Enhancing the Ability of a Soil Moisture‐based Index for Agricultural Drought Monitoring by Incorporating Root Distribution

Agricultural drought differs from meteorological, hydrological, and socioeconomic drought, being closely related to soil water availability in the root zone, specifically for crop and crop growth stage. In previous studies, several soil moisture indices (e.g., the soil moisture index, soil water deficit index) based on soil water availability have been developed for agricultural drought monitoring. However, when developing these indices, it was generally assumed that soil water availability to crops was equal throughout the root zone, and the effects of root distribution and crop growth stage on soil water uptake were ignored. This article aims to incorporate root distribution into a soil moisture‐based index and to evaluate the performance of the improved soil moisture index for agricultural drought monitoring. The Huang‐Huai‐Hai Plain of China was used as the study area. Overall, soil moisture indices were significantly correlated with the crop moisture index (CMI), and the improved root‐weighted soil moisture index (RSMI) was more closely related to the CMI than averaged soil moisture indices. The RSMI correctly identified most of the observed drought events and performed well in the detection of drought levels. Furthermore, the RSMI had a better performance than averaged soil moisture indices when compared to crop yield. In conclusion, soil moisture indices could improve agricultural drought monitoring by incorporating root distribution.     

近55年来华东地区旱涝时空变化特征

基于华东地区89个气象站点近55年逐月降水资料,运用趋势分析法、IDW空间插值法、标准化降水指数(SPI)等方法,分析了1960~2014年期间我国华东地区旱涝灾害时空变化特征,并探讨了淮河南北旱涝的时空差异。结果表明:(1)近55年华东地区降水量整体呈波动上升趋势,其中淮河以北地区降水量呈波动下降趋势,而淮河以南呈上升趋势。(2)从年尺度旱涝变化看,华东地区雨涝频率大于干旱频率,但干旱强度大于雨涝强度,且淮河以南地区的干旱强度大于淮河以北,而雨涝强度小于淮河以北。(3)华东地区南北旱涝站次比呈反向发展趋势,即淮河以北旱灾影响范围不断扩大,雨涝影响范围不断减小,淮河以南与之相反。(4)华东地区严重旱涝频率在空间分布上呈南北反向格局,即淮河以北旱灾频率高,涝灾频率低;淮河以南涝灾频率高,旱灾频率低。     

莱州湾地区水资源问题与对策分析

分析了莱州湾地区水资源对气候波动的敏感性，旱涝频率及水资源污染等问题。主要结论有：水资源对气候波动很敏感，降水增加 １０％，全区水资源总量将增加 ２１％；降水减少 １０％，全区水资源总量将减少 ２８％。旱涝频繁， ３０ ａ中共发生等级在涝以上的雨涝１０次，等级在旱以上的干旱１４次。在气候偏旱时期，特大旱共发生４次，而在气候偏湿时期仅发生１次特大旱；在气候偏湿时期，大涝及特大涝共发生４次，而在气候偏旱时期仅发生特大涝１次。该区水资源已受到严重污染；尤其是在海水入浸区，水污染已造成严重危害。     

2000年全球气象灾害评价

2000年，全球气候持续较常年偏暖。赤道中，东太平洋地区强拉尼娜事件在1月再次达到峰值后，迅速减弱，强拉尼娜事件对全球，特别是对热带地区产生了较大的影响，北半球许多地区冬季出现严寒天气，夏季又遭热浪袭击，严重的高温、干旱、森林大火困扰全球。而亚洲南部、西欧、南部非洲、南美北部的许多地区暴雨频繁。估计气象自然灾害造成全球经济损失达上千亿美元。数亿人口受灾。     

冬小麦旱灾风险评价的指标体系构建及应用——基于2009年北方春旱野外实地考察的认识

2009年2月初,我国北方冬麦区遭受了数十年未遇的严重干旱。基于野外实地考察,判断本次干旱对冬小麦造成的实际影响比气象统计与遥感监测结果要轻,同时因纬度、地貌类型、微地貌和田间管理水平的不同而呈现出明显的区域差异。在此基础上,提出应在已有的旱灾致灾指标（气象干旱）基础上,综合考虑地带性、地貌、水库等孕灾环境指标和田间管理水平等灾害适应指标来构建冬小麦旱灾风险的综合评价指标体系。并以北方冬麦区为例,选取SPI、地貌类型、DEM和水库缓冲区等指标得到的旱灾综合风险等级与实际旱情存在较高的吻合性。研究可为高风险区的冬小麦旱灾风险防范提供理论依据和案例支撑。     

基于交叉谱分析的气象干旱与农业干旱滞后响应研究

为解决干旱问题、实现区域的早期干旱预测,该文对山东省区域应用交叉谱方法分析气象干旱与农业干旱之间的联系。首先,选取1982-2014年的NDVI和降水量日数据进行5 d平均,采用Savitzky-Golay滤波对NDVI时间序列重建;其次,根据山东省降水量的时空特征,将1 a划分湿润期和干旱期两个阶段;最后,采用NDVI和降水量的交叉谱分析,分别计算干旱期和湿润期的NDVI-降水量滞后响应时间及植被滞后时间空间分布,并探讨影响NDVI-降水量滞后时间的主要因素。结果表明:山东省降水量时空分布不均,由西北至东南方向逐渐增高,且降水量主要分布在5-9月份,占全年总降水量的78%;湿润期的NDVI与降水量多年平均相关系数(平均值为0.58)大于干旱期(平均值为0.40);干旱期的多年平均滞后时间处于11~15.5 d,湿润期的多年平均滞后时间处于15~21.5 d,湿润期的滞后时间高于干旱期的滞后时间,且山地丘陵的滞后时间长度低于平原区;干旱年,鲁西北平原的NDVI-降水量滞后时间较短,湿润年,鲁南和鲁中山地的NDVI-降水量滞后时间较短,且发现植被响应滞后时间与降水量在年时间序列上存在滞后0.16 a的显著相关性。气象干旱与农业干旱传播时间的研究,在实现对农业干旱短期预报的基础上,反映了不同区域植被的干旱脆弱性,有助于管理者对水资源做出及时、合理的调度。     

