Drought Monitoring Using Rainfall, Evapotranspiration and Streamflow Data: A Case Study of Kaduna River Catchment Area (Nigeria)

Drought is defined as the lack of adequate precipitation, either rain or snow that causes reduced soil moisture or groundwater, diminished streamflow, crop damage and a general water shortage. The objective of this study focuses on meteorological and hydrological drought monitoring in river Kaduna catchment area. Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Reconnaissance Drought Index (RDI) drought indices were used to characterize meteorological drought while Streamflow Drought Index (SDI) was used for hydrological drought monitoring for a period of 34 years (1967 – 2001). DrinC software, a drought indices calculator, was used for the calculation of SPI, RDI, and SDI respectively. The drought severity classification based on meteorological and hydrological drought indices gave 33% and 37% drought conditions period with the year 1967 – 2001. Based on these indexes, the drought characteristics of the catchment area were investigated by analyzing meteorological data from 1967 to 2001. The results of this analysis show that more non-drought/normal conditions were predominant than drought conditions. During the period under study (34 years), only one-year return period of extreme drought condition.