Drought and Surface Water in Alberta: Policy Reviews

Abstract

Drought has an adverse effect on ecosystems, communities, and economies globally, making itdifficult to manage water resources. It is vital to comprehend the dynamics of drought and surfacewater extent in Alberta, Canada, where water resources are essential for maintaining ecosystemfunctions and various industries. The frequency and severity of drought occurrences are predictedto rise as climate change continues to alter weather patterns, highlighting the critical need tocomprehend and successfully manage risks associated with drought.In my thesis, I focus on the dynamics of drought and surface water in Alberta from 2020to 2022, with particular attention to how drought affects surface water availability. The VegetationHealth Index (VHI), derived from Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer satellite data, isused to examine patterns of drought, while the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS)flood index, derived from Suomi-NPP/VIIRS imagery, is used to analyze patterns of surface waterextent. The data suggests that there were mostly no notable drought conditions in 2020. In contrast,there was a severe drought, particularly extreme droughts in Redcliff, Seba Beach, and AlbertaBeach in 2021. Southern Alberta was the region most affected by drought in this particular year.This was demonstrated by the reduced VHI value, which suggested significant stress on thevegetation health. Subsequently, conditions improved in 2022, with only Bondiss and AlbertaBeach experiencing severe droughts, while some areas had mild or moderate drought. Therefore,the vegetation health showed signs of recovery based on the VHI results.Analysis of surface water extent reveals that surface water extent generally showed arelatively constant trend over the research period despite some noticeable variations within theprovince. Compared to its northern areas, the surface water extent in southern Alberta wasiiicomparatively less. Also, surface water availability decreased in western Alberta while increasingin southern Alberta.Lastly, regression analysis is used to identify the relationship between VHI and surfacewater extent. This relationship can provide policymakers with a policy tool. They can anticipateregions that might see reduced surface water levels by monitoring the values of VHI through theanalysis. This can be important for proactive drought management and water resourcemanagement.