Australia drought case study

Question 1

what are the two main types of drought based on rainfall

Answer 1

serious deficiency and severe deficiency

Question 2

what % of Australia is affected in a year

Answer 2

30%

Question 3

what was the drought called that hit Australia in 2006

Answer 3

The Big Dry lasted 7 years

Question 4

what effect is closely linked to most Australian droughts

Answer 4

El Nino

Question 5

what was the Big Dry

Answer 5

A 1 in a 1000-year event which affected half the farmlands which provide 50% of the nation’s agricultural outputs.

Question 6

what do farmers rely on water for

Answer 6

the irrigation of rice. cotton and new fruits

Question 7

what capacity did reservoirs fall to

Answer 7

40%

Question 8

what % of drinking water did Adelaide draw from the river Murray

Answer 8

40%

Question 9

what future schemes are being put in place due to the growing population and water consumption

Answer 9

urban areas must be developed to include desalination plants, large scale recycling of grey water and sewage, more strategies for water conservation

Question 10

what do the farmers claim they need the water for

Answer 10

vital irrigation but they need to look towards smart irrigation as over-extraction in normal periods has been the root cause of droughts impact