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HYDROLOGICAL DROUGHT [1 record]

Record 1 2006-03-16

English

Subject field(s)
  • Atmospheric, Climatic and Meteorological Phenomena
  • Hydrology and Hydrography
DEF

Period of abnormally dry weather sufficiently prolonged to give rise to a shortage of water as evidenced by below normal streamflow and lake levels and/or the depletion of soil moisture and a lowering of groundwater levels.

CONT

Hydrological drought refers to deficiencies in surface and subsurface water supplies. It is measured as streamflow, and as lake, reservoir and ground water levels. There is a time lag between lack of rain and less water in streams, rivers, lakes and reservoirs, so hydrological measurements are not the earliest indicators of drought. When precipitation is reduced or deficient over an extended period of time, this shortage will be reflected in declining surface and subsurface water levels.

CONT

Drought is viewed as a sustained and regionally extensive occurrence of below average natural water availability, either in the form of precipitation, river runoff, or groundwater. Droughts may be classified as meteorological or hydrological: A Meteorological Drought occurs when there is below average availability of precipitation. ... A Hydrological Drought is marked by a deficit in the runoff of rivers where discharge (flow) remains below a low threshold or the rivers dry up completely and remain dry for a very long time and a significant natural depletion of aquifers (groundwater). The low threshold flow is the 10-year return period 7-day minimum mean flow.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Phénomènes météorologiques, climatiques et atmosphériques
  • Hydrologie et hydrographie
DEF

Période de temps anormalement sec, suffisamment prolongée pour entraîner une pénurie d'eau caractérisée par un abaissement significatif de l'écoulement des cours d'eau, des niveaux des lacs et/ou des nappes souterraines, les amenant à des valeurs inférieures à la normale, et/ou un assèchement anormal du sol.

CONT

[...] si la sécheresse est un risque limité dans le temps, elle n'agit pas moins directement sur l'ensemble du milieu car son impact se transmet de la pluie (sécheresse climatique) au sol (sécheresse édaphique) aux produits de la terre (sécheresse agricole) et aux nappes aquifères (sécheresse hydrologique).

OBS

On écrirait mieux «sècheresse».

OBS

sècheresse : Cette graphie, puisée des Rectifications de l'orthographe recommandées par le Conseil supérieur de la langue française, est attestée dans le Petit Robert (2006).

Key term(s)
  • sècheresse hydrologique

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Fenómenos meteorológicos, climáticos y atmosféricos
  • Hidrología e hidrografía
DEF

Período de clima anormalmente seco lo suficientemente prolongado para ocasionar una disminución apreciable en el caudal de los ríos, nivel de los lagos y/o un agotamiento de la humedad del suelo y un descenso en los niveles de aguas subterráneas por debajo de sus valores normales.

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