Worst Drought in Australia in 1000 years - Lake Wendouree

Australia is in it's worst drought in 1000 years.

Australia's blistering summer has only just begun but reservoir levels are dropping fast, crop forecasts have been slashed, and great swaths of the continent are entering what scientists yesterday called a "one in a thousand years drought".

David Dreverman, head of the Murray-Darling river basin commission, said: "This is more typical of a one in a 1,000-year drought, or possibly even drier, than it is of a one in 100-year event." He added that the Murray-Darling river system, which receives 4% of Australia's water, but provides three-quarters of the water consumed nationally, was already 54% below the previous record minimum. Last month it recorded its lowest ever October flows. Inflow this year was just 5% of the average.

The drought is likely to affect drinking water supplies to many areas. Sydney's largest reservoir is now 40% full and many small rural towns in east Australia face shortages within a month.

It is also expected to have a serious impact on crops. Last week, the government forecast its lowest wheat crop for 12 years, a 62% decrease on last year. Yesterday the agriculture minister Peter McGauran announced the allocation of more than A$200m (£80m) to help businesses which service drought-stricken farmers, in addition last month to the A$910m in payments for 72,000 farmers affected by drought.

The drought has set off a fierce political debate in Australia about climate change. The country has maintained, with the US, a sceptical stance on the issue, and Mr Howard has refused to sign Australia up to the Kyoto agreement. However, polls suggest he is increasingly out of step with public and scientific opinion and the drought has forced him to demonstrate concern.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Drought
• Australia
• lake wendouree
• global warming
• 1000 years
• dry lake

[33noa33]

In the northwestern Australia, we have huge tides,

huge evaporation and huge dry rivers and lakes.

Evaporation is up to 4m per year.

Huge 12m tidal erosion can revive old dry paleo dormant once mighty rivers, creeks and lakes,

desalinate the country and change deserts to rain forests to provide more rain across Australia.

World population is growing rapidly and we need more land, energy, food, water

see: Mitic CLIMATE ENGINEERING