Refers to a lack of water, often in rivers, wells, or reservoirs, typically due to dry weather.
This summer the drought is severe, and the river has almost no water.
Due to the water shortage, we can no longer draw water into the rice paddies.
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.
Standard kanji spelling for drought or water shortage.
Alternate kanji spelling using 涸 (dry up); less common than 水枯れ.
Search-only kana-mixed form; not a standard written variant.
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'.