EJPAU 2007. Alatise M. , Ikumawoyi O. EVALUATION OF DROUGHT FROM RAINFALL DATA FOR LOKOJA. A CONFLUENCE OF TWO MAJOR RIVERS

Electronic Journal of Polish Agricultural Universities (EJPAU) founded by all Polish Agriculture Universities presents original papers and review articles relevant to all aspects of agricultural sciences. It is target for persons working both in science and industry,regulatory agencies or teaching in agricultural sector. Covered by IFIS Publishing (Food Science and Technology Abstracts), ELSEVIER Science - Food Science and Technology Program, CAS USA (Chemical Abstracts), CABI Publishing UK and ALPSP (Association of Learned and Professional Society Publisher - full membership). Presented in the Master List of Thomson ISI.

2007
Volume 10
Issue 1

Topic:

Agricultural Engineering

ELECTRONIC
JOURNAL OF
POLISH
AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITIES

Alatise M. , Ikumawoyi O. 2007. EVALUATION OF DROUGHT FROM RAINFALL DATA FOR LOKOJA. A CONFLUENCE OF TWO MAJOR RIVERS, EJPAU 10(1), #05.
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume10/issue1/abs-05.html

EVALUATION OF DROUGHT FROM RAINFALL DATA FOR LOKOJA. A CONFLUENCE OF TWO MAJOR RIVERS

Michael O. Alatise, Oladunni Bimpe Ikumawoyi
Department of Agricultural Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Drought, a natural component of the climatic system, is a complex phenomenon with its attendant consequences. This study was carried out to evaluate the occurrence of drought from rainfall data for Lokoja, a confluence of two major rivers in Nigeria. Rainfall data for upward of 73 years (1931-2003) was obtained for Lokoja and four different evaluation techniques; namely, Stochastic Component Time Series (SCTS), Rainfall Anomaly Index (RAI), Cumulative Rainfall Information (CRI) and Drought Severity Index (DSI) based on quartile range were used for the analysis. It was found from this study that the Stochastic Component Time Series gave the time of occurrence of drought, while the Rainfall Anomaly Index also gave the drought years, the years with highest and lowest drought as well as the impart of drought and its severity in the study area. The Cumulative Rainfall Information was only able to monitor and assess the drought while the Drought Severity Index was also able to monitor and assess the drought by classification into driest, dry, near normal, wet and wettest drought years. On the whole the Rainfall Anomaly Index proved to be the most appropriate techniques because of its ability to supply more information on drought occurrence in the study area more than the other three techniques.

Key words: drought, evaluation technics, Nigeria.

Michael O. Alatise
Department of Agricultural Engineering,
Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria
PMB 704, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria
email: micalatise@yahoo.com

Oladunni Bimpe Ikumawoyi
Department of Agricultural Engineering,
Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria
PMB 704, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria

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