Methods And Tools For Drought Analysis And Management

Frequent drought events have recently occurred in different Mediterranean regions. These have highlighted a general inadequacy of the current strategies applied to mitigate negative impacts of such phenomenon. This book provides various methods of drought monitoring at different spatial scales, as well as innovative drought forecasting techniques based on stochastic approaches. Besides common drought indices (i.e. SPI), new agrometeorological indices are proposed.

The increasing risk of severe droughts and water shortages emphasizes the need for an integrated approach to drought mitigation. However, effective tools for the implementation of such an approach have not been available till now. This book contributes to an improved preparedness for drought in water supply systems, providing tools useful for a better decision making process in drought management. It presents methods and software features of a Decision Support System (DSS) developed within a European research project and consists of three main parts. The first part deals with the advanced techniques for hydrological drought identification and monitoring; the second analyses the successful use of climate-crop-soil models in defining deficit irrigation strategies; the third provides tools for improving the operation of irrigation supply reservoirs.

A comprehensive guide to managing and mitigating natural disasters Recent years have seen a surge in the number, frequency, and severity of natural disasters, with further increases expected as the climate continues to change. However, advanced computational and geospatial technologies have enabled the development of sophisticated early warning systems and techniques to predict, manage, and mitigate disasters.Techniques for Disaster Risk Management and Mitigation explores different approaches to forecasting disasters and provides guidance on mitigation and adaptation strategies. Volume highlights include: Review of current and emerging technologies for disaster prediction Different approaches to risk management and mitigation Strategies for implementing disaster plans and infrastructure improvements Guidance on integrating artificial intelligence with GIS and earth observation data Examination of the regional and global impacts of disasters under climate variability

As technology continues to become more sophisticated, mimicking natural processes and phenomena also becomes more of a reality. Continued research in the field of natural computing enables an understanding of the world around us, in addition to opportunities for man-made computing to mirror the natural processes and systems that have existed for centuries. Nature-Inspired Computing: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications takes an interdisciplinary approach to the topic of natural computing, including emerging technologies being developed for the purpose of simulating natural phenomena, applications across industries, and the future outlook of biologically and nature-inspired technologies. Emphasizing critical research in a comprehensive multi-volume set, this publication is designed for use by IT professionals, researchers, and graduate students studying intelligent computing.

Hydrological Drought: Processes and Estimation Methods for Streamflow and Groundwater, Second Edition provides a comprehensive review of processes and estimation methods for streamflow and groundwater drought. It includes a qualitative conceptual understanding of drought features and processes, a detailed presentation of estimation methods and tools, practical examples and impacts relevant for operational practice. The drought phenomenon and its diversity across the world are illustrated using a global set of daily streamflow series, whereas regional and local aspects of drought are studied using a combination of hydrological time series and catchment information. Hydrological Drought: Processes and Estimation Methods for Streamflow and Groundwater, Second Edition concludes with human impacts, including climate change impacts on drought, drought forecasting and early warning and examples of procedures on how to manage water during drought. The majority of the examples are taken from regions where the rivers run most of the year, but not exclusively. The material presented ranges from well-established knowledge and analysing methods to recent developments in drought research. Its nature varies accordingly, from a more traditional textbook and clear overview to that of a research paper, which introduces recent approaches and methodologies for drought analysis. Includes a number of innovative tools (self-guided tours, worked examples and software) to support both the understanding and teaching of different methods for evaluating drought severity, human impacts, ecological effects of drought and regional methods that enable estimation Offers applications/demonstrations using a comprehensive database of streamflow and thematic data from a large number of national and international agencies, which illustrate how data are used when evaluating drought severity Presents the state of the art of hydrological drought, including well established knowledge as well as recent developments in drought research

To plan successfully and manage the increased uncertainties posed by likely future climate change, knowledge needs to advance much more for the water profession beyond what it is now available. Meeting these challenges does not depend exclusively on advances in climatological-hydrologic models. Policies for adaptation and strategies for mitigation measures have to be formulated on the basis of what are likely to be the potential impacts. These will have to be regularly fine-tuned and implemented according to changing needs and as more reliable knowledge and data become available. Even more challenging will be the politics of policy making and implementation, which will require a quantum leap from current policy-making and implementation processes. One can even say that, in addition to the development of more reliable models, the politics of climate change and water management remains one of the greatest uncertainties for the water profession. This book addresses water management practices and how these should and could be modified to cope with climatic and other related uncertainties over the next two to three decades; the types of strategies and good practices that may be available or have to be developed to cope with the current and expected uncertainties in relation to climate change; and the types of knowledge, information and technological developments needed to incorporate possible future climate change impacts within the framework of water resources management. Decision making in the water sector under changing climate and related uncertainties, and societal water security under altering and fluctuating climate are also discussed. Several case studies are included from several basins, cities, regions and countries in both developed and non-developing countries. This book was published as a special issue of the International Journal of Water Resources Development.

Remote Sensing of Drought: Innovative Monitoring Approaches presents emerging remote sensing-based tools and techniques that can be applied to operational drought monitoring and early warning around the world. The first book to focus on remote sensing and drought monitoring, it brings together a wealth of information that has been scattered throughout the literature and across many disciplines. Featuring contributions by leading scientists, it assembles a cross-section of globally applicable techniques that are currently operational or have potential to be operational in the near future. The book explores a range of applications for monitoring four critical components of the hydrological cycle related to drought: vegetation health, evapotranspiration, soil moisture and groundwater, and precipitation. These applications use remotely sensed optical, thermal, microwave, radar, and gravity data from instruments such as AMSR-E, GOES, GRACE, MERIS, MODIS, and Landsat and implement several advanced modeling and data assimilation techniques. Examples show how to integrate this information into routine drought products. The book also examines the role of satellite remote sensing within traditional drought monitoring, as well as current challenges and future prospects. Improving drought monitoring is becoming increasingly important in addressing a wide range of societal issues, from food security and water scarcity to human health, ecosystem services, and energy production. This unique book surveys innovative remote sensing approaches to provide you with new perspectives on large-area drought monitoring and early warning.

The second volume of this comprehensive global perspective on Integrated Drought Management is focused on drought modeling, meteorological prediction, and the use of remote sensing in assessing, analyzing, and monitoring drought. It discusses risk management, planning, policy, and societal impacts of drought such as water pricing, water transfer, water quality, and crop insurance. Through numerous case studies from India, Iran, Brazil, the US, Nepal, and other countries that cover a broad range of topics and geographical regions, this volume serves as a valuable resource for all professionals, researchers, and academics who want to advance their knowledge about droughts. Features Provides a global perspective on drought prediction and management and a synthesis of the recent state of knowledge. Covers a wide range of topics from essential concepts and advanced techniques for forecasting and modeling drought to societal impacts, consequences, and planning Presents numerous case studies with different management approaches from different regions and countries. Addresses how climate change impacts drought, the increasing challenges associated with managing drought, decision-making, and policy implications. Includes contributions from hundreds of experts from around the world. Professionals, researchers, academics, and postgraduate students with knowledge in environmental sciences, ecology, agriculture, forestry, hydrology, water resources engineering, and earth sciences, as well as those interested in how climate change impacts drought management, will gain new insights from the experts featured in this two-volume handbook.