study of drought conditions in Adams county NE (2012) compared to 2011

DROUGHT CONDITIONS IN ADAMS COUNTY 2012 COMPARED TO 2011
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Study of drought conditions in Adams County NE (2012) compared to 2011
Introduction
This paper entails an assessment of the drought conditions in the Adams County, Nebraska State in the US. It occurred after the devastating floods in the Midwest. The paper covers the background of the state and calamity, the problems and objectives. It also addresses the data used, method and classification. Results and discussions regarding the calamity are also covered. Drought is defined as the lack of precipitation over a long period, normally more than a season. In consideration of the history, droughts cannot be avoided as they are part of natural climate cycle. In the US the major cause of drought has been sea surface temperature along the Pacific Ocean. Fas.org, (2015).
The impacts of drought in 2012 were realized in the subsequent year, with an impact on a wide range of sectors. Drought in the Adams County resulted in many problems. For instance, agricultural losses hence decline in the economy. This occurred as a result of severe heat from the weather that affected both small and large scale agricultural activities, the production of hay declined by 28%; corn declined to 16%, and soya beans yield reduced to 21% as well. This lead to a shortage of this products and hence increase in the price of these commodities. Infrastructure was also affected by the drought, foundations were damaged, trails, …