Droughts and water scarcity collectively represent a substantial threat to our natural environment, agricultural and industrial production, water supply infrastructure and societal well-being. The ‘risk’ of drought can be considered as the product of the probability of a drought occurring and the consequences of the drought.

However, our ability to characterise and understand their occurrence, duration and intensity, and to effectively implement management responses to minimise their impacts, is often inadequate or inappropriate. The drivers of drought and water scarcity, both meteorological and sectoral (for example, supply and demand balance, water storage, transfer and utility trends) are often considered in isolation with little attention given to integrated impacts or inter-dependencies. 

We also often ignore to how droughts influence the behaviour of complex hydrological, ecological, agricultural, social and economic systems. It is thus difficult to calculate the costs associated with stressing these systems, in order to make more informed management decisions regarding trade-offs between competing water demands under conditions of water scarcity or drought.

This short course considers the different definitions of drought and the derivation and application of selected drought risk metrics, the engineering and management measures available to reduce impact, and economic techniques for evaluating drought impacts and managing drought risk. The course focuses on impact and management responses in three key sectors, domestic (public water supply), agriculture (rainfed and irrigated cropping) and the environment (aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems).


At a glance

  • Dates
    • 07 May 2025
    • 14 May 2025
    • 21 May 2025
    • 28 May 2025
  • Duration12 hours over four 3 hour sessions
  • LocationOnline
  • Cost£500 Concessions available

Course structure

This course is delivered through a series of online lectures and practical sessions,

What you will learn

On successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

  • Define drought risk, their main characteristics and impacts, policy landscape, and public perception,
  • Calculate and apply different drought indicators (metrics) including assessing their utility and limitations,
  • Explain the impacts of climate change on the frequency and severity of drought risks,
  • Critically evaluate drought risks and impacts on agriculture and aquatic ecosystems.

Core content

  • Introduction. Definition of risk. Roles and responsibilities in drought management,
  • Drought metrics (Standardised Precipitation Index (SPI), SPEI, Drought Palmer Severity Index (DPSI), Potential Soil Moisture Deficit (PSMD) and their spatio-temporal relevance to different sectors,
  • Impacts of droughts on different sectors and the environment,
  • Approaches to tackle drought risk at different levels,
  • Climate change and water-related weather extremes.

Concessions

You can book a single course, or any combination of the courses offered in Water Management May in the same year and benefit from discounts.

  • One course - £500
  • Two courses - £450 per course
  • Three courses - £350 per course

Read our Professional development (CPD) booking conditions.