Abstract
ABSTRACT The modelling of streamflow drought is usually performed with different approaches for perennial and intermittent rivers, as no-flow periods require a dedicated statistical treatment. Here, a unified drought index is proposed by extending the threshold method to all flow regimes. The method generalizes the approach commonly adopted for low-flow droughts by accounting for the probability of occurrence in a yearly reference period. Application to a global dataset for 1991–2020, derived from ERA5-forced LISFLOOD model simulations, demonstrates how consistent outcomes can be obtained in all major perennial and intermittent streams. A simplified version of the method is also discussed, detailing how reliable drought detection can be achieved in many parts of the world (e.g. central Europe, the eastern US for low-flow, and northern Russia and the Middle East for no-flow) even when the frequency distribution of the spells in time is replaced by the simpler average number of events.
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