Texas Drought May Have Killed 500 Million Trees
Forests are among the most long-established habitats on the planet, forming their delicately balanced ecosystems over centuries -- and a new study in light of Texas's ongoing drought proves how quickly they can be decimated. According to the Texas Forest Service, as many as 500 million trees in the state -- roughly 10 percent of the forests there -- have been killed within the last year alone as a result of 2011's bizarre lack of rainfall. To make matters worse, the massive die-off may just be the first in a long line as climatologists predict more severe drought to come as climate change worsens over the next century.
Forestry officials recently surveyed trees throughout 63 million acres of drought-riddled Texas and say what they found that months of record heat and stiflingly arid conditioned have left anywhere between 100 million to as many as half-a-billion trees dead. Texas Forestry Service directory Tom Boggus calls the findings "very shocking", adding that they've witnessed "a significant change in the landscape."
According to the American-Statesmen, the loss of plant-life in Texas due to the drought may be worse yet. The study did not factor in the millions of trees that perished due to drought-related wildfires, which, in 2011, were particularly damaging.
The survey is based on the collective reports of local forestry professionals who were asked to measure the drought's toll in their areas.
They were asked to focus only on trees that had died from the 2011 drought and exclude "background mortality" from earlier droughts or drought-aided diseases, such as oak wilt.
Only trees of 5 inches or more in diameter, the point at which saplings become trees, were counted.
While it may be too soon to tell what role climate change has had on this tree-killing drought, it already has surpassed previous records; experts say that the dry-spell is the worst to hit Texas since rainfall data was first collected in 1895. Climatologists have already warned of a lack of rainfall associated with the global warming phenomena, but perhaps never before has the scale of a damage that results been measured so close to home.
In light of the Forest Service's survey, and the economic hit suffered by Texas's lumber industry from the undeniably abnormal drought, state officials may have no other choice but to address climate change as a reality.
http://www.treehugger.com/climate-change/texas-drought-may-have-killed-500-million-trees.html
Showing posts with label drought. Show all posts
Showing posts with label drought. Show all posts
Friday, December 23, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
For the first time in 75 years, an entire genus of mammal is on the brink of extinction
You're looking at three of the last known hirola on Earth. Since the 1970s, unregulated hunting, habitat destruction and drought linked to climate change have driven the number of these large African antelopes living in Kenya and Somalia from over 14,000 to fewer than 400.
Of course, countless species go extinct every day — even the most conservative estimates show that the world is losing species at a rate 100 times greater than the world has seen in thousands of years.
But these hirola are not only among the last of their species, they're among the last of an entire genus — the taxonomic rank above species and below family. (As a point of reference, if the genus Canis were to go extinct, it would mean the disappearance of the planet's dogs, wolves, coyotes, jackals, and numerous other species.)
If the critically endangered hirola cannot be saved, it will be the first time the Earth has lost an entire genus of mammal in three-quarters of a century. (The death of the last known Tasmanian tiger in 1936 spelled not only the end of the genus Thylacinus, but the family Thylacinidae, as well.)
According to National Geographic, conservation efforts to save the hirola are already well under way; the Ishaqbini Hirola Community Conservancy is in the process of erecting what it claims will be a predator-free sanctuary for the species.
Whether or not hirola should be considered any more important, from a conservation standpoint, than any other animal facing the threat of extinction is obviously a subject for debate. But the more important question raised by the plight of the hirola is whether it heralds the coming of an age where the term "endangered genus" (or even "endangered family") will become as commonplace as "endangered species" is today. With levels of global biodiversity declining as rapidly as they are, such a future is frighteningly easy to envision.
http://io9.com/5857522/for-the-first-time-in-75-years-an-entire-genus-of-mammal-is-on-the-brink-of-extinction
Of course, countless species go extinct every day — even the most conservative estimates show that the world is losing species at a rate 100 times greater than the world has seen in thousands of years.
But these hirola are not only among the last of their species, they're among the last of an entire genus — the taxonomic rank above species and below family. (As a point of reference, if the genus Canis were to go extinct, it would mean the disappearance of the planet's dogs, wolves, coyotes, jackals, and numerous other species.)
If the critically endangered hirola cannot be saved, it will be the first time the Earth has lost an entire genus of mammal in three-quarters of a century. (The death of the last known Tasmanian tiger in 1936 spelled not only the end of the genus Thylacinus, but the family Thylacinidae, as well.)
