Drought Management

Lake Cooper (March 2002). Photo: Steve Ryan

Drought Information for Victoria is a DPI website that provides information on: Rural Finance Corporation, Water Cartage, Grants, DPI Dry Conditions Co-ordinators, Drought Management Information.

A full set of definitions for ‘drought’ can be found in Hounam et al (1975).

Standard definitions for 'drought' refer to the occurrence of water within the hydrological cycles.
They include:

• Meteorological drought: a combination of climate features that lead to a deficiency of water in the climate phase of the hydrological cycle.
• Agricultural drought: deficiencies of the water at the crop water / soil moisture level.
• Hydrological drought: deficiencies in streamflow or groundwater resources.

Status of Victoria's Water Resources and Supplies

Relevant DPI Landcare and Agriculture Notes:

Drought reserve dams	"Drought proofing" is a set of strategies and works for enabling a property cope with extended dry periods. These include vegetation protection, stocking strategies, use of stock containment areas, fodder reserves and water reserves.
Measuring dust movement	This note presents a simple and cheap method to gauge the quantity of suspended soil in the atmosphere during a dust storm.
Paddock protection and stock management during dry times	The management of paddocks and stock during dry times requires considerable care to avoid degradation of soil and water, damage to plants or seeds and long term financial loses. We wish to avoid the degradation of 1982/83 though appropriate management. Paddocks should remain in such a condition that soil structure and fertility are protected and ready to respond to the return of wet weather.
Farm water in dry times: a checklist	Little rain occurred in the north and west Victoria during 1994. Runoff was very low; dams rapidly dried up. Were your supplies low then? Are you better prepared now?
How long will my dam water last?	This Landcare note is to help land managers calculate water demands being made by livestock on existing water storages, especially during drought periods.
Hints on feeding grain to cattle	There are three situations where grain might be fed to cattle - as a drought ration, as a supplement to grazing or in lotfeeding. In all cases care must be taken, especially in the introduction or conditioning of cattle to grain feeding.
Soil degradation control in northern Victoria during dry periods	The management of paddocks and stock during dry periodst requires consideration of a number of factors to avoid degradation of soil and water, and damage to plants or seeds.
Water Conservation on Rural Properties	Includes information on types of storages; water quality and quantity requirements; site selection and design.

References

Hounam, C.E., Burgosm, J.J., Kalik, M.S., Palmer, W.C., and Rodda, J.C., (1975). Drought and agriculture, Technical Note No. 138, WMO, Geneva, 127.

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