Want To Understand Drought? Follow The Water!

Already parts of the world suffer from lack of water, and with increasing demand it's expected to get worse. To better understand and predict drought, 30 universities are collaborating in a multidisciplinary effort called the Shale Hills Project. Among the studies, is field research following the life cycle of water along the Susquehanna River Basin, the main tributary to the Chesapeake Bay. With support from the National Science Foundation, civil engineer Chris Duffy and his team at Penn State are tracking rainfall, where it flows, how much is absorbed by plants and soil, how water turns rock into soil, where soil builds up and where it erodes, and how the water flows into rivers, streams and underground aquifers. He says understanding the flow of water will help us better understand areas prone to drought and how urban populations will be affected.