Identification and analysis of draughts in Hydrological Region 10, Sinaloa

Abstract

A technique for the identification of droughts that may be used with a synthetic simulation procedure to predict the duration, severity, onset and termination of drought is presented. Numerous techniques based on frequency analysis are available to estimate droughts at gauged sites with adequate flood flow records. However; drought estimates are often required at sites with either inadequate or no drought records. For such sites, regional analysis procedures are used and considered to be applicable to the ungauged watersheds located within the homogeneous region. These procedures were applied to 42 gauged stations located in Northern Mexico. Results provided a means of establishing drought risk zones. Furthermore, point and regional equations for estimating drought events for different return periods were developed.