With Murray-Darling Basin Facing Worst Water Conditions In 70 Years, Summer's Just Around The Corner

[hatrack]

UP to two million Australians in the lower Murray-Darling catchment are facing the worst summer of water restrictions and shortages in 70 years. The warning by the head of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission, Wendy Craik, was just one of several issued yesterday by some of Australia's top experts on drought and climate change.

Some predicted that Australia may never fully recover from the current dry. Water Services Association of Australia executive director Ross Young said the outlook for capital cities apart from Sydney, Hobart and Darwin, was "not looking good". "It is going to take a concerted effort to make sure we implement appropriate restrictions and water conservation measures to get through this summer and the next one," he said. "Around Australia, Brisbane, of all the capitals, is the one that really does have its back to the wall."

EDIT

The nation's biggest river system is holding 1700 gigalitres less water in storage this year than at the same time last year, the worst on record.

For the towns, communities and farmers of the nation's food bowl, she warned of "significant challenges" ahead. "We are facing a spring and summer on the Murray like no other," she said. "It will take multiple years for storages to recover, and the outlook is very grim."

EDIT

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22376839-2702,00.html

[kestrel91316]

1. Uh oh. Maybe it's time to return to privies instead of flush toilets.....

[XemaSab]

2. What kind of communist measurement is a gigaliter?

Where I come from, we use the acre-foot. :D

[Dead_Parrot]

3. International acre-foot or US survey acre-foot?

Just curious. There's 482 Tablespoons and 3½ Teaspoons difference, and it's important to be accurate in these matters.
:silly:
(US spoons, BTW)