Droughts (Witness to Disaster) by Judy & Dennis Fradin

In this book, Judy and Dennis fradin take us from our present day troubles to the worst drought in American history, the Dust Bowel. Eyewitness accounts combined with haunting photographs capture the poignancy desperation of these years. The Fradins have woven these accounts together with an in-depth look at the various causes of drought, a brief history of the most famous droughts, and a look at the efforts of scientists to understand why droughts, a brief history of the most famous droughts, and look at the efforts of scientists to understand why droughts happen and what can be done about it.

Excerpt: The inhabitants of Rajpar, India, were desperate for water. During periods of ample rainfall, villagers lowered buckets a short way down Rajpar’s big well, and then pulled up the water- filled containers. In the year 2000, however, due to a long dry spell, the well contained only a barely visible puddle at the bottom. To get it, villagers lowered a volunteer down the well with ropes. Deeper and deeper she went: 50 feet below ground level. There-20 stories beneath the Earth’s surface- she filled containers with water from the bottom of the well. She was then pulled up to the surface, where she distributed the precious liquid to her neighbors.