Drought Hazard in Ontario: A Review of Impacts, 1960–1989, and Management Implications

It was found that drought can have varying effects on diverse water uses in Ontario. Sectors which rely heavily on direct precipitation and soil moisture are more readily impacted by localized droughts of relatively short duration which tend to occur in Ontario almost every year. Those sectors relying on less ephemeral water resources, such as surface and groundwater sources, are primarily impacted by longer, more severe, and less frequent drought episodes. Sensitivity to drought partially relates to the stability and size of the water supply, the amount and timing of water demand, and the sector’s ability to absorb economic impacts of reduced water supplies. Drought will increase the frequency and severity of water shortages due to increased demand or climatic change by temporarily decreasing supplies, and increasing demand in such sectors as agriculture and municipal water supply.