Meteorological and Hydrological Drought Analysis and Its Impact on Water Quality and Stream Integrity

Subhasis Giri, Ashok Mishra, Zhen Zhang, Richard G. Lathrop and Ali O. Alnahit
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Subhasis Giri: Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
Ashok Mishra: Glen Department of Civil Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
Zhen Zhang: Early Clinical Development, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
Richard G. Lathrop: Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
Ali O. Alnahit: Glen Department of Civil Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 15, 1-24

Abstract: Rising temperature and shifting precipitation patterns due to climate change are likely to intensify droughts throughout the world. Understanding the drought characteristics of possible future scenarios under climate change requires verification of past drought events using appropriate drought indices. Consequently, this study investigates the application of two widely used drought indices, the standardized precipitation index (SPI) and standardized streamflow index (SSI), to characterize historical droughts, drought trends, and their impact on water quality and stream integrity for a selected study basin in New Jersey. Results indicated that both SPI and SSI were able to identify historical drought events, including three drought emergency periods and the most recent drought-watch periods. A significant positive meteorological drought was observed at the western side of the basin, whilst a significant positive hydrological drought was found in the eastern side. The average pollutant concentration of drought periods were lesser than non-drought periods due to reduction of different processes, such as erosion and transport of sediment and nutrients into rivers and streams, during drought periods as opposed to non-drought periods. The findings from this study will serve to bolster the ongoing efforts to formulate better drought management strategies for future climate change in the Raritan Basin.

Keywords: standardized precipitation index; standardized streamflow index; Mann–Kendall test; Sen’s slope; Welch’s test; drought severity; stream integrity; water quality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:15:p:8175-:d:598829

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