Agricultural Engineering Today

Identification of Various Drought Characteristics for the of

Sharad Kumar Namdev (LM 11301)1 and Munish Kumar Pandey2 1Assistant Professor, Agricultural Engineering, School of Agriculture, ITM University Gwalior, ()-475001 2Assistant Agriculture Engineer, Department of Farmer Welfare & Agricultural Development, Narshingpur, Madhya Pradesh (India)-482004 Corresponding author's email: [email protected]; [email protected] Date of submission: 8.5.2017 Date of acceptance: 7.08.2017

ABSTRACT Drought is one of the most serious problems for human society and ecosystem from climate variability. Although, it does not affect through sudden events such as flood and storms but it is considered as the world’s costliest natural disaster, causing on an average $6–$8 billion in global damages annually and collectively affecting more people than any other form of natural disaster (Wilhite, 2000). The National Commission on Agriculture (MOA, 1976) identified 74 drought prone districts located in 13 states of India. Gujarat is one of the most drought prone areas of India wherein eleven districts of the state are in arid regions including Dahod region which is one of most backward districts. Dahod region is characterized by agriculture based livelihood income and faces frequent droughts due to delayed or little rainfall. Therefore, the present study was carried out to determine hydrological and agriculture panorama of drought in 7 Talukas of Dahod district. It was found that average annual rainfall in Dahod district varied from a minimum of 690 mm at Garwada to a maximum of 847 mm at Limkheda with the average annual rainfall of 833 mm. The average drought frequency in Dahod district varied between 1 in 5 years at Devgarh, 1 in 4 years at Jalod and 1 in 3 years at Limkheda, , , Dhanpur, and talukas. It was also concluded from annual departure analysis that severe drought condition were seldom experienced in Dahod town but many of the talukas in the district experienced moderate drought situation for number of years. Key words: Dahod district, Annual rainfall, Drought frequency, Departure analysis, Drought severity

INTRODUCTION Meteorological drought, (ii) Surface water drought, Drought is a temporary aberration unlike aridity (iii) Groundwater drought and (iv) Soil - water which is permanent feature of climate. Seasonal drought. The National Commission on Agriculture aridity also needs to be distinguished from drought. in India defined three types of droughts, namely Thus, drought is a normal, recurrent feature of meteorological, agricultural and hydrological climate and occurs in all climatic regimes (Capodici droughts. Meteorological drought is defined as et al. 2008). Drought results from long continued a situation when there is significant decrease dry weather and/or insufficiency of rain which from normal precipitation over an area i.e. more causes exhaustion of soil moisture, depletion of than 25 % (Shouraseni et al. 2004). Agricultural underground water supply and reduction of stream drought occurs when soil moisture and rainfall are flow. Drought is frequently defined according to inadequate during the growing season to support disciplinary perspective and Bandyopadhyay, 1988 healthy crop growth to maturity and causes crop listed mainly four types of droughts, namely (1) stress and wilting (Rawls et al. 1993). Hydrological

