GH: Murray Darling Basin

Question 1

What are the human causes of the drought?

Answer 1

• Poor decisions by the government on how water us taken and distributed - too much water is extracted from the basin, not leaving enough time to replenish
• Water supplies wasted through domestic uses, e.g. filling pools, washing cars
• Climate change (amplified by humans) has exacerbated droughts - increase in temp causes evaporation rates from reservoirs to soar, also reduce in rainfall which is a source of water for the basin
• Predicts a 7C increase in temp by 2070, and 40% drop in rainfall in Eastern Australia

Question 2

What are the physicals of the drought?

Answer 2

• Australia is located in a subtropical area - produces dry, sinking air which results in little rainfall and clear skies (high pressure)
• Very dry country with a large area of it being semi-arid - average rainfall of 455mm

Question 3

What are the social impacts of the drought?

Answer 3

• People in rural areas left due to a lack of water, putting greater pressure on the population of cities
• More than 3 million Australians rely on the MDB rivers for drinking water
• Lack of food for community’s needs - Basin produces 1/3 of Australia’s food supply
• Rural suicide rates soared among farmers - 1 in 4 commit suicide every 4 days
• Some farmers had to sell machinery, land, or even more elsewhere and lose their livelihood - farmers receive exit grants if they leave profession as farming no longer viable

Question 4

What are the economic impacts of the drought?

Answer 4

• Farmers had to sell cattle as they could not afford to feed them
• Food prices rose as Australia became more dependent on imports
• Water bills rose 20% in 2008
• Tourism was negatively affected
• Agricultural production was severely affected
• 10,000 people directly employed by the cotton-growing industry were affected
• The number of dairy farms reduced by more than half
• Prices of water entitlements increased significantly - this is because of the higher water demand for water intensive crops, along with drier conditions
• Food stores and exportation at risk - lack of water and increased salinity causes crops to lack growth or die - Basin generates 39% of national income from agriculture

Question 5

What are the environmental impacts of the drought?

Answer 5

• Loss of vegetation, wildlife and biodiversity as well as soil erosion. As the soil dries out, it becomes looser and it is easier for the wind to blow it away
• Grassland turned to scrubland
• Energy from HEP was reduced leading to more pollution as Australia resorted to the use of fossil fuels
• Increase of salinisation - damages the soil and prevents healthy crop growth
• Blue-green algal blooms occur - reduces the ability of aquatic life
• Appearance of invasive species - harms the health, viability and functioning of ecological communities, eco systems and landscapes through disruption such as soil stabilisation, seed dispersal, pollution
• Decrease in water quality - increase in microscopic toxins that pollute the water, become inhabitable for native plants, fish and animals

Question 6

What were the responses to the drought?

Answer 6

• States introducing “drought-proofing” for the future
• Subsidising rainwater storage tanks for homes
• More efficient irrigation systems
• Farmers claimed $400-600 in assistance from the government per fortnight
• Government paying $1.7 million a day in drought relief to farmers
• A new multimillion dollar desalination plant has been built in Sydney
• Legislation to ban car washing and limit showers to 4 minutes
• States urged to hand the responsibility for managing the Murray-Darling basin over to the government
• Scientists calculated the amount of water that could sustainably be used by states and they had to make sure they did not go over that figure; water could be traded within and between states
• Recycling waste water from showers, baths, washbasins, and washing machines, a.k.a. greywater
• Put together the Murray Darling Basin Plan - aims to find balance between water usages for agriculture/community needs whilst leaving enough to support a healthy environment: become law in 2012 (long term solution)
• Dams were built to harness water and manage droughts - however changed how the river flowed