what are the dangers of drought? course hero

What are the social and economic effects of drought?

Socio-economic issues such as hunger and necessary re-settlement of residence, among others, can also arise from drought-related events. If there becomes a low supply of water in an area, people will have no choice but to vacate (if they can) to a place with a better water source.

What is drought?

The National Geographic defines drought as an extended period of unusually dry weather when there is not enough rain. By “not enough”, it means that the rainfall in a given time period cannot provide for the needs of a given location. And rain is needed to grow crops, and provide for the area’s water supply.

How will the drought affect your drinking water?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 15% of Americans rely on private wells for drinking water, and the drought is starting to affect thousands of those wells. The drought also has inflicted catastrophic economic impacts on agriculture and communities in the affected states that rely on groundwater.

How much of the US is in a drought?

The drought covers 80% of the U.S. and central and eastern Canada. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 15% of Americans rely on private wells for drinking water, and the drought is starting to affect thousands of those wells.

How does drought conditions affect people?

The absence of rain may lead to survival problems such as limited amounts of potable water and damage to plants. As we know, water is the basic necessity of human beings and other living things. And plants compose the lowest layer of the food chain.

Water Consumption

An average American consumes a maximum of 200 gallons of water per day. Taking baths, flushing down the toilet, brushing teeth, cooking, and drinking all consume water. 30% of the daily consumption is used on outdoor activities, like cleaning the car, mowing the lawn, and gardening.

Unwanted Water Consumption

Irrigation systems for lawns are problematic for having leaks. Installed underground sprinklers are turned on regularly and they go unnoticed when leaking. According to the EPA, an irrigation system with a leak of 1/32nd of an inch in diameter (about the thickness of a dime) can waste about 6,300 gallons of water per month.

Water used on your lawn

The EPA found that nearly one-third (1/3) of residential water consumption across the country is used in watering landscapes. That amount is used, more often than not, for lawns.