Big Dry Flashcards
Where was ‘The Big Dry’?
south-east Australia
When was the drought?
2001-2009
What is the drought also know as?
Millennium Drought
Where was the worst-hit area?
Murray-Darling Basin
Why is Murray-Darling Basin important?
it’s an agricultural region
What caused the drought? (4)
high pressure belt caused low precipitation, el nino, climate change caused higher temperatures and a reduction in rainfall by 40-60 %
What is the effect of temperatures being higher than normal?
more water evaporates than normal, and more transpiration in plants
Why was there a change in rainfall pattern?
climate change caused weather fronts that usually bring rain to south-east australia, to move further south
What were the social and environmental consequences of the drought? (5)
water supplies ran low grasslands into shrubs, soil erosion, dust storms, wildfires burned homes, suicide rates increased
What were the economic consequences of the drought? (3)
Higher water bills, 20,000 jobs lost in the cotton industry, harvest & crop failure
What were the responses to the drought? (4)
sydney built desalination plants, water conservation measures were introduced, income support was provided to farmers, air ambulance for the increase in suicide rates
How can farmers better prepare for droughts? (2)
improving irrigation schemes, developing drought-resistant crops
Give an example of a water conservation measure and what does a desalinisation plant do.
1) Hose bans and shower times reduced
2) Turns hypertonic seawater into drinking water (hypertonic = salty water or water that isn’t that pure)
