Drought risk in the Mahanadi River basin: a multi-dimensional approach for integrated urban-rural drought management strategies

Droughts are one of the most spatially complex geohazards, having a significant impact on the economic status of any region. To mitigate drought risks, a comprehensive drought management plan is required, and the first step towards that goal is to assess the various aspects of drought risks in the preparation of a drought risk map. To produce an integrated drought risk map for Mahanadi River basin, India, the current study combines geospatial methodologies with the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique to assess various dimensions, viz. hydrological, meteorological, agricultural and socio-economic drought risk in the region in view of integrated rural-urban management strategies. A total of 17 criteria from different aspects were taken into consideration in different groups. The results showed that districts like Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg and Ragnandgaon faced extreme drought conditions combining assessments of agriculture, water resources, socioeconomic factors and weather patterns, reveals varying levels of risk across the region. According to the findings, 22.01% of the region is vulnerable to extreme drought and 31.64% of the area is suffering from severe drought. The results indicate that the technique used for identifying the region's susceptibility to drought is effective, which will help planners develop strategies for mitigating drought.