Engineering

An advanced sand dam that can provide water in times of drought

The Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology announced the development of Korea's first sand dam capable of supplying stable water to residents of mountainous highlands during periods of water shortage ...

Energy & Green Tech

You've heard of water droughts. Could 'energy' droughts be next?

Renewable energy prices have fallen by more than 70 percent in the last decade, driving more Americans to abandon fossil fuels for greener, less-polluting energy sources. But as wind and solar power continue to make inroads, ...

Energy & Green Tech

Hydropower decline adds strain to power grids in drought

After water levels at a California dam fell to historic lows this summer, the main hydropower plant it feeds was shut down. At the Hoover Dam in Nevada—one of the country's biggest hydropower generators—production is ...

Energy & Green Tech

Why nuclear energy isn't a safe bet in a warming world

The overwhelming majority of nuclear power stations active today entered service long before the science of climate change was well-established. Two in five nuclear plants operate on the coast and at least 100 have been built ...

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Drought

A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region. Although droughts can persist for several years, even a short, intense drought can cause significant damage and harm the local economy. This global phenomenon has a widespread impact on agriculture. The United Nations estimates that an area of fertile soil the size of Ukraine is lost every year because of drought, deforestation, and climate instability. Lengthy periods of drought have long been a key trigger for mass migration and played a key role in a number of ongoing migrations and other humanitarian crises in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel.

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