Drought2

Drought in Australia & Sustainable Solutions

By Maxine Sinclair

“Massive droughts” (Flickr, 2010)

OverviewDrought definition

The reason Australia is prone to drought

Sustainable practices to effectively manage drought

Immediate plan of action

Reflection

Drought DefinitionDrought is a natural disaster

Drought refers to a water shortage (National Museum Australia, n.d.)

“Perth rainfall” (Water corporation, 2014)

The reason Australia is prone to droughtGeographic location (National Museum Australia, n.d.)

Flat continent

“University campuses” (Flickr, n.d.)

Rainfall totals for Australia over 24 months

“Twenty four monthly rainfall totals for Australia” (Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology, 2014)

Sustainable practices to effectively manage drought Sustainable farming practices Drought monitoring Effective & Efficient water storage Water recycling Everyone can do their bit to conserve

water

The 1992 National Drought Policy changed focus from a natural disaster to encouraging good risk management practices by farmers

(Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry, 2012)

Immediate Plan of Action To live sustainably in Australia, farmers,

communities and cities need to adopt strategies to conserve water and effectively manage environmental conditions

These sustainable solutions include:1. Working with the land (National Museum

Australia, n.d.)

2. Water recycling options3. Water storage solutions4. Continued research into sustainable

solutions to conserve and store water5. Conserve water

Reflection Actions to improve sustainability are both

individual and collective endeavours shared across local and global communities (Australian Curriculum Assessment & Reporting Authority, 2014)

Everyone can do there bit to conserve water

The Western Australian Government is already planning for the future of Perth with plans for a water recycling facility

As rainfall declines in Perth and demand rises due to population increases the Western Australian

State Government has confirmed plans for a water recycling plan in Perth. Potentially providing up to 115 billion litres of water a year by 2060 (Mercer, 2014)

Is it possible to ‘drought-proof’ Australia?Based on the evidence drought is a natural part of the Australian environment, therefore to reduce the impact of drought, Australia needs to be less vulnerable “Waiting for the rains to come” (Flickr, 2012)

ReferencesAustralian Curriculum Assessment & Reporting Authority, (ACARA). (2014).

Retrieved from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/CrossCurriculumPriorities/Sustainability

 Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology. (2014). Twenty four monthly

rainfall totals for Australia [image]. Retrieved from http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/awap/rain/index.jsp?colour=colour&time=latest&step=0&map=totals&period=24month&area=nat

 Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. (2012). Drought in Australia.

Retrieved from http://www.daff.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/2148922/Drought_in_Australia_2012.pdf

 Flickr. (2010). Massive Droughts [image]. Retrieved from

http://indianapublicmedia.org/eartheats/files/2010/11/drought-940x626.jpg Flickr. (n.d.). University campuses [image]. Retrieved from

http://www.curtin.edu/images/locations/locations-map-singapore.png  

References continued

Flickr. (2012). Waiting for the Rains to Come [image]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/graynomad/6985034572

 Mercer, D. (2014, June 12). Perth faces wastewater reality. The West Australian,

Retrieved from https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/24218183/perth-faces-wastewater-reality/

 National Museum Australia. (n.d.). Investigating drought – its causes, impacts,

management. Retrieved from http://www.nma.gov.au/engage-learn/schools/classroom-resources/units_of_work/drought

 Water Corporation. (2014). Perth rainfall table [image]. Retrieved from

https://www.watercorporation.com.au/water-supply-and-services/rainfall-and-dams/rainfall