52 Vol. 41(4), 2017 drought may be a result of long term meteorological data of all the 7 talukas of Dahod district was collected droughts which result in the drying up of reservoirs, from the office of Survey & Land Records, Gujarat lakes, streams and rivers, and fall in groundwater for analysis of drought years. The taluka-wise rainfall level. In fact, meteorological drought precedes the distribution is given Table 3. agricultural and hydrological drought (Svoboda et Annual rainfall departure: The departure analysis al. 2002). The agricultural and hydrological drought of annual rainfall was carried out to identify the need not occur simultaneously but occur subsequent drought years, its frequency and severity based to a meteorological drought. Agricultural drought on the rainfall deficit from normal rainfall values. is specifically concerned with cultivated plants, as Generally a year is considered as drought year if opposed to natural vegetation (Dracup et al. 1980). the total amount of annual rainfall over an area is Owing to the continuous need of adequate water deficient by more than 25% of its normal value. The by plants, agricultural drought may set in rapidly, annual rainfall departure analysis comprises of the and can similarly terminate suddenly. The National following steps: Commission on Agriculture (MOA 1976) identified 74 drought prone districts located in 13 states of India. i. Determine the mean (Xm) for a set of annual Gujarat is one of the most drought prone areas of rainfall data. India wherein eleven districts of the state are in arid regions including Dahod region which is one of most Table 1: Irrigated area of Dahod backward districts. Dahod region is characterized by agriculture based livelihood income and faces Irrigation water availability and Area (‘000 ha) frequent droughts due to delayed or little rainfall. use Therefore, the present study was carried out to Net irrigated area 80.9 determine hydrological and agriculture panorama Gross irrigated area 94.8 of drought in 7 talukas of Dahod district Rainfed area 143.37 MATERIALS AND METHODS Table 2: Major soils in Dahod and covered area Dahod is most backward district in Gujarat state. The district has 7 talukas with 696 villages. The Major soils Area (000’ Percent (%) of total geographical area of the district is about 3.7 ha) total geographical area lakh hectares. The climate of district is usually hot Hilly light soils 155.9 42.7 and maximum temperature is about 44°C and the minimum temperature is about 6.5°C, Therefore, Sandy loam 39.2 10.7 shallow soils district was considered as rainfed area. With an Deep black 31.6 8.6 average rainfall 738 mm, Dahod district has faced shallow soils drought condition many times due to delayed rain. Therefore, a study was carried out to determine Table 3: Taluka wise annual rainfall distribution in hydrological and agriculture panoramas of drought Dahod district in terms of onset, severity and end of droughts (Le Houerou, 1996). The Table 1 shows the irrigated area Mean Name of annual Standard and Table 2 shows major soils in Dahod. S.N. C.V. (%) Talukas Rainfall deviation Identification of drought years:Drought has many (mm) facts and it always starts with lack of precipitation. 1 Dahod 738 262.308 35.45 Therefore, it leads to different types of droughts 2 Jhalod 804 293.463 36.5 i.e. Meteorological, Agricultural, Hydrological, etc. 3 Limkheda 847 339.058 40.03 According to the Indian Meteorological Department 4 Devgarh 726 277.575 38.23 (IMD), an area is considered to be drought affected 5 Garwada 690 235.198 34.08 if it receives total seasonal rainfall less than 75% of 6 Dhanpur 820 330.277 40.27 normal rainfall (Appa Rao, 1986). The annual rainfall 7 Fatepura 791 342.451 43.29

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as to interfere with the other phases of regional 𝑛𝑛 economic activities. The daily rainfall data of Dahod ͳ was analyzed for rainfall departure analysis and 𝑋𝑋𝑚𝑚 ൌ 𝑋𝑋𝑖𝑖 performed on the basis of annual and seasonal 𝑛𝑛 𝑖𝑖ൌͳ ii. Calculate departure (Di) by subtracting the rainfall. The distribution of annual rainfall in various mean (Xm) from the individual annual rainfall talukas of the Dahod district in Gujarat is given in data (Xi). Table 3. The annual rainfall in Dahod district varied between a minimum of 690 mm at Garwada to a maximum of 847 mm at Limkheda with the average 𝑖𝑖 𝑖𝑖 𝑚𝑚 annual rainfall of 833 mm. iii. From resulted 𝐷𝐷 ൌ departure 𝑋𝑋 −𝑋𝑋 (Di), the departure

