Drought Indexes - Spain José L. Camacho AEMET (Spanish Met. Service) camacho@inm.es Inter-Regional Workshop on Indices and Early Warning Systems for Drought Lincoln, Nebraska (USA) 8-11 December 2009
Historical Droughts records. Religious pray asking for rain. 11 years moving average on Pray Level Source: Mariano Barriendos Vallvé. Riesgos Naturales. VVAA. Ariel, 2002. www.aemet.es 2
MARM Droughts. Plans and management MARM. Hydrology. Management plan. Related to hydrological droughts Reservoir management, water supply for towns and irrigation, ecological flows, hydropower production. Specific plans for cities (inhabitants > 20,000). Thresholds set from user requirements Rainfall run off- water level at dams. Standard precipitation Index averaged over basins. Oldest dams still in activity in Europe are Cornalbo, Proserpina and El Bercial in Spain, which have been in operation since the 2nd century (Roman Empire) Spain is the European country with the largest number of reservoirs (approx. 1200). UK (approx. 570), Italy (approx. 570) and France (approx. 550) www.aemet.es 3
MARM Droughts. Hydrology. Water volume at reservoirs. Water supply: population and irrigation. Status report. Total water volume and % over maximum capacity www.aemet.es 4
MARM Droughts. Hydrology. Water volume evolution graphics over basins. Tajo = Tagus river =Tejo (port.) www.aemet.es 5
MARM Droughts. Hydrology. Water volume at bassins Hydropower www.aemet.es 6
MARM Droughts. Hydrology. SPI. 6 months Hydrological year Last month Last 3 & 6 monts Last 1 & 2 and 3 years www.aemet.es 7
MARM Droughts. Agriculture MARM. Agriculture. Fruits, vegetables, vineyards, oil trees, and cereals NDVI products. Hydrological balance, ETP, ground moisture reserve (1 and 2 layers) from AEMET SIGA (Agriculture GIS) provides information about agrometeo and agroclimate From 1803 TP stations and 4189 P stations from 1960 and 1996 from AEMET. Kriging gridding method www.aemet.es 8
Changes in NDVI Index. SW Spain. MARM NDVI Differences: Comparison between the vegetation indexes for the month of February this year and the historical average Green shades indicate the zones with indexes above historical average. Red shades indicate the zones with indexes below historical average. Source : MARM www.aemet.es 9
MARM Droughts. Agriculture. Rainfall - % above normal from 1st September Dry time period over central Iberia in coincidence with the autumn rainy season www.aemet.es 10
MARM Droughts. Agriculture. Cumulated ET0 and ETR Reference Evapotranspiration ETO (Penmann-Monteith&FAO equation ) Real Evapotranspiration ETR www.aemet.es 11
MARM Droughts. Agriculture. Ground moisture Estimated ground moisture minus average value 1995-2004 2 levels model Estimated surface layer ground moisture minus average value 1995-2004 More products: http://www.aemet.es/es/eltiempo/observacion/balancehidrico http://www.aemet.es/es/eltiempo/prediccion/precipitacion www.aemet.es 12
AEMET information SPI graphics Rainfall 196 mm/year. SE Spain. Mediterraneum Coast. Lat 37º N www.aemet.es 13
AEMET information SPI graphics Rainfall 1886 mm/year. NW Spain. Atlantic Coast. Lat 43º N www.aemet.es 14
AEMET information SPI maps Current year from September www.aemet.es 15
AEMET information SPI maps Whole year past 12 months www.aemet.es 16
Irrigation management. Valencia Farming improvement. Irrigation management Water needs = Climate effect x Crop effect Climate Evapotranspiration Crop Crop coefficient depends on growth status Over 52 weather stations. Year rainfall= 453 mm Savings heavily encouraged 15/09/2008 www.aemet.es 17
Risk management against drought Based on available water reserves (hydrological indexes have priority) Water savings. Irrigation efficiency Dwells Sea water desalination Probably other measurements needed if population, hydropower and irrigation needs continue growing
Final remarks Dams, dwells and water availability have changed historical drought perception. Policies and actions mainly driven and focused to the water levels at reservoirs. NDVI, SPI, ETP and ground moisture main tools to monitor drought Still many room for drought index development and applications in Spain. Good laboratory due to variety of climates.
SE Spain Arid conditions Thank you very much for your attention Inter-Regional Workshop on Indices and Early Warning Systems for Drought Lincoln, Nebraska (USA) 8-11 December 2009