Drought Severity in Thal Doab

Drought Severity in Thal Doab using GIS and Remote Sensing

This article discusses the analysis of drought severity in Thal Doab using remote sensing and GIS. The top crop grown in Thal Doab is Gram, which is affected greatly by drought. In this analysis, researchers studied the area for years in relation to each level of drought brought by the year and seasons. Drought has the longest lasting impact of any weather hazard, therefore, severity maps were conducted to indicate areas in the region with multiple hazardous conditions to affect the crop.

Shown in this map is spatial patterns of SPI (standardized precipitation index) for the years 1989, 1995, 2001, and 2007. The benefit of researching and mapping throughout many years of research is that all drought and weather condition patterns are included and taken into consideration to form a conclusion. For example, it can be concluded that within non-drought years (1995 and 2007 shown) low SPI can be found in the mid-southern region of the area. As a result of the study as a whole, it was found that Thal Doab’s southern and southeastern areas are more susceptible to drought and weather hazards. As a result, Gram is grown within other regions of the city, and in specific predicted years of good weather patterns.

Shaheen, A., & Baig, M. A. (2011). Drought severity assessment in arid area of Thal Doab using remote sensing and GIS. Int. J. Water Resour. Arid Environ, 1(2), 92-101.