SPATIAL DIFFERENTIATION AND DROUGHT INTENSITY IN THE UPPER SILESIA REGION, POLAND

Abstract

Drought estimation and monitoring seems to be crucial both in agricultural activities as well as in water management. The aim of the study is to estimate the drought vulnerability of the Upper Silesia Region using selected drought indices. The evaluation was based on daily meteorological data from the period 1981-2010 and conducted for particular administrative units. On the basis of 30-years of observations the spatial distribution of drought phenomena as well as its intensity and duration was described. The communes particularly exposed to meteorological drought were indicated, also the regions where the phenomena are rare or even not observed. As the analyses were conducted using several drought indices, their applicability was evaluated for the region under consideration. The results showed that for drought monitoring over the region meteorological drought indices should be taken into account at the first stage but it is also necessary to diagnose the environmental conditions (especially geological formation and the relief). Despite high precipitation totals recorded the areas with very complex relief and unfavourable geological formation are prone to water shortage resulting the intensive run-off.

Keywords

• meteorological drought
• drought monitoring
• Poland