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Australia and Drought: 2009

2009, brings the 17th year in a row of no normal rainfall pattern in Australia. Australia continues to suffer from the worst drought in its 100 year history. 2009 Is the 7th year in a row in what is classified as devastating drought. In the last few months, there has been erratic precipitation and heavy disastrous flooding. This rainfall has not eased the drought problem one bit.

The April 2009 National Geographic has an article about the perilous drought in Australia (with some great photos!). Over 60 percent of Australian landmass is farmland. Farmers say “The recent rainfall seems to have a spiteful mind of its own, snubbing the winter crop growing season”. Farms in Australia are facing catastrophic water shortages.

Farmers in Australia, despite facing water related hardships, are leading the nation in figuring out how to get “More Crop from Every Drop”. If living with drought is the 21st century norm, then farmers are determined to learn how to work with this finite resource. (cool fact: Farmers have already lead the nation in reducing greenhouse gases by a massive 40 percent in the last 16 years.)

The National Farmers Federation is holding it first NFF World Congress this coming June 2009 in Brisbane Australia. At the top of their agenda is learning to live with climate change and drought. I contacted NFF to let them know that the Microbots had put together a website to educate children on Brisbane’s and the world’s water crisis. The Conference Coordinator, Margie Wallace, wrote me back and congratulated the Microbots on our dedication and hard work.

Mrs. Wallace offered to send us detailed proceedings from the conference (free of charge, a 1,000 dollar value), so that we can learn more about how farmers in Australia will work with the government to solve the Australian water crisis. Mrs. Wallace also asked us to stay in touch. The Microbots are really looking forward to learning more about how people in our world are learning to solve the world water crisis.

The History of Brisbane and Water

The current drought in Brisbane, Australia is called the "Millennium Drought". It is the worst drought on the historical record in Australia. Brisbane's water supply is being drastically reduced! Brisbane’s population is the fastest growing in Australia! By 2056, more than six million people may live in the region. Brisbane hopes to ensure that water is managed on a "sustainable and integrated basis to provide quality, secure, and reliable supplies for urban, industrial, and rural use for the next 50 years."

Brisbane’s vision for the future of water takes into account not only population growth, but also the potential effect of climate change. Brisbane’s "Water Today for Tomorrow" policy calls for a very proactive approach to secure the region’s future water supply.

The city's strategy focuses on improved measurement techniques by individuals, such as basic at home strategies, grey water use, and storm harvesting. It also focuses on climate resilient supplies, such as desalination and purified recycled water schemes (PRW, nanofiltration).

Brisbane hopes to get this program running smoothly by 2012. Brisbane projects that, if successful, actual additional resources of water may not be needed until 2020-2042 (depending on actual population growth, climate change, and water savings by the community). Moving away from the current reliance on dams and weirs (from 95% down to 40%) in this extremely diversified position, is the major feature of Brisbane’s Water Today for Tomorrow program.

By 2056, home savings programs, desalination and purified recycling water could provide more than 30% of Brisbane water!

This is a summary of Brisbane's view of the water cycle: