Environmental Threats to Our Planet CS - The Big Dry

Question 1

What was The Big Dry?

Answer 1

A drought in Australia caused by El Nino

Question 2

Where was The Big Dry?

Answer 2

All states but in particular the Murray Darling Basin (Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria)

Question 3

What was the Date of the Big Dry?

Answer 3

2002-2009 (official declared oevr in 2012 after 2 years of good rainfall)

Question 4

What is the Murray Darling Basin?

Answer 4

• Size of france and Spain combined
• Provides 75% of Australia’s water
• Usually provides 40% of Australia’s agriculture produce
• Basin makes up more than 70% of Australia’s irrigated cropland and pasture

Question 5

What was the rainfall deficit caused by The Big Dry?

Answer 5

By 2017 it was estimated that Australia had missed a full years’ worth of rf over the last 11 years. 2006 driest on record

Question 6

How was the Murray Darling Basin effected?

Answer 6

Overuse of the Murray Darlin Basin for irrigation

Question 7

What were the young doing?

Answer 7

The young were leaving their farms to go and look for jobs

Question 8

How did The Big Dry affect farmers mental health?

Answer 8

• Farmers were left on their own and isolated
• Some could not cope and they commited suicide

Question 9

What were the rural suicide rates like?

Answer 9

At the height of the drought there was one suicide every four days

Question 10

What name did the outback farmers give themselves?

Answer 10

‘The forgotten people’ was the name outback farmers gave themselves as they felt abandoned

Question 11

What were some of the economic impacts on farmers?

Answer 11

• By 2014 some farmers had not had income for 3 years
• Some farmers had to work in the mines to top up income
• Catlle were dying (10,000 per day some estimate - many have to be shot by farmers)
• Livestock have to be sold off but at rock bottom price

Question 12

What were some of the economic impacts on the economy?

Answer 12

• Food prices rose due to independence on imports
• Water bills in 2008 rose by 20%

Question 13

What were some of the environmental impacts?

Answer 13

• Loss of biodiversity. Long term severe ecological breakdown, In particular the River Red Gum Eucalyptus tree which requires partial flooding
• Loss of valuable topsoil through wind erosion
• Acidification soils, lake and groundwater
• Salinisation from salt water intrusion/evaporation
• Blackwater event after water levels increased
• Black Saturday 7th Feb 2009 173 people died due to wildfire

Question 14

What were some of the management strategies for The Big Dry?

Answer 14

• Government Drought Relief to Farmers which gave $1.7 million dollars a day
• Aussie Helpers: Charity delivering groceries and moral support to outback farmers
• Car washing was banned to help conserve water
• Showers were limited to 4 minutes to help conserve water
• There was a $1.8 million desalination plant built in Kernall, Sydney 2009-2010