Assessing temporal and spatial characteristics of droughts in the Hirfanli dam basin, Turkey

Regional drought analysis provides useful information for a sustainable water resources management. The characteristics of meteorological droughts in the Hirfanli Dam Basin, a semi-arid region in Turkey were determined using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) as a measure for drought severity. The region covers upstream drainage areas of the Kizilirmak River, one of the major water resources of the country, and is subject to frequent drought events. Using the temporal and spatial characteristics of monthly SPI, drought intensity-areal extent-frequency curves for various return periods were constructed for the region. The intensity area extent and return periods of selected historical droughts in the region were obtained and an evaluation of the drought severities was presented.