The Environment Agency (EA) has published the results of a review of the current scientific knowledge about drought in the UK. There is also a blog about the research.

It includes how drought may alter due to climate change, and what the implications are for both the catchment environment and the way we manage water resources, now and in the future.

The review focussed on three themes

1. the physical processes that drive droughts
2. the impacts of droughts
3. the management of droughts

Each theme was further divided into separate topics, and a review was undertaken of each by an expert in that topic, for example rainfall within physical processes and ecology within impacts. The EA worked with over 40 academics from 13 different universities, research institutes, and consultancies. Authors were asked to review the existing literature and objectively comment on what is known and not known about drought for their specialist topics. A workshop was held to share information between the group, to promote discussion and develop consensus.

Results

The review has successfully drawn together and consolidated the current body of knowledge on drought, and highlighted where there are gaps in understanding. The outputs include a report summarising the review process and the main findings regarding what is and is not known about drought, and a collection of the individual topic reviews in a separate annex report.

The improved understanding of drought, including the existing evidence on how it may change and what the implications are for both the catchment environment and the way water resources are managed, is important for both the Environment Agency and those we regulate (water companies, farmers). The identification of knowledge gaps also provides a basis for future research.

Key knowledge gaps

• Changing nature of drought: How will drought change as the climate changes?
• Physical, chemical, and biological processes: How will catchments and their constituent parts behave differently during drought compared to average conditions?
• Modelling, forecasting, and monitoring of drought: How can new advances generate greater understanding, improve representation, and reduce uncertainty?
• The social science of drought: How will the relationship people have with water affect their behaviour during drought and the effectiveness of communications?
• Vulnerability and resilience to drought: How will different droughts cause different problems, and how can we reduce risk?