Investigating Drought Duration-Severity-Intensity Characteristics Using the Standardized Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index: Case Studies in Drought-Prone Southeast Queensland
Publication: Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 23, Issue 1
Abstract
Drought characterization is crucial for identifying impacts on irrigation, agriculture, hydrologic engineering, and water resources management. This case study demonstrates the scientific relevance of the standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration index (SPEI) as a robust drought metric that incorporates influence of supply-demand balance. Using long-term data, the SPEI was calculated at multiple timescales to identify historical water deficit periods in selected drought-prone case study regions in southeast Queensland, Australia. The drought duration (; number of months with continuously negative SPEI representing below average water resources), severity (; accumulated negative SPEI in a drought-identified period), intensity (; minimum SPEI), and return periods were enumerated for iconic dry events over multiple (1-, 3-, 6-, 9-, 12-, and 24-month) timescales. The SPEI was evaluated with corresponding drought indicators (precipitation and soil moisture) and climatological Rainfall Anomaly Index to yield drought severity information from a meteorological perspective. The results showed disparities in duration, severity, and intensity (D–S–I) of different droughts among the case study regions; reaffirming the significance of SPEI for regional drought impact assessment. Accordingly, this case study advocates SPEI as a convenient metric for detecting drought onsets and terminations, including drought ranking and recurrence evaluations that are vital statistics in hydrologic engineering.
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Acknowledgments
This case study was financed by the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) Office of Research and Graduate Studies (Postgraduate Research Scholarship, USQPRS) and School of Agricultural, Computational and Environmental Science. Climate data were acquired from Australia Water Availability Project (AWAP). Dr. R.C. Deo acknowledges the USQ Academic Development and Outside Studies Program (2016) and the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) Presidential International Fellowship Initiative Program (2016) for research time allocated towards the final phase of this case study. We also thank all three reviewers, the Associate Editor, and the Editor-in-Chief for their critical and constructive comments on several versions of our case study.
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Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 23 • Issue 1 • January 2018
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©2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Jan 12, 2017
Accepted: Jun 13, 2017
Published online: Oct 31, 2017
Published in print: Jan 1, 2018
Discussion open until: Mar 31, 2018
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