Drought and Water Scarcity – Devastation Awaits

Drought is a serious global problem that is affecting millions of people and is going to get much worse soon. It is particularly acute in parts of the world where water supplies are already scarce, and it is having devastating effects on agriculture and livelihoods. Humans need to drink water and so does what we eat. Without a better handle on the water situation, we’re in for a world of hurt.

It seems like a massive problem that in many ways is too big for humans to deal with, but the reality is that our activities are the cause of water scarcity. Our reliance on water for almost every aspect of life and our consumption of it without much thought to its replenishment has put us in a precarious position.

Climate change is also making drought worse, with shifting rainfall patterns, pushing temperatures higher, deforestation and desertification, and more extreme weather events leading to drought-prone areas becoming even more so.

Drought is an increasingly urgent issue that requires immediate attention. It is a vicious cycle – less rain leads to dried-up rivers, depleted crops, and widespread hunger, creating a state of desperation for communities across the globe.

It is not only causing serious health consequences due to lack of nutrition but also growing conflict as desperate people are struggling to find food or clean drinking water. Get ready for more “water wars” destabilizing big parts of the world.

The long-term survival of the American West as well as many other parts of the world is in question and depends on us finding a way to manage drought and water scarcity.

We must work together to address this major challenge and ensure that everyone has access to the resources they need to survive.

Water scarcity is causing a bunch of problems, and it looks like it’s only going to get worse.

The Problem is Getting Worse

In recent years, drought has become more frequent and intense due to climate change. This is particularly true in the Western United States where drought conditions are increasingly common.

The drought situation is projected to worsen in many parts of the world over the coming decades as global temperatures continue to rise. Already we are seeing water shortages across much of Africa, Asia and  Australasia

The Causes of Drought

How does a drought happen?

There are multiple causes of drought, including climate change and human activities like deforestation and overgrazing.

Climate change alters rainfall patterns, increasing drought intensity and frequency, reducing water availability in certain regions, and making drought more severe.

Clearing of forests for agricultural land increases drought risk as forests help to capture water and reduce runoff. Overgrazing of vegetation affects the soil’s capacity to absorb and retain water.

Types of Drought

Varying drought types can be distinguished, based on their different underlying causes.

• Meteorological drought is caused by a lack of precipitation and is the most common type of drought.
• Agricultural drought is caused by insufficient moisture in the soil to support crops or livestock.
• Hydrological drought results from a decrease in streamflow, groundwater levels, or water supplies.

Call it what you want to call it, water scarcity is no good.

Drought a Serious Problem

Drought can have devastating consequences. Not only does it devastate crops, leaving people without a food source and increasing prices, but it puts more strain on limited resources and results in competition for what little food there is. This can lead to serious conflict between populations that may otherwise have been peaceful.

Impact on Agriculture

Drought is one of the most destructive forces in agriculture. Crops suffer from drought stress, which leads to decreased yields and quality of crops. Livestock is also affected by drought as they have to compete for scarce water resources and may be less productive due to a lack of food.

Economic Impact

Millions of dollars and lives will turn on how we deal with the water problem. Drought can have a significant economic impact due to decreased crop yields, reduced water supply for industry and utilities, drought-related public health concerns, and drought-induced conflict.

Environmental Impact

Drought also has a major environmental impact, leading to increased desertification and land degradation. Droughts reduce water availability for drought-sensitive species and decrease vegetation cover, resulting in reduced habitat quality for some species.

It is estimated that approximately 12 million hectares (about the size of Maryland, and about 1.5 times the size of all the urbanized areas in the United States combined) of productive land are lost to desertification every year, which can lead to food insecurity, displacement of communities, and biodiversity loss.

Impact on Human Health

Drought has a major impact on human health. People require water for drinking, sanitation, and hygiene, but drought can mean that these needs are not met.

Social Impact

People living in drought-affected areas experience food insecurity due to decreased crop yields and competition for limited resources, leading to conflicts between populations that may otherwise be peaceful.

Water Wars

Competition for water resources is becoming more intense, and conflicts over water are becoming more common. There’s a good chance World War III will start because of water¹in my opinion.

Water wars can take many different forms, ranging from local disputes between neighboring communities to large-scale conflicts between nations. Conflicts over water lead to violence and even warfare, particularly in regions where water resources are particularly scarce or where access to water is seen as a matter of national security.