According to National Geographic, conservation efforts to save the hirola are already well under way; the Ishaqbini Hirola Community Conservancy is in the process of erecting what it claims will be a predator-free sanctuary for the species.
Whether or not hirola should be considered any more important, from a conservation standpoint, than any other animal facing the threat of extinction is obviously a subject for debate. But the more important question raised by the plight of the hirola is whether it heralds the coming of an age where the term "endangered genus" (or even "endangered family") will become as commonplace as "endangered species" is today. With levels of global biodiversity declining as rapidly as they are, such a future is frighteningly easy to envision.
http://io9.com/5857522/for-the-first-time-in-75-years-an-entire-genus-of-mammal-is-on-the-brink-of-extinction
Monday, November 8, 2010
Pink river dolphins at risk from drought
Numbers of the rare pink river dolphin, or Bufeo as it is known to indigenous people, have almost halved over the past year, according to a survey by conservation experts.
They say severe drought that has been moving down the Amazon basin from the upper reaches of the river in Peru have caused fish populations to plummet.
This has left the Amazon river dolphins, which can grow to more than 9 feet in length, struggling to find enough food. Surveys conducted in the Peruvian Amazon have revealed a 47 per cent drop in numbers.
Dr Richard Bodmer, an ecologist from the University of Kent and the Wildlife Conservation Society who has been working with environmental charity Earthwatch to monitor changes in the area, said extremely low water levels in tributaries to the Amazon River had dramatically impacted on dolphin numbers.
He said that as the drought has moved further downstream, similar effects are being seen elsewhere in the Amazon basin.
He said: "This year there has been quite a difference in the numbers of pink river dolphins we are seeing.
"They are an important river species that tell us a lot about the health of the aquatic habitat in the river.
"The drought in the Amazon has been extremely harsh and water levels have been very low. We saw large numbers of dead fish when we were moving around on the river.
"This has a knock-on effect for a lot of species and especially the river dolphins that are being forced to seek refuge in some of the larger channels of the Amazon."
Pink river dolphins, which are only found in the Amazon, are the largest species of river dolphin and are the only one able to turn their neck, a trait that has evolved to help the aquatic mammals navigate around underwater tree roots.
Whereas most dolphin species have a distinctive dorsal fin, the pink river dolphin has a hump on its back. It has fully adapted to the freshwater environment and unlike other river dolphins is unable to live in salt water. Its skin colour ranges from off-white to bright pink.
In Peru and throughout the Amazon, the pink river dolphin has an almost-mythical status among indigenous populations. It is considered bad luck to kill one. There are many legends that describe these elusive creatures as shape-shifters.
Dr Bodmer said: "The drought that was seen in Peru has now moved down into Brazil, and we will almost certainly be seeing similar affects on the wildlife there."
A state of emergency has been declared in many parts of the Amazon after the area has experienced its worst drought for many years.
The dry spell reached its peak in the upper reaches of the South American river in late August and now the impact of the low water levels are moving downstream, leaving many smaller channels and tributaries almost completely dry. Brazil's Rio Negro has fallen to its lowest level in a century.
Dr Bodmer studied the impacts on wildlife in the Samiria River, which is a major tributary to the Amazon in Peru.
He found that there were half as many pink river dolphins in the river as there were last year. He also found that numbers of a smaller, related dolphin, the grey river dolphin, had fallen by 49 per cent.
Other animals affected by the low water levels include the spectacled caiman, a smaller relative of the crocodile. Birds have also suffered, including the chestnut-fronted macaw.
Dr Bodmer said the drought in the Amazon this year gave a stark warning of what could happen if global temperatures continue to rise under climate change.
He added: "If the extreme climatic events continue, both the wildlife and the local people will be severely impacted."
Conservation experts have also warned the dolphins are under threat from Amazonian fishermen who are increasingly slaughtering the creatures to use as bait.
Wendy Elliott, the WWF's species manager for whales and dolphins, said: "River dolphins are really fascinating creatures that much of the world has overlooked. They manage to live in rivers where others couldn't; they are very special.
"When we see river dolphin populations declining it is the first sign that the river system isn't healthy."
By Richard Gray, Science Correspondent
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/8114754/Pink-river-dolphins-at-risk-from-drought.html
They say severe drought that has been moving down the Amazon basin from the upper reaches of the river in Peru have caused fish populations to plummet.
This has left the Amazon river dolphins, which can grow to more than 9 feet in length, struggling to find enough food. Surveys conducted in the Peruvian Amazon have revealed a 47 per cent drop in numbers.
Dr Richard Bodmer, an ecologist from the University of Kent and the Wildlife Conservation Society who has been working with environmental charity Earthwatch to monitor changes in the area, said extremely low water levels in tributaries to the Amazon River had dramatically impacted on dolphin numbers.
He said that as the drought has moved further downstream, similar effects are being seen elsewhere in the Amazon basin.
He said: "This year there has been quite a difference in the numbers of pink river dolphins we are seeing.
"They are an important river species that tell us a lot about the health of the aquatic habitat in the river.
"The drought in the Amazon has been extremely harsh and water levels have been very low. We saw large numbers of dead fish when we were moving around on the river.
"This has a knock-on effect for a lot of species and especially the river dolphins that are being forced to seek refuge in some of the larger channels of the Amazon."
Pink river dolphins, which are only found in the Amazon, are the largest species of river dolphin and are the only one able to turn their neck, a trait that has evolved to help the aquatic mammals navigate around underwater tree roots.
Whereas most dolphin species have a distinctive dorsal fin, the pink river dolphin has a hump on its back. It has fully adapted to the freshwater environment and unlike other river dolphins is unable to live in salt water. Its skin colour ranges from off-white to bright pink.
In Peru and throughout the Amazon, the pink river dolphin has an almost-mythical status among indigenous populations. It is considered bad luck to kill one. There are many legends that describe these elusive creatures as shape-shifters.
Dr Bodmer said: "The drought that was seen in Peru has now moved down into Brazil, and we will almost certainly be seeing similar affects on the wildlife there."
A state of emergency has been declared in many parts of the Amazon after the area has experienced its worst drought for many years.
The dry spell reached its peak in the upper reaches of the South American river in late August and now the impact of the low water levels are moving downstream, leaving many smaller channels and tributaries almost completely dry. Brazil's Rio Negro has fallen to its lowest level in a century.
Dr Bodmer studied the impacts on wildlife in the Samiria River, which is a major tributary to the Amazon in Peru.
He found that there were half as many pink river dolphins in the river as there were last year. He also found that numbers of a smaller, related dolphin, the grey river dolphin, had fallen by 49 per cent.
Other animals affected by the low water levels include the spectacled caiman, a smaller relative of the crocodile. Birds have also suffered, including the chestnut-fronted macaw.
Dr Bodmer said the drought in the Amazon this year gave a stark warning of what could happen if global temperatures continue to rise under climate change.
He added: "If the extreme climatic events continue, both the wildlife and the local people will be severely impacted."
Conservation experts have also warned the dolphins are under threat from Amazonian fishermen who are increasingly slaughtering the creatures to use as bait.
Wendy Elliott, the WWF's species manager for whales and dolphins, said: "River dolphins are really fascinating creatures that much of the world has overlooked. They manage to live in rivers where others couldn't; they are very special.
"When we see river dolphin populations declining it is the first sign that the river system isn't healthy."
By Richard Gray, Science Correspondent
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/8114754/Pink-river-dolphins-at-risk-from-drought.html
Pink river dolphins at risk from drought
Numbers of the rare pink river dolphin, or Bufeo as it is known to indigenous people, have almost halved over the past year, according to a survey by conservation experts.
They say severe drought that has been moving down the Amazon basin from the upper reaches of the river in Peru have caused fish populations to plummet.
This has left the Amazon river dolphins, which can grow to more than 9 feet in length, struggling to find enough food. Surveys conducted in the Peruvian Amazon have revealed a 47 per cent drop in numbers.
Dr Richard Bodmer, an ecologist from the University of Kent and the Wildlife Conservation Society who has been working with environmental charity Earthwatch to monitor changes in the area, said extremely low water levels in tributaries to the Amazon River had dramatically impacted on dolphin numbers.
He said that as the drought has moved further downstream, similar effects are being seen elsewhere in the Amazon basin.
He said: "This year there has been quite a difference in the numbers of pink river dolphins we are seeing.
"They are an important river species that tell us a lot about the health of the aquatic habitat in the river.
"The drought in the Amazon has been extremely harsh and water levels have been very low. We saw large numbers of dead fish when we were moving around on the river.
"This has a knock-on effect for a lot of species and especially the river dolphins that are being forced to seek refuge in some of the larger channels of the Amazon."
