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Title
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Drought Preparedness
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Type
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Primary: Mission Briefing Article
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Operation
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Monster Storms
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Mission:
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Mission 5: The Recovery
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Print Page
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102
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Subjects
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Science | Earth and space science | Cycles | Water cycle | Weather | Precipitation | Personal and social issues | Humans and the environment | Personal health
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Grades
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5 | 6 | 7 | 8
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Keywords
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drought condition, drought, drought preparedness, drought preparation, water conservation, conserving water, fresh water, water resource, water recycling, effects of drought, drought effect, below-normal rainfall, conservation practice, conservation activities, conservation
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Duration
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00:00:00 (HH:MM:SS)
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Audience
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Teachers | Elementary Grades | Junior High
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Created On
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5/17/2007
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Copyright
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Photo courtesy of Eric L. Williams/NGS
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From: Monster Storms Mission 5: The Recovery (pp: 102) |
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Drought Preparedness Find out how to prepare for drought and minimize the effects of prolonged periods of below-normal rainfall. Included is a list of tips for conserving limited fresh water supplies. |
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 Unlike the sudden and powerful arrival of most monster storms, a drought results from a prolonged period of below-normal rainfall. To prepare for a drought, it is critically important to conserve water resources. Doing so will minimize the effects of drought on your community.
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Water Conservation Activities and Practices
Indoor
- Fix all leaky and dripping faucets.
- Make sure that your toilet doesn’t leak or that its handle doesn’t get stuck.
- Reuse water when practical. For example, water to be discarded could be used to water plants.
- Use a low-volume shower head. Take shorter showers.
- Don’t let the water run while brushing your teeth or washing your face.
- Use kitchen dishwashers and laundry washers only when you have full loads.
Outdoor
- Plant drought resistant native plants.
- Water the grass only when absolutely necessary. Avoid overwatering.
- Pay attention to local restrictions on times when lawns can be watered.
- Make sure that hose connections are tight and don’t leak.
- Turn off hoses and spigots when not in use.
- Avoid sprinklers that create a fine mist that evaporates before reaching the grass.
- Make sure that the water you spray on the lawn wets only the lawn.
- Wash your car on the lawn.
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Because water is such a precious resource, drought conditions require that we pay real attention to conserving water. Conservation involves using freshwater as efficiently as possible and reusing it when practical. This may mean not watering your grass as long or as often, or not washing the car. It means saving water for drinking, cleaning, and cooking. Opportunities to reduce the use of water and to recycle it are key components in water conservation.
Beyond reducing the available water supply for human consumption, there can be other serious effects of drought. Over a long period, below-normal rainfall can adversely affect plants and livestock. Crops can be damaged or lost. Without sufficient rainfall, the threat of forest fire or wildfire increases. Livestock can suffer from dehydration, with deadly consequences.
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In 1988 widespread drought in the United States resulted in economic losses of $40 billion.
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