percentage (D%) is calculated as follows The distribution of annual rainfall and standard deviation in various talukas of the Dahod district is given in Table 4. The standard deviation in 𝐷𝐷𝑖𝑖 Dahod town, Jalod, Limkheda, Devgarh, Garwada, 𝐷𝐷Ψ ൌ ∗ ͳͲͲ Dhanpur and Fatepura was 262.308, 293.463, 𝑋𝑋𝑚𝑚 However, in this study the drought severity has been 339.058, 277.575, 235.198, 330.277 and 342.451 classified on the basis of percentage deviation from respectively, Fig. 1. the normal rainfall into three severity classes namely (a) mild drought occurrence when the percentage Identification of drought years: The departure annual rainfall departures lied between -20% to analysis of annual rainfall was carried out to identify the drought years, its frequency and severity based -25%, (b) moderate drought occurrence when the percentage annual rainfall departures lied between on the rainfall deficit from normal rainfall values. -25% to -50% and (c) severe drought where departure The positive departure is the sign of wet condition percentages was greater than -50%. The departure whereas the negative departure is the indicator of analysis of annual rainfall was performed for all the 7 drought condition. Drought severity was also arrived at, based on the criteria as: -20% to -25% for the blocks of Dahod district and subsequently the drought mild drought year, -25% to -50% for a moderate years were identified. drought year and greater than -50% for a severe Seasonal rainfall departure: The Dahod district drought year. From the rainfall departure analysis, receives 90% of its rainfall from the monsoon during the drought years were identified along with the mid June to end of September. Since agriculture is average frequency of drought and are presented in the main livelihood of the local population and also Table 5. The annual rainfall departure for the various as most of the cultivated area is rainfed, analysis of Talukas in Dahod district are given in Fig. 2 to Fig. 8. seasonal rainfall is vital. The dry spells which occur On the basis of annual departure analysis, it was within the rainy season causes severe stress on observed that the total drought (moderate or severe) agriculture crops and affect the normal life pattern years faced in Dahod, Jhalod, Limkheda, Devgarh, of the region. The steps involved in the seasonal Garbada, Dhanpur and Fatepura were 8, 7,10, 6,9, departure analysis are similar to that of annual rainfall departure.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Rainfall distribution in Dahod district: Drought is not purely a physical phenomenon that can be defined by the weather. Rather, drought is defined by the delicate balance between water supply and demand. Whenever human demand for water exceeds the natural availability of water, the result is drought. A drought is the deficiency of rainfall of Fig. 1: Talukas wise annual rainfall and standard sufficient magnitude over a prolonged duration so deviation distribution in Dahod district

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Table 4: Percentage departure and severity of drought for various Talukas

S.N. Station Average rainfall Drought year Data range Departure Percentage Severity of Drought 1981 1024 -38.7 Moderate 1990 1229 -66.5 Severe 1994 1124 -52.3 Severe 1997 950 -28.7 Moderate 1 Dahod 738.133 1998 983 -33.2 Moderate 2003 1015 -37.5 Moderate 2004 1127 -52.7 Severe 2006 1158 -56.9 Severe 1985 456 -43.3 Moderate 1987 473 -41.2 Moderate 1989 503 -37.4 Moderate 2 Jhalod 809.933 2000 300 -62.7 Severe 2001 447 -44.4 Moderate 2002 512 -36.3 Moderate 2008 412 -48.8 Moderate 1982 454 -46.41 Moderate 1985 412 -51.37 Severe 1986 583 -31.18 Moderate 1987 453 -46.53 Moderate 1995 400 -52.78 Severe 3 Limkheda 847.1724 1999 441 -47.94 Moderate 2000 448 -47.12 Moderate 2001 592 -30.12 Moderate 2005 500 -40.98 Moderate 2008 584 -31.06 Moderate 1985 528 -36.12 Moderate 1986 389 -52.94 Severe Devgarh 1987 426 -48.46 Moderate 4 826.533 Bariya 1995 570 -31.04 Moderate 1999 402 -51.36 Severe 2000 414 -49.91 Moderate 1985 395 -42.74 Moderate 1986 449 -34.92 Moderate 1987 504 -26.95 Moderate 1995 411 -40.43 Moderate 5 Garbada 690 1999 338 -51.01 Severe 2000 298 -56.80 Severe 2001 497 -27.96 Moderate 2002 486 -29.55 Moderate 2005 487 -29.41 Moderate 1982 454 -44.6 Moderate 1985 412 -49.7 Moderate 1986 583 -28.9 Moderate 1987 453 -44.7 Moderate 6 1995 400 -51.2 Severe Dhanpur 820 1998 546 -33.4 Moderate 1999 330 -59.7 Severe 2000 314 -61.7 Severe 2005 587 -28.4 Moderate 2008 582 -29.0 Moderate 1985 405 -48.8 Moderate 1987 492 -37.8 Moderate 1989 554 -30.0 Moderate 1991 557 -29.6 Moderate 1999 506 -36.0 Moderate 7 Fatepura 791 2000 319 -59.7 Severe 2001 427 -46.0 Moderate 2002 511 -35.4 Moderate 2005 580 -26.7 Moderate 2008 577 -27.1 Moderate

