Introduction to Drought

Exsiccated landscapes, livestock - once alive now lying lifeless concealed in dust, farm dams - empty, plants and grasses - all shriveled up and turning brown. This is the inevitable result of one of Australia's most repressive natural hazard; Drought.

There is no universal definition for this phenomenon due to the myriad uses of water in today's society. Meteorologists define drought in accordance to rainfall omission, Agriculturalists rate the impact on dominant industries, hydrologists measure ground water levels and sociologists delineate drought in correspondence to social expectations and apprehension.

However drought is widely interpreted as a prolonged, aberrant dry period in which there is not enough water to meet peoples or plants customary needs. Drought is not just a period of low rainfall. There may be period of perticipation during a drought, however it will be brief and will dry up soon after. Drought can persist for months, years and even decades.

Drought is a prevalent part of Australia. Droughts are experienced every couple of years, severe droughts occur on average ever 18 years. In Australia drought is deciphered according to how much rainfall has fallen over a consecutive 3 month period and how it correlates to rainfall in the past.

Historically, drought is what assisted in the development of land-dwelling creatures. Billions of years ago, an eminent amount of creatures were found in the ocean. About 0.5 billion years ago an ancient drought transpired, forcing the endemically water dwelling animals to accustom to life on land and indolently metamorphose into humans and other land dwelling creatures we have today.