Pink river dolphins, which are only found in the Amazon, are the largest species of river dolphin and are the only one able to turn their neck, a trait that has evolved to help the aquatic mammals navigate around underwater tree roots.
Whereas most dolphin species have a distinctive dorsal fin, the pink river dolphin has a hump on its back. It has fully adapted to the freshwater environment and unlike other river dolphins is unable to live in salt water. Its skin colour ranges from off-white to bright pink.
In Peru and throughout the Amazon, the pink river dolphin has an almost-mythical status among indigenous populations. It is considered bad luck to kill one. There are many legends that describe these elusive creatures as shape-shifters.
Dr Bodmer said: "The drought that was seen in Peru has now moved down into Brazil, and we will almost certainly be seeing similar affects on the wildlife there."
A state of emergency has been declared in many parts of the Amazon after the area has experienced its worst drought for many years.
The dry spell reached its peak in the upper reaches of the South American river in late August and now the impact of the low water levels are moving downstream, leaving many smaller channels and tributaries almost completely dry. Brazil's Rio Negro has fallen to its lowest level in a century.
Dr Bodmer studied the impacts on wildlife in the Samiria River, which is a major tributary to the Amazon in Peru.
He found that there were half as many pink river dolphins in the river as there were last year. He also found that numbers of a smaller, related dolphin, the grey river dolphin, had fallen by 49 per cent.
Other animals affected by the low water levels include the spectacled caiman, a smaller relative of the crocodile. Birds have also suffered, including the chestnut-fronted macaw.
Dr Bodmer said the drought in the Amazon this year gave a stark warning of what could happen if global temperatures continue to rise under climate change.
He added: "If the extreme climatic events continue, both the wildlife and the local people will be severely impacted."
Conservation experts have also warned the dolphins are under threat from Amazonian fishermen who are increasingly slaughtering the creatures to use as bait.
Wendy Elliott, the WWF's species manager for whales and dolphins, said: "River dolphins are really fascinating creatures that much of the world has overlooked. They manage to live in rivers where others couldn't; they are very special.
"When we see river dolphin populations declining it is the first sign that the river system isn't healthy."
By Richard Gray, Science Correspondent
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/8114754/Pink-river-dolphins-at-risk-from-drought.html
They say severe drought that has been moving down the Amazon basin from the upper reaches of the river in Peru have caused fish populations to plummet.
This has left the Amazon river dolphins, which can grow to more than 9 feet in length, struggling to find enough food. Surveys conducted in the Peruvian Amazon have revealed a 47 per cent drop in numbers.
Dr Richard Bodmer, an ecologist from the University of Kent and the Wildlife Conservation Society who has been working with environmental charity Earthwatch to monitor changes in the area, said extremely low water levels in tributaries to the Amazon River had dramatically impacted on dolphin numbers.
He said that as the drought has moved further downstream, similar effects are being seen elsewhere in the Amazon basin.
He said: "This year there has been quite a difference in the numbers of pink river dolphins we are seeing.
"They are an important river species that tell us a lot about the health of the aquatic habitat in the river.
"The drought in the Amazon has been extremely harsh and water levels have been very low. We saw large numbers of dead fish when we were moving around on the river.
"This has a knock-on effect for a lot of species and especially the river dolphins that are being forced to seek refuge in some of the larger channels of the Amazon."
Pink river dolphins, which are only found in the Amazon, are the largest species of river dolphin and are the only one able to turn their neck, a trait that has evolved to help the aquatic mammals navigate around underwater tree roots.
Whereas most dolphin species have a distinctive dorsal fin, the pink river dolphin has a hump on its back. It has fully adapted to the freshwater environment and unlike other river dolphins is unable to live in salt water. Its skin colour ranges from off-white to bright pink.
In Peru and throughout the Amazon, the pink river dolphin has an almost-mythical status among indigenous populations. It is considered bad luck to kill one. There are many legends that describe these elusive creatures as shape-shifters.
Dr Bodmer said: "The drought that was seen in Peru has now moved down into Brazil, and we will almost certainly be seeing similar affects on the wildlife there."
A state of emergency has been declared in many parts of the Amazon after the area has experienced its worst drought for many years.
The dry spell reached its peak in the upper reaches of the South American river in late August and now the impact of the low water levels are moving downstream, leaving many smaller channels and tributaries almost completely dry. Brazil's Rio Negro has fallen to its lowest level in a century.
Dr Bodmer studied the impacts on wildlife in the Samiria River, which is a major tributary to the Amazon in Peru.
He found that there were half as many pink river dolphins in the river as there were last year. He also found that numbers of a smaller, related dolphin, the grey river dolphin, had fallen by 49 per cent.
Other animals affected by the low water levels include the spectacled caiman, a smaller relative of the crocodile. Birds have also suffered, including the chestnut-fronted macaw.
Dr Bodmer said the drought in the Amazon this year gave a stark warning of what could happen if global temperatures continue to rise under climate change.
He added: "If the extreme climatic events continue, both the wildlife and the local people will be severely impacted."
Conservation experts have also warned the dolphins are under threat from Amazonian fishermen who are increasingly slaughtering the creatures to use as bait.
Wendy Elliott, the WWF's species manager for whales and dolphins, said: "River dolphins are really fascinating creatures that much of the world has overlooked. They manage to live in rivers where others couldn't; they are very special.
"When we see river dolphin populations declining it is the first sign that the river system isn't healthy."
By Richard Gray, Science Correspondent
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/8114754/Pink-river-dolphins-at-risk-from-drought.html
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Water crisis in west as Lachlan River runs dry
Marian Wilkinson and Ben Cubby
October 24, 2009
THOUSANDS of households in western NSW are facing an unprecedented water crisis and the State Government is stepping up plans to help truck water to several towns, while others will be restricted to using water only for critical human needs.
The Lachlan River is expected to cease flowing west of Condobolin within weeks after the decision was taken yesterday to at least halve water flows from the region's biggest dam, Wyangala, on November 1.
A telephone hook-up of state officials, community representatives and farmers in the Lachlan Valley confirmed measures that would be taken to cope with the crisis, which follows the failure of spring rains. It is feared that Wyangala could run dry by mid-summer.
''I don't think people understand that, under the present conditions, by next April the dam will have less than 1 per cent left in it,'' said the chairman of Lachlan Valley Water, Dennis Moxey.
''Towns like Cowra and Forbes may not have any water, either. There are going to be hundreds, even thousands, of households that will have to truck water in to … live in their houses or they will have to walk away. I never imaged it could get this bad.''
The Department of Water and Energy triggered plans yesterday for slashing flows and supplying water to suffering towns south and west of Condobolin.
The drought gripping the valley has caused the water level in Wyangala dam drop to 6 per cent. At full capacity the dam holds twice the water in Sydney Harbour and helps sustain the 100,000 people in the region.
"The Government will never let a town run out of water,'' said the Water Minister, Phillip Costa. ''Government agencies are working with local water utilities in the area on a range of emergency drought works to strengthen town supplies and continue water delivery, should the situation continue to worsen.''
A senior official in the Department of Water and Energy, Peter Christmas, said slashing flows to keep only part of the river flowing had not been tried since the dam was built in 1935.
''I don't think there were any heads in the sand; people were aware of it and hoping against hope that it would have to happen. Now that it's going to happen, it has really hit home.
''The whole Lachlan Valley's been in drought for the seventh year this year, and I'm just absolutely amazed at the resilience of these people. But for some, I don't know whether this will be the last straw.''
Wal Dawson farms beef cattle, merinos and cereal along a Lachlan tributary south of Condobolin, just after the point where the water flows stop.
''The situation for us is unprecedented,'' Mr Dawson said. ''My family's been around here since the 1800s and they survived a lot but I don't know if they could survive today, because this is coming on top of eight years of drought.''
Water is expected to stop flowing down the tributary near his property within weeks.
Another farmer, Barry Crouch, said allocating the remaining litres was already becoming a source of tension between those in towns and on farms.
''We haven't used our irrigation pump since 2003 because we haven't had the allocations but we will have to forgo our water because they are sending it to the town. The question is, how do you cut a drop of water in half?''
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/water-issues/water-crisis-in-west-as-lachlan-river-runs-dry-20091023-hdce.html
October 24, 2009
THOUSANDS of households in western NSW are facing an unprecedented water crisis and the State Government is stepping up plans to help truck water to several towns, while others will be restricted to using water only for critical human needs.
The Lachlan River is expected to cease flowing west of Condobolin within weeks after the decision was taken yesterday to at least halve water flows from the region's biggest dam, Wyangala, on November 1.
A telephone hook-up of state officials, community representatives and farmers in the Lachlan Valley confirmed measures that would be taken to cope with the crisis, which follows the failure of spring rains. It is feared that Wyangala could run dry by mid-summer.
