noun
Refers to a lack of water, often in rivers, wells, or reservoirs, typically due to dry weather.
今年の夏は水枯れがひどく、川の水がほとんどない。
This summer the drought is severe, and the river has almost no water.
水枯れで田んぼに水を引けなくなった。
Due to the water shortage, we can no longer draw water into the rice paddies.
干ばつ is a more formal or technical term for drought, often used in news or scientific contexts, while 水枯れ is a more everyday word focusing on the lack of water itself.
水不足 is a general term for water shortage, often used for supply problems or restrictions, while 水枯れ specifically implies natural drying up of water sources.
Compound of 水 (water) and 枯れ (drying up, withering), from the verb 枯れる (to dry up). The spelling 水涸れ uses the character 涸, which also means 'dry up'.