Temporal Analysis of Climatological Drought in Watauga County, 1940 to 2009

Abstract

Prolonged water deficit periods have caused many environmental, social, and economic problems in North Carolina and across the southeast. In order to protect water resources and the communities they support, it is essential to understand complex interactions that lead to water shortages. Climatological drought is monitored through various measurements of water resources, including precipitation, stream flow, and soil moisture. In this study, precipitation, stream flow, and soil moisture data from April 1940 to September 2009 in Watauga County were analyzed to help in understanding this complex relationship. Weak to moderate positive relationships were seen between the different variables. When the time span of collected data was increased the relationships were showed to be stronger. The strongest relationship was seen between stream flow and soil moisture. No significant relationships were seen on a monthly basis after creating a time lag. These relationships can help in understanding different types of drought, enabling water resources in North Carolina to be better protected and managed.