Drought
Drought is a Growing Problem with Climate Change
What is Drought?
Droughts can be defined as prolonged periods of abnormally low rainfall, leading to lack of water. The Northeast region of the United States is known to have a moderately moist climate due to sufficient precipitation events throughout the year. While droughts have affected the region in the past and are not considered uncommon, droughts are becoming more frequent and longer in duration due to increased temperatures and unpredictable weather events.
Seasonal, or short-term, droughts last less than six months and are becoming more common in the Northeast, as experienced during the 2016 and 2022 summer droughts. In 2022, Massachusetts experienced its 5th driest May through August.
Summer and early fall contain the highest risk for drought, as high temperatures increase evaporation rates, leading to the drying of soil and vegetation. What could have been a mild drought in cooler conditions will be more severe during higher temperatures.
As climate change continues to increase the average temperatures of the winter and spring months, snowmelt is occurring earlier in the season. Both humans and the environment rely on frozen snowpacks thawing in the spring, recharging water reservoirs, and providing needed moisture for emerging vegetation. When snow melts earlier and faster than before, crucial water supplies are being lost early in the season. If a short-term drought were to occur, there may already be a shortage of water.
“When the well’s dry, we know the worth of water”
How Drought Affects Us
As short-term droughts become more frequent, there is a higher risk for loss of biodiversity as these species the climate changes.
Droughts affect us in other ways:
- Decreases in water quality and quantity human health and safety risks increase
- No longer safe for recreational activities such as swimming and fishing
- Increased risk for wildfires as soil and vegetation become drier, resulting in poor air quality from smoke
- Increased energy use may cause energy crises
- Loss of biodiversity as plants and animals become stressed
- Decrease in food production
- Excess sediments enter waterways, when it does rain, because drier soils absorb less water
Moving Forward
Check Massachusetts drought status periodically. This way, you can be aware of the drought situation and take steps to reduce water usage. To check the current drought status: https://www.drought.gov/states/massachusetts
There are steps you can take to help conserve water.
Consider:
- Taking shorter showers and shutting off water while brushing teeth
- Capturing rain with a rain barrel or cistern
- Repairing leaky faucets indoors and outdoors to prevent unnecessary water loss
- Reducing the size of lawns
- Planting drought tolerant grasses, perennials and trees for shade