Drought and institutional adaptation in the Great Plains of Alberta and Saskatchewan, 1914–1939

Gregory Marchildon (), Suren(dra) Kulshreshtha, Elaine Wheaton and Dave Sauchyn

Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, 2008, vol. 45, issue 3, 411 pages

Abstract: Agriculture in the southern Great Plains of Canada has been particularly vulnerable to prolonged episodes of drought. Using climate data and a precipitation minus potential evapotranspiration index, the extent of the region’s exposure to drought is examined. Between 1914 and 1917, the Dry Belt was particularly vulnerable to drought, whereas after 1928, a much larger region known as the Palliser Triangle covering most of southern Alberta and Saskatchewan was much more exposed to drought. These droughts provoked major institutional adaptation, in particular the establishment of the Special Areas Board by the Government of Alberta, and the creation of the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration by the Government of Canada. Both organizations have proved to be relatively permanent public adaptations to the natural hazard of drought in the region. Moreover, these earlier experiences with prolonged drought as well as institution-building may be of value in helping the residents of the Palliser Triangle adapt to predicted climate changes in the future as well as anticipate some of the barriers to effective institutional adaptation. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2008

Keywords: Drought; Institutional adaptation; Barriers to adaptation; Palliser Triangle; Dry Belt; Saskatchewan; Special Areas of Alberta; Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration; Precipitation minus potential evapotranspiration index; Palmer Drought Severity Index (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11069-007-9175-5

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