Murray Darling Basin - Water scarcity / Physical geography Flashcards
When/where was the plan announced?
January 2007 the Australian government announced a plan for water security focusing on the Murray-Darling Basin.
MDB basic facts - 5
Covers the area of France and Spain combined.
Located in South East Australia.
14% of Australia’s land mass.
Provides 75% of Australia’s water supply.
Provides 40% of the nations agricultural produce.
How has water extraction changes over time?
There has been a 5 fold increase in water extraction since the 1920s.
This matches the changes in Australia’s population.
Why is this a problem for the residents in the MDB.
Although average rainfall in the MDB is 480mm, there are significant geographical differences in rainfall within the basin.
Evaporation and in turn rainfall is significantly higher in the south/east whilst droughts are very common in the north/west section of the MDB.
This creates trade-offs between the already struggling MDB (farmers and local communities) and the larger Australia where social and political pressures need a solution to the water security issue.
