Australia's longest river is drying up - Reuters

[Eugene]

Australia's longest river is drying up
Tue Mar 6, 2007 11:17PM EST

By Michael Perry

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's longest river has lost half its natural water and
it is predicted to dry up by a further 20 percent due to climate change by 2030.

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The "State of the Darling" released on Wednesday paints a picture of a river under
threat from global warming-induced drought, lower rainfalls and decades of poor
water management.

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The report, by the Murray-Darling Basin Commission which manages Australia's two
major rivers, said climate change had also affected the frequency and size of
floods on the Darling.

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The report said that unless river management was changed and the over-allocation
of water reduced then the drying up of the Darling River presented "a serious risk
to long-term socio-economic sustainability" of farms and towns on the river.

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Full article: http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSSYD24732220070307

Related thread: Murray-Darling Inflows 40% Below Record Lows; Howard Pledges $10 Billion To Keep Irrigating