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A drought is when there is an extreme lack of precipitation in a certain area, which can cause many different problems for the area affected. Some examples of effects droughts can have are: shortages in water supply for the people, surface water & ground water shortages. A drought can be identified after 15 days in extreme heat and no water whatsoever, but can last years. Droughts are very common in the southwest United States due to the extreme heat & low amount of precipitation. In areas heavily affected by droughts the plants have adapted to the small amount of water and heat, for example, a cactus.