There have been several modern examples of conflicts over water resources that have been referred to as “water wars”.

• Nile River Basin: The Nile River Basin is a shared resource between 11 African countries, with Egypt and Sudan being the downstream riparian countries. In recent years, tensions have risen over the construction of large dams by upstream countries such as Ethiopia, which could potentially reduce the amount of water flowing downstream to Egypt and Sudan.
• Indus River Basin: The Indus River Basin is shared by India and Pakistan and has been a source of tension between the two countries for many years. India has built several dams and hydroelectric projects on the rivers that flow into Pakistan, which has led to concerns about water scarcity and reduced flows downstream.
• Mekong River Basin: The Mekong River Basin is shared by several countries in Southeast Asia, including China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The construction of large dams by China upstream of the river has led to concerns about reduced flows downstream and impacts on fisheries and agriculture in countries such as Cambodia and Vietnam.
• Middle East: Water scarcity is a major issue in the Middle East, which is one of the driest regions in the world. The conflict between Israel and Palestine has been influenced by water issues, with Israel controlling most of the water resources in the region. The ongoing conflict in Syria has also been linked to water scarcity, with drought exacerbating political tensions and contributing to the Syrian civil war.

These are just a few examples of modern conflicts over water resources. As water scarcity continues to increase around the world, we will likely see more conflicts and tensions arising over access to and control of water resources.

No doubt many problems come with drought and water shortages, so we need to be prepared.

Examples of Recent Droughts

We don’t have to look very far to find an example of drought around the planet. Unfortunately, drought is often a regular occurrence in many regions. These droughts have resulted in severe water shortages, drought-related public health crises, and famine.

• The California drought of 2012-2016 – Some say this drought is ongoing, but California has been facing drought conditions since 2012 due to record-low precipitation during the winter and spring of that year. Between 2012 and 2016 was the worst in California’s history. Despite higher-than-average rain in the winter of 2022 – 23, the west is really bad about capturing rain and lets most of it go into the ocean.
• The drought in Africa’s Sahel region – The drought in Africa’s Sahel region, which spans from west to east across the continent, between 1968 – 1974 caused the deaths of an estimated 250,000 people. This drought began as a result of decreased rainfall but is exacerbated by deforestation and overgrazing of land. The drought in East Africa that occurred during 2011–12 was particularly devastating. This drought affected more than 11 million people, resulting in severe food insecurity and a major humanitarian crisis.
• The Ethiopian drought of 1983-1985 affected millions and led to the deaths of an estimated 1 million people.
• Australian drought of 1997-2009 and 2017-2019 – The Australian Millennium drought was one of the worst in Australia’s history and caused widespread water shortages, agricultural losses, and economic impacts.
• Syrian drought (2006-2010): This was one of the factors that contributed to the Syrian Civil War. More than 400,000 people are estimated to have been killed in the conflict, and more than 11 million people, which is over half of Syria’s pre-war population, have been displaced from their homes.
• South African drought (2015-2018): This drought was the worst in South Africa’s history and led to water shortages, crop failures, and significant economic impacts on the country’s agricultural industry. A loss of around R17 billion ($1.2 billion USD) was estimated for 2016.

The Dust Bowl

A dust storm approached Rolla, Kansas, on May 6, 1935. (Image: Franklin D. Roosevelt Library Digital Archives) via National Drought Mitigation Center.

The Dust Bowl was a period of severe dust storms and soil erosion that occurred in the Great Plains region of the United States during the 1930s, caused in part by a prolonged drought that dried out the soil and left it vulnerable to erosion by strong winds. The combination of drought and soil erosion devastated the agricultural economy of the Great Plains, leading to widespread poverty and hardship for farmers and their families.

The Dust Bowl and the Great Depression of the 1930s are closely linked, as the economic impacts of the Dust Bowl contributed to the overall economic downturn of the Great Depression.

“[the] agricultural depression contributed to the Great Depression’s bank closures, business losses, increased unemployment, and other physical and emotional hardships.”

