Indicator-Based Assessment of Drought in Bhilwara District, Rajasthan

Management of water resources helps to sustain even in drastic conditions resulted due to unprecedented disruption in rainfall patterns. Change and irregularity in the pattern of the Indian monsoon are the outcomes of human-induced activities. Inadequate water availability affecting various sectors namely domestic, industrial, and agricultural sectors that are dependent upon it. To cope under such drastic conditions adaptability and planning prior to its occurrence plays a significant role. It is under this context, the present study investigated drought characteristics which include drought frequency and severity caused by prolonged dry spells in Bhilwara district, Rajasthan. The district falls in the water-scarce regions with arid to semi-arid conditions and with an average annual rainfall of 658.03 mm. Due to high rainfall variability, the region is frequently subsumed under drought-like conditions. Comprehensive analysis using daily rainfall data from 1973-2018 for 12 rain gauge stations in Bhilwara district has been carried out. Most of the stations were drought-prone assessed by probability analysis using Weibull’s plotting position formula. The departure analysis showed that Kotri station has a maximum drought frequency of 1 in 2 years while other stations were having a drought frequency of 1 in 3 to 4 years. Prioritization of drought-prone stations based on rainfall departure analysis helps to initiate an immediate mitigation process based on the ranking of its proneness. Asind and Bhilwara station with RDI 0.91 has maximum proneness and its calls for effective planning for drought management. Based on seasonal departure analysis it is found that 1980, 1981, 1985, 1987, 2000, 2002, 2008, 2015, and 2017 are drought years. The result has been supplemented using NDVI so that the vegetation condition can also be assessed during water stress conditions. The study highlighted that the frequency of drought has increased owing due to climate change and thus, poses serious challenges if not tackle adequately.