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Dealing with the curtailment of water supplies during drought is frequently the mostrefractory problem faced by water utility management. The timing, duration, and severityare always uncertain. Drought contingency plans of progressive water utilities are markedby four consistent and dominant characteristics. First is an accurate evaluation of thedependable yield of available supplies which reflects the vagaries of nature,environmental constraints, operating limits of facilities, and interdependence amongsources of supply. The second hallmark is that water requirements are projected withtechnologies that fully reflect the potential variation in demand. The third characteristicof a sound drought contingency plan is that the increasing severity of drought andreduction in available supply is matched with measures to reduce water demands. Thefourth, and final, single characteristic is that the plan has flexibility in application as allconditions during a drought can't be predicted beforehand. A drought contingency planbased on the "drought of record" provides useful guidance, but any subsequent droughtwill have a different pattern and require a different response.Approaches for and characteristics of drought contingency plans are illustrated in this paper throughtwo case studies. First is a Midwestern city of 225,000 residents using alluvialgroundwater for supply. Second is an Eastern utility with four reservoirs for supply. Includes tables, figures.

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Edition: Vol. - No. Published: 06/15/2003 Number of Pages: 11File Size: 1 file , 370 KB