– National Drought Mitigation Center

The Dust Bowl was caused by a combination of natural and human factors. The Great Plains region had experienced droughts before, but the years of the 1930s were particularly dry, with rainfall levels well below average. This prolonged drought dried out the soil and made it more vulnerable to erosion by wind. The soil in the Great Plains was also very susceptible to erosion due to its composition and the fact that it had been over-plowed and over-grazed by farmers who were trying to make a living off the land.

The combination of drought and soil erosion created huge dust storms that swept across the Great Plains, causing damage to homes, crops, and livestock. The dust storms were so severe that they sometimes blotted out the sun and turned day into night.

The Dust Bowl had a devastating impact on the agricultural economy of the Great Plains. Many farmers lost their crops and their livelihoods and were forced to abandon their farms and move to other areas in search of work. The dust storms also damaged equipment and infrastructure, making it more difficult for farmers to recover from the economic losses they had suffered.

The economic impacts of the Dust Bowl contributed to the overall economic downturn of the Great Depression. The problems combined and created a vicious cycle of poverty and unemployment that affected millions of people across the United States.

The Dust Bowl and the Great Depression are stark reminders of the devastating impact that environmental factors can have on human societies and the importance of sustainable land use practices and environmental conservation.

Monitoring for Drought

Monitoring for drought is an essential component of drought management and mitigation and allows people to react proactively to drought conditions. By tracking weather patterns, water resources, agricultural conditions, socioeconomic factors, and climate change trends, we can better understand and prepare for the impacts of drought and work to reduce its negative effects.

Drought Monitoring Techniques

Drought can be monitored using drought indices, which are calculated by analyzing meteorological data and soil moisture.

• Meteorological monitoring: Involves tracking weather patterns and precipitation levels using weather stations, satellites, and other remote sensing tools.
• Hydrological monitoring: Monitoring water levels in rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, as well as tracking groundwater levels and soil moisture.
• Agricultural monitoring – Tracking crop conditions, yields, and soil moisture levels can help farmers make decisions about irrigation, planting, and other practices.
• Socioeconomic monitoring – Tracking the impact of drought on communities, including the availability of food and water, employment, and other economic factors. Socioeconomic monitoring can help identify vulnerable populations and inform policy decisions related to drought relief and mitigation.
• Early warning systems – The development of systems that can provide advanced warning of drought conditions, allowing communities and governments to take action to prepare for and mitigate the effects of drought. Early warning systems can include a combination of meteorological, hydrological, agricultural, and socioeconomic monitoring tools.

Several Organizations Monitor Drought.

The Drought Monitor is produced jointly by the National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) operates the U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) with drought information across the country.

Mitigating Drought

Water conservation is no longer a choice; it has become a matter of necessity. The situation will only get worse if we don’t take steps to make it better. Real, accountable leaders need to be in place to ensure that water management policies are implemented and enforced.

There are many ways that we can help conserve water and protect our planet from further thirst.  Improved water management policies include both drought mitigation strategies as well as drought preparedness plans for emergencies.

Reducing our reliance on finite water supplies and investing in drought mitigation technologies is the only way to avoid disaster.

Water Conservation

It all starts with simply using less water. Practices like water-efficient appliances and low-flow fixtures can help reduce our water consumption. In addition, capturing rainwater, using drought-tolerant plants in landscaping and reducing lawn size, implementing graywater systems, and repairing leaks are all effective ways to conserve water.

In addition to reducing water use on an individual level, governments should also implement drought mitigation strategies. These include investing in drought-resistant infrastructure, such as water storage and distribution systems, and providing incentives for farmers to adopt drought-tolerant crops and irrigation techniques.

Irrigation Systems

Drought-tolerant irrigation systems use sensors to detect soil moisture levels and only irrigate when necessary, conserving water while still providing sufficient water for plants. A particularly useful drought mitigation technique is drip irrigation, which delivers water directly to the roots of plants, reducing water loss due to evaporation and runoff. Drones, AI, and other “smart devices” are also being used to monitor crop conditions to supply water and grow crops more efficiently in general.

Water Recycling and Reclamation

Recycling and reclaiming water help reduce the need for potable water supplies by using treated wastewater for industrial, agricultural, and landscaping purposes. While this technology is still relatively new, it has the potential to be a cost-effective drought mitigation solution. There is also a bit of an “ick factor” associated with using recycled water, but education and awareness can help to overcome this.

