Australia Flashcards
What are the two types of drought in Australia
Serious and severe
What is serious drought
Rainfall less than 10% of normal values
What is severe drought
Rainfall less than 5% of normal values
How much of Australia is affected by drought each year
30%
What factor effects rainfall in Australia
Sub-tropic high pressure makes the rainfall low and variable
When was the ‘Big Dry’
2006
When was the east coast drought
2002 to 2003
What change has happened to rainfall patterns
Since the 1970s the east has become dryer compared to the north west
What is thought to have cause the ‘Big Dry’
Long term climate change
What was the ‘Big Dry’ assessed as
1-in-1000 year event
How much of the countries agriculture comes from the Murray darling basin
50%
What 6 supplies were affected by the big drought
Wool, wheat, meat, rice, cotton and fruits
How much did reservoirs fall
They fell to 40% of there capacity
What is the route cause of drought
Over extraction of water
What must future urban areas include
Desalination plants, recycling of grey water and sewage and more water conservation
