Integrated Watershed Management

Integrated Watershed Management

Spatiotemporal variation of meteorological drought, Case study: Kohgilooyeh and Boyer Ahmad

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Homa Razmkhah
Eshagh Rostami
Amin Rostami Ravari
Alireza Fararouie
Department of Water Engineering, Marvdasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Marvdasht, Iran
10.22034/iwm.2023.1972373.1049
Abstract
Extended Abstract
Introduction: Monitoring meteorological drought, as the base of other droughts, is of paramount importance in water resources management. Kohgilooyeh and Boyer Ahmad geographical location is in the western south of Iran. Since Karoun, Maroun and Zohreh, as three important rivers, originate in the upstream of this province, assessment of drought seems to be necessary for the region. This study aims to evaluate the spatial and temporal variation of meteorological drought of the province using Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) index.
Materials and methods: To do this, SPI of 1, 3, 9, 12, 24, and 48-month timescale intervals for each station was calculated. Then statistical properties of SPI with different intervals were computed and time series of the SPIs in all of the stations were prepared and visualized. Finally, spatial maps of the SPIs were prepared and evaluated.
Results and Discussion: Assessment of statistical properties of SPI in different intervals showed that in all of the 14 stations, wet and dry periods have happened, in such a way that their occurrence was frequent in a short period of time. The location (stations) of the most severe drought and wet periods with different intervals was also determined. Results showed that not only drought trend is different in the stations, but also at one station differs in various time scales. The spatial map of province drought showed that 1, 3 and 6-month drought intensity in western regions of the province is lower than the eastern regions. The intensity of drought in western regions, and drought extent, increases as SPI time scale varies from low to high. In most of the stations, frequency and intensity of droughts decrease with time scale increasing. In the evaluated duration, 1 and 3-month drought intensity is decreasing, 9 and 12 months is increasing, and 24 and 48-month droughts are going to initiated. Short-time drought assessment (1, 3, 6 and 9 months) showed that in the Darshahi, Chitab, and Ghalea Reaisy stations, deeper short times drought events have occurred. Long-time drought (12, 24 and 48 months) assessment showed continuous and long drought events in the region.
Conclusions: Kohgilooyeh and Boyer Ahmad is affected by short and long-time meteorological drought in different regions, which could be an alarm for Karoun, Maroun and Zohreh rivers stakeholders. Spatial SPI maps with different intervals could be used for forecasting meteorological drought for the agriculture uses, and also livestock and industrial location selection.
Keywords
Meteorological drought
Spatial map
SPI index

Subjects

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  • Receive Date 14 November 2022
  • Revise Date 16 December 2022
  • Accept Date 04 January 2023