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noncritical segment ( R101 - Rl03 ) and a 0 . 8- mile critical segment ( R103- Rl0 ) exist. Development is threatened in the critical segment ( FDEP , 2004 ) . Several beach renourishment projects have been implemented to address the issues identified by the FDEP . 4 . 1 . 9 Droughts 4. 1 . 9. 1 Hazard Identification Drought is a normal , recurrent feature of climate , although many perceive it as a rare and random event . In fact, each year some part of the U . S . has severe or extreme drought. Although it has many definitions , drought originates from a deficiency of precipitation over an extended period of time , usually a season or more ( National Drought Mitigation Center, 2003) . It produces a complex web of impacts that spans many sectors of the economy and reaches well beyond the area producing physical drought . This complexity exists because water is essential to our ability to produce goods and provide services ( National Drought Mitigation Center, 2003 ) . In Indian River County , the primary sources of water are deep wells for utility systems and shallow wells for rural areas . Excess water from an interconnected series of lakes , rivers , canals , and marshes flows either north to the St. Johns River or east to the Indian River Lagoon ( Indian River County Department of Emergency Services , 2002 ) . When this cycle is disrupted by periods of drought, one of the most potentially damaging effects is %W substantial crop loss in the western agricultural areas of the County . In addition to obvious losses in yields in both crop and livestock production , drought in Indian River County is associated with increase in insect infestations , plant disease , and wind erosion . The incidence of forest fires increases substantially during extended droughts , which in turn places both human and wildlife populations at higher levels of risk . The St , Johns Water Management District and County staff manage the County's water resources . Complementing the District's water management efforts during periods of critical water shortage , a countywide , uniform , forceful , contingency plan is in place to effectively restrict the use of water. Historic Events. There were no data available to document drought events in Indian River County and its municipalities in the past 5 years . Because drought is a hazard that is not bounded by geographic or topographic characteristics , there is no definite means to determine whether or not the extent of this hazard differs from jurisdiction to jurisdiction within Indian River County . 4. 1 . 9. 2 Vulnerability Assessment Drought can have the following potential impacts within a community: Economic disruption ; Agricultural/fisheries damage ; ,%W . Damage to critical environmental resources ; and Wildland fire . 4-46