Water stress does not always have a climatic origin. As a result, drought is often categorized into five general types: meteorological, hydrological, agricultural, ecological, socioeconomic.

FIVE TYPES OF DROUGHT | METEOROLOGICAL drought refers to an extended period of dry weather patterns. HYDROLOGICAL drought refers to low water supply in our rivers, lakes, aquifers, and other reservoirs that often follows meteorological drought. AGRICULTURAL drought occurs when a water shortage significantly damages or destroys agricultural crops. ECOLOGICAL drought is the most recently defined type of drought and refers to widespread ecological damage caused by the lack of soil moisture. SOCIOECONOMIC drought refers to when a water shortage affects the supply and demand of drought commodities, such as water, food grains, and fish.