Hodasová K., Krčmář D., Zatlakovič M. & Ondrejková I., 2023: Drought hazard assessment using GIS techniques in the Banská Bystrica region. Acta Geologica Slovaca, 15, 2, 85–94.

Drought hazard assessment using GIS techniques in the Banská Bystrica region

Kamila Hodasová, Dávid Krčmář, Martin Zatlakovič & Ivana Ondrejková

Department of Engineering Geology, Hydrogeology and Applied Geophysics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University Bratislava, Ilkovičova 6, 842 15, Bratislava; Slovakia; hodasova11@uniba.sk

Abstract

Drought research is currently a topical issue, given that drought is an extreme phenomenon, the consequences of which threaten nature, the landscape, and society. The lack of precipitation and a subsequent reduction in water runoff threatens drinking water supplies, the dries up streams and springs, or the deteriorates the quality of natural waters. The aim of the study is the assessment of drought hazard in the Banská Bystrica region. Initially, the standardized precipitation index (SPI) was calculated for the period 1981–2021 for 34 gauging stations in the Banská Bystrica region. It was possible to examine temporal drought patterns through the SPI indices. A certain correlation is evident among the assessed stations, with variations primarily attributed to differences in altitude and the different distribution of precipitation. To assess the spatial distribution of drought hazard, a probability map of drought occurrence, reffered to as the drought index (DHI) map, was created. The DHI map was created using tools in the ArcGIS environment: inverse distance weighted (IDW) interpolation, natural break method and map algebra. The drought hazard map was categorized into 4 classes, while 12.42 % of the territory is in a very high degree of drought probability. Temporal and spatial aspects of drought represent an important component in the assessment of extreme climate events. A scientific approach based on the assessment of drought hazard, vulnerability, and risk in the environment of GIS systems creates a useful tool aimed at quantifying and predicting drought within regional systems.

Key words: drought hazard, standardised precipitation index, Banská Bystrica Region, GIS, IDW

Manuscript received: 2023-12-06

Revised version accepted: 2023-12-21