Meteorological and Hydrological Drought Analysis of the Kizilirmak Basin

Abstract

Global climate variation revealing its effects intensely after the Industrial Revolution, have increased extremely with the rise in the number and variation of flood and drought problems worldwide within the years from1990 to 2000. Our country is strongly suffering from this climate variation and its undesired consequences increasing every year. Extreme temperature values, serious flood, and drought problems occuring in some regions have begun to produce considerable damages on daily human life. As a result of the decrease in the discharge of streams, the lack of freshwater resources have become a serious problem which have been considered to be solved with the derivation of fresh water resources for natural life and for other human purposes. Drought conditions of the basin were analyzed using hydrological and meteorological data of Kızılırmak Basin. Standardized precipitation index (SPI) expressing meteorological drought with rainfall parameter and streamflow drought index (SDI) expressing hydrological drought with current parameter were calculated. Droughts were observed in the basin and it was understood that these two indices give harmonious results.