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10 and 10 years respectively, Table 4. Yearwise and taluka wise rainfall departure is shown in Fig. 2-8. Severe drought experienced were Dahod during 1990, 1994, 2004 and 2006; Jhalod during 2000; Limkheda during 1985 and 1995; Devgarh during 1986 and 1999; Garbada during 1999 and 2000; Dhanpur during 1999 and 2000; and Fatepura in the year 2000 were under severe drought condition. Only two talukas namely Garbada and Dhanpur Fig. 6: Annual rainfall departure in Garbada Taluka

Fig. 2: Annual rainfall departure in Dahod Talukas

Fig. 7: Annual rainfall departure in Dhanpur Talukas

Fig. 3: Annual rainfall departure in Jalod Taluka

Fig. 8: Annual rainfall departure in Fatepura Talukas

experienced severe drought during two consecutive years in 1999 and 2000. Average frequency analysis of Dahod talukas: The frequency analysis was based on total years and total number of drought years. Therefore, Fig. 4: Annual rainfall departure in Limkheda Taluka frequency of talukas was calculated by ratio of total years to the total number of drought years, which defines the frequent drought condition,. The average drought frequency in various talukas of Dahod district varied between 1 in 4 years at Jalod, 1 in 3 years at Limkheda, 1 in 5 years at Devgarh, 1 in 3 years at Garbada, 1 in 3 years at Dhanpur and 1 in 3 years at Fatepura, Fig. 9.

CONCLUSIONS Fig. 5: Annual rainfall departure in Devgarh Talukas On the basis of the present study following

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REFERENCES Appa Rao G. 1986. Drought Climatology. Jal Vigyan Smiksha, Publication of High Level Committee on Hydrology, National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee. Bandyopadhyay J. 1988. Water scarcity: By choice. Seminar. 346: 24-27. Capodici F; Ciraolo G; Loggia La G; Liuzzo L; Noto L V; Noto M T. 2008. Time series analysis Fig. 9: Average frequency analysis of station in of climate and vegetation variables in the Dahod district Oreto Watershed(Sicily, Italy).European Water 23/24:133-145 conclusions could be drawn: Dracup J A; Lee K S; Paulson E G. 1980. On the i. The mean annual rainfall varied from a definition of droughts. Water Resources Research minimum of 690 mm in Garwada to a 16:297-302 maximum of 847 mm in Limkheda taluka Le Houerou H N. 1996. Climate change, drought of Dahod district. The Standard deviation and desertification. Journal of Arid Environments. of rainfall also varied from a minimum of 34:133–185. 235.198 in Garwada to a maximum of Shouraseni S R; Balling Jr R C. 2004. Trends in 339.058 in Limkheda taluka of the district. extreme daily precipitation on indices in India. Int. ii. On the basis of annual departure analysis, J. Climatol., 24: 457 – 466. Dahod (1990, 1994, 2004), Jalod (2000), Svoboda M D; LeComte M; Hayes R; Heim K; Limkheda (1985, 1995), Devgarh (1986, Gleason J; Angel B R. 2002. The Drought 1999), Garbada (1999 and 2000), Dhanpur Monitor. Bulletin of the American Meteorological (1999 and 2000) and Fatepura (2000) Society, 83:1181-1190. were observed to be under severe drought Wilhite D A; Buchanan-Smith M. 2005. Drought condition. Only two talukas namely Garbada as hazard: Understanding the natural and social and Dhanpur experienced severe drought context, in Wilhite, D.A., ed., Drought and Water during two consecutive years in 1999 and Crises: Science, Technology, and Management 2000. Issues: Boca Raton, Louisiana, Taylor & Francis, iii. The average drought frequency was 1 in 5 pp. 29. years at Devgarh, 1 in 4 years at Jalod and Wilhite D A. 2000. Drought as natural hazards: concept 1 in 3 years at Limkheda, Garbada, Dhanpur and definition. In: Wilhite, D. A. (Ed.), Drought: A and Fatepura talukas of the district. Global Assessment, Routledge (pp. 3–18).

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