What is drought?
Drought is a prolonged dry period when the amount of available water isn't enough to meet normal use. Over time, Victoria has experienced an increase in the frequency of unusually hot days. With decreasing rainfall over an extended period, this could all contribute to drought. Combined dry and hot periods cause soil to dry out faster, decrease runoff after rain events, and reduce stream flow further.
Drought can affect rural and metropolitan areas in different ways. It is important that the potential for drought be considered in all areas of water planning across the state. This can include everything from agriculture to how cities are designed.
Learning from the past
From 1996 to 2010, south-eastern Australia suffered through the Millennium Drought. During this time, Victoria received mostly below-average annual rainfall. Water restrictions affected everybody at this time, not just in places where the effects of drought were more visible.
By 2017, one third of Victoria’s 161 catchments had still not recovered, despite rainfall returning to pre-drought levels. About 30% less stream flow has been observed, and the underground water table has not recharged. A greater amount of rainfall may be lost to evaporation and transpiration (water used by plants) during and after the drought as well.
State-wide preparedness for such climate hazards is vital. This is why Victoria has a range of drought assistance programs. These include those to prepare as well as manage drought, including, for example, a network of about 300 emergency water supply points to support rural water users in these tough times.
A variety of other projects exist to increase community capacity and wellbeing by providing training to mitigate hazards and prepare for future drought.
Jolyon Taylor is a Senior Water Resources Engineer at Gippsland Water. In this video, he discusses why it is important to manage and prepare for droughts, and how his love for the natural environment led to a 20-year career in the Gippsland region.
