Case study - Drought in Australia

Question 1

Annual rainfall in south-eastern Australia between 1997 and 2009 was how far below the 20th century average?

Answer 1

12.4% below the 20th century average

Question 2

Give some physical causes of drought in Australia?

Answer 2

• The climate is dominated by the sub-tropic high pressure belt. High pressure belts are associated with dry and settled conditions
• El Nino cycles cause drought on the east coast of Australia as it lies in the Western Pacific
• The highest rainfall in Australia is in the northwest of the country however the highest population density is in the east

Question 3

Give some human causes of drought in Australia?

Answer 3

• Irrigation of crops uses a large volume of water
• They have a large demand for water
• The River Murray is highly over extracted and no water flows out of its mouth

Question 4

What the impact of drought in Australia?

Answer 4

• Desalination plants are being built
• Droughts have caused a reduction in soil moisture retention therefore farmland has become less valuable
• Crops have been destroyed