Hydrologic Scenarios for Severe Sustained Drought in the Southwestern United States
Document Type
Article
Journal/Book Title/Conference
JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association
Volume
31
Issue
5
Publisher
Wiley
Publication Date
10-1-1995
First Page
803
Last Page
813
Abstract
This paper considers the risk of drought and develops drought scenarios for use in the study of severe sustained drought in the Southwestern United States. The focus is on the Colorado River Basin and regions to which Colorado River water is exported, especially southern California, which depends on water from the Colorado River. Drought scenarios are developed using estimates of unimpaired historic streamflow as well as reconstructions of streamflow based on tree ring widths. Drought scenarios in the Colorado River Basin are defined on the basis of annual flow at Lees Ferry. The risk, in terms of return period, of the drought scenarios developed, is assessed using stochastic models.
Recommended Citation
Tarboton, D. G. (1995), HYDROLOGIC SCENARIOS FOR SEVERE SUSTAINED DROUGHT IN THE SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES1. JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 31: 803-813. doi:10.1111/j.1752-1688.1995.tb03402.x