ABSTRACT
The word drought in its definitive sense is derived from the archaic English and Scottish form of the word “drouth” that is an archaic or dialectal word for thirst. In more recent times, it has been used as a collective term to refer to an acute water shortage rather than thirst specifically.
However, the term “drought” can be applied to the lack or scarcity of anything or a prolonged absence of something specified, but historically it has been used to signify a prolonged period of dryness or low rainfall.
This chapter only discusses the use of the term drought as it relates to water shortages and how it is applied in various instances from forecasting to design.
