional circumstances’ to exist before farmers can get assistance is a source of dissatisfaction in some rural communities, which struggle constantly against the devastating economic and social impact of drought.

How do I know this?

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology, http://www.bom.gov.au