What can happen with a drought?
When a drought occurs lakes become lower, rivers get shallow, and small streams and creeks may even dry up. These areas are not only important sources of water, they are also habitat for many animals. So when the water gets low there are fewer habitats available for all the creatures that live in the water. Droughts can have major impacts on land too. Dry conditions during droughts can cause forest fires, soil erosion, and damage to plants, animals, and their habitat. Sometimes the damage is only temporary, and conditions return to normal when the drought is over. But sometimes a drought’s impact on the environment can last a long time, or may even become permanent if, for example, an endangered species was lost because of low stream flows. What can I do to conserve water? You don’t have to wait for a drought to start getting serious about conserving water. It’s best to be “water wise” everyday and work to reduce the amount of water we waste. Here is a list of simple things you can do
