Drought severity thresholds and drought management in Greece

Abstract

The objective of this chapter is the analysis of the three major components of drought assessment and management in Greece. First, the legal framework and the structure of services related to the water management are presented. Second, drought characterisation is applied for two river basins, Nestos and Mornos, and thresholds for drought management are defined. A new meteorological drought index, the Reconnaissance Drought Index (RDI), similar to the well-known Standardised Precipitation Index (SPI), is introduced. Finally, the operational component for drought management is analysed. This component consists of the formulation of a preparedness master plan and the adoption of proactive and reactive actions.