Sustainable Rainwater Catchment Systems for Micronesian Atoll Communities

Atoll island communities rely on rainwater catchment systems (RWCS) as a primary method of storing freshwater. However, stored freshwater can be depleted during times of drought, requiring importation of water to sustain community living. To maintain adequate water supply under future climatic conditions, the functioning of RWCS for atoll communities must be analyzed and optimal designs must be adopted. In this study, a quantitative analysis of stored daily water volumes is provided for atoll islands within the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), with Nikahlap Island, Pakein Atoll, and a generic island in western FSM used as representative cases. Using a daily water balance model for the RWCS, baseline conditions are simulated for the 1997‐1999 time period, during which an intense El Niño‐induced drought occurred, and a sensitivity analysis is performed to quantify the influence of RWCS features on water system outputs, whereupon an optimal RWCS design using existing infrastructure is analyzed. Results indicate the strong influence of catchment area, system efficiency, and storage capacity on water volumes and the depletion of water during dry seasons and drought periods using current RWCS infrastructure. Adequate storage can be maintained during a major drought if unused RWCS features are employed and if minimal rationing is adopted. Study results provide water resource managers and government officials with valuable data for consideration in water security measures.     

用最长连续无降水日建立宁夏的干旱预测概念模型

在相关普查及分析各因子物理意义的基础上，建立了宁夏不同程度干旱预测的概念模型，结果表明，影响宁夏全区不同程度干旱的大气及海洋强信号并不一定是线性关系，与大气及海洋各系统之间的相互配置，特别是高层与低层之间、中高纬与低纬之间、大气与海洋之间、各大气与海洋系统的强、弱之间及相对位置之间的配置等都有着非常重要的关系。     

Reconstructed Streamflows for the Headwaters of the Wind River,Wyoming, United States1

Abstract: Tree rings offer a means to extend observational records of streamflow by hundreds of years, but dendrohydrological techniques are not regularly applied to small tributary and headwaters gages. Here we explore the potential for extending three such gage records on small streams in the Wind River drainage of central Wyoming, United States. Using core samples taken from Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), piñon pine (Pinus edulis), and limber pine (Pinus flexilis) at 38 sites, we were able to reconstruct streamflows for the headwaters of the Wind River back to 1672 AD or earlier. The streamflow reconstructions for Bull Lake Creek above Bull Lake; the Little Popo Agie River near Lander, Wyoming; and Wind River near Dubois, Wyoming explained between 40% and 64% of the observed variance, and these extended records performed well in a variety of statistical verification tests. The full reconstructions show pronounced inter‐annual variability in streamflow, and these proxy records also point to the prevalence of severe, sustained droughts in this region. These reconstructions indicate that the 20th Century was relatively wet compared to previous centuries, and actual gage records may capture only a limited subset of potential natural variability in this area. Further analyses reveal how tree‐ring based reconstructions for small tributary and headwaters gages can be strongly influenced by the length and quality of calibration records, but this work also demonstrates how the use of a spatially extensive network of tree‐ring sites can improve the quality of these types of reconstructions.     

Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources in the Upper Blue Nile River Basin,Ethiopia1

Kim, Ungtae and Jagath J. Kaluarachchi, 2009. Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources in the Upper Blue Nile River Basin, Ethiopia. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 45(6):1361‐1378. Abstract: Climate change affects water resources availability of international river basins that are vulnerable to runoff variability of upstream countries especially with increasing water demands. The upper Blue Nile River Basin is a good example because its downstream countries, Sudan and Egypt, depend solely on Nile waters for their economic development. In this study, the impacts of climate change on both hydrology and water resources operations were analyzed using the outcomes of six different general circulation models (GCMs) for the 2050s. The outcomes of these six GCMs were weighted to provide average future changes. Hydrologic sensitivity, flow statistics, a drought index, and water resources assessment indices (reliability, resiliency, and vulnerability) were used as quantitative indicators. The changes in outflows from the two proposed dams (Karadobi and Border) to downstream countries were also assessed. Given the uncertainty of different GCMs, the simulation results of the weighted scenario suggested mild increases in hydrologic variables (precipitation, temperature, potential evapotranspiration, and runoff) across the study area. The weighted scenario also showed that low‐flow statistics and the reliability of streamflows are increased and severe drought events are decreased mainly due to increased precipitation. Joint dam operation performed better than single dam operation in terms of both hydropower generation and mean annual storage without affecting the runoff volume to downstream countries, but enhancing flow characteristics and the robustness of streamflows. This study provides useful information to decision makers for the planning and management of future water resources of the study area and downstream countries.