Drought-Resistant Crops

Drought-resistant plants have been developed for many different crops, including grains and vegetables, allowing farmers to continue growing food in times of drought. In addition, drought-tolerant varieties may also be more resilient to pests and diseases, helping farmers maintain high yields despite drought conditions.

One challenge to drought-tolerant crop varieties is the cost of implementation, but with proper drought preparedness and drought mitigation planning, this cost can be minimized.

Plant Drought-Resistant Plants in Our Gardens

Hardy drought-resistant plants tolerate dry conditions, providing them with an added ability to survive the summer months without needing extra watering. As well as resulting in minimal usage of water for garden upkeep, these plants can also benefit local wildlife, acting as habitats and food sources for various species.

So much water is wastefully used on green lawns; if these lawns were converted to drought-resistant plants, it would make a huge impact on water conservation.

Water Harvesting Techniques

Water harvesting techniques collect, store and use runoff from rain or melted snow, allowing communities to access water during drought conditions. Water harvesting can include simple methods such as storing rainwater in barrels, to more complex systems such as dams and reservoirs.

Managed Aquifer Recharge

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is a drought mitigation strategy that involves pumping water into underground aquifers for storage. So much rainwater still goes right into the ocean when it could be saved and used to support the aquifers that are so quickly being depleted. It is such a no-brainer that it’s enraging to think of how much potential drought-fighting water has been wasted over the years. MAR is a technology that can help us recover some of this lost water by allowing it to be stored underground, where it can be accessed in times of drought.

Because our leaders are not serious people and we collectively have a hard time thinking long-term, government policies have not been all that helpful with MAR.

Desalination

Another potentially revolutionary drought mitigation strategy is desalination, a process that involves removing salt and other minerals from seawater or brackish water to make it suitable for human consumption or agricultural use. The Earth is surrounded by vast supplies of seawater, and desalination could provide a reliable water source.

Unfortunately, desalination plants are extremely expensive and energy-intensive, but they may soon be the only way to ensure an adequate water supply. Advancements in research and engineering have led to more efficient desalination methods that are cheaper and require less energy.

In addition to cost, the discharge of brine (the concentrated saltwater left over after desalination) can have negative environmental impacts if not properly managed.

Finding Energy for Desalination

The energy required for desalination makes it cost-prohibitive in many drought-stricken regions. Renewable energy sources like solar and wind or nuclear can be used to power desalination plants.

Renewable Energy and Desalination

Renewable energy can provide a clean and sustainable alternative to fossil fuels for powering desalination plants. Solar energy, for example, can be used to power the desalination process directly through solar stills, which use the sun’s energy to evaporate and condense water. Solar energy can also be used to power reverse osmosis (RO) systems, which are currently the most commonly used desalination technology. Wind energy can also be used to power RO systems, either directly or through the use of energy storage systems like batteries.

Nuclear Energy and Desalination

One advantage of using nuclear energy to power desalination plants is that nuclear power plants can generate large amounts of electricity continuously and reliably. Additionally, nuclear power plants do not produce greenhouse gas emissions, which can help reduce the environmental footprint of the desalination process.

We Need Real Leadership

Like most of our problems, the issue isn’t that we don’t know what to do, it’s that we just don’t do them, because we only do things that make money. Our leaders are not serious and the media peddles distractions that make progress on drought mitigation and so many other problems so much harder than it needs to be.

We need real leaders that are serious about dealing with important issues like drought, food and energy, and all the other massive problems we face as a society.

We’ve Got to Find Ways Secure Access to Water for Everyone

Every second counts when it comes to saving water. With the issue of water scarcity looming ever closer, we need to take action now if we want to prevent a worldwide disaster.

The world needs to come together and take proactive steps to reduce the devastation caused by drought. Working together with a shared global focus, we can curb its effects on communities, wildlife, and vital ecosystems. Whether it’s finding ways to mitigate water waste or developing sustainable resources to prevent overused areas from running dry, there’s no shortage of actions we can take that will have an immediate positive result.

As individuals and as united nations of the world, we’ve got to protect our planet from the harmful factors of drought; it’s necessary for our survival and essential for future generations. Time is running out, we have to act now.

Related Posts

A Healthy and Thriving Ocean Climate Change DNA Sequencing: Unlocking the Secrets of Life The Planet is Dying