Drought monitoring for rooftop rainwater-harvesting systems Available to Purchase

The drought in the eastern Caribbean during the latter part of 2009 and the first quarter of 2010 has revealed the vulnerability of these Caribbean islands to droughts. In islands such as the Grenadines in the south of the eastern Caribbean, where the principal source of water supply is harvested rainwater stored in cisterns, an emerging challenge is one of meeting household water needs during periods of extreme low rainfall. Drought monitoring and forecasting are essential tools for appropriate decision making for water management in households that are dependent on harvested rainwater. This paper considers a simple model that could be used by local authorities for rainwater-harvesting management to reduce the risks and impacts of extremely severe water shortages during extended periods of low rainfall. Specifically, the use of the deciles method and standardised drought indices in addition to simulated performances of rainwater cisterns were used in this study to facilitate decision making.