New publication about managing water resources

A new article has been published which sets out a framework for a joint hydro-meteorological-social analysis of drought.

The article defines and links in an innovative way ‘Drivers’ of, ‘Responses’ to and ‘Impacts’ of drought. It explores how these work at various temporal and spatial scales also with reference to the 1976 and 2003-6 drought episodes in the UK. The key objective of the framework is to develop a more integrated understanding of ‘Drivers’, ‘Responses’ and ‘Impacts’ of drought that bridges their natural and social dimensions.

The article is the result of a cross-disciplinary collaboration between hydrology, socio-legal as well as agricultural studies involving the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, the British Geological Survey and Cranfield University. The work is part of the UK government Natural Environment Research Council funded ‘Historic Droughts’ Project (NE L010356/1).