''I don't think people understand that, under the present conditions, by next April the dam will have less than 1 per cent left in it,'' said the chairman of Lachlan Valley Water, Dennis Moxey.
''Towns like Cowra and Forbes may not have any water, either. There are going to be hundreds, even thousands, of households that will have to truck water in to … live in their houses or they will have to walk away. I never imaged it could get this bad.''
The Department of Water and Energy triggered plans yesterday for slashing flows and supplying water to suffering towns south and west of Condobolin.
The drought gripping the valley has caused the water level in Wyangala dam drop to 6 per cent. At full capacity the dam holds twice the water in Sydney Harbour and helps sustain the 100,000 people in the region.
"The Government will never let a town run out of water,'' said the Water Minister, Phillip Costa. ''Government agencies are working with local water utilities in the area on a range of emergency drought works to strengthen town supplies and continue water delivery, should the situation continue to worsen.''
A senior official in the Department of Water and Energy, Peter Christmas, said slashing flows to keep only part of the river flowing had not been tried since the dam was built in 1935.
''I don't think there were any heads in the sand; people were aware of it and hoping against hope that it would have to happen. Now that it's going to happen, it has really hit home.
''The whole Lachlan Valley's been in drought for the seventh year this year, and I'm just absolutely amazed at the resilience of these people. But for some, I don't know whether this will be the last straw.''
Wal Dawson farms beef cattle, merinos and cereal along a Lachlan tributary south of Condobolin, just after the point where the water flows stop.
''The situation for us is unprecedented,'' Mr Dawson said. ''My family's been around here since the 1800s and they survived a lot but I don't know if they could survive today, because this is coming on top of eight years of drought.''
Water is expected to stop flowing down the tributary near his property within weeks.
Another farmer, Barry Crouch, said allocating the remaining litres was already becoming a source of tension between those in towns and on farms.
''We haven't used our irrigation pump since 2003 because we haven't had the allocations but we will have to forgo our water because they are sending it to the town. The question is, how do you cut a drop of water in half?''
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/water-issues/water-crisis-in-west-as-lachlan-river-runs-dry-20091023-hdce.html
Water crisis in west as Lachlan River runs dry
Marian Wilkinson and Ben Cubby
October 24, 2009
THOUSANDS of households in western NSW are facing an unprecedented water crisis and the State Government is stepping up plans to help truck water to several towns, while others will be restricted to using water only for critical human needs.
The Lachlan River is expected to cease flowing west of Condobolin within weeks after the decision was taken yesterday to at least halve water flows from the region's biggest dam, Wyangala, on November 1.
A telephone hook-up of state officials, community representatives and farmers in the Lachlan Valley confirmed measures that would be taken to cope with the crisis, which follows the failure of spring rains. It is feared that Wyangala could run dry by mid-summer.
''I don't think people understand that, under the present conditions, by next April the dam will have less than 1 per cent left in it,'' said the chairman of Lachlan Valley Water, Dennis Moxey.
''Towns like Cowra and Forbes may not have any water, either. There are going to be hundreds, even thousands, of households that will have to truck water in to … live in their houses or they will have to walk away. I never imaged it could get this bad.''
The Department of Water and Energy triggered plans yesterday for slashing flows and supplying water to suffering towns south and west of Condobolin.
The drought gripping the valley has caused the water level in Wyangala dam drop to 6 per cent. At full capacity the dam holds twice the water in Sydney Harbour and helps sustain the 100,000 people in the region.
"The Government will never let a town run out of water,'' said the Water Minister, Phillip Costa. ''Government agencies are working with local water utilities in the area on a range of emergency drought works to strengthen town supplies and continue water delivery, should the situation continue to worsen.''
A senior official in the Department of Water and Energy, Peter Christmas, said slashing flows to keep only part of the river flowing had not been tried since the dam was built in 1935.
''I don't think there were any heads in the sand; people were aware of it and hoping against hope that it would have to happen. Now that it's going to happen, it has really hit home.
''The whole Lachlan Valley's been in drought for the seventh year this year, and I'm just absolutely amazed at the resilience of these people. But for some, I don't know whether this will be the last straw.''
Wal Dawson farms beef cattle, merinos and cereal along a Lachlan tributary south of Condobolin, just after the point where the water flows stop.
''The situation for us is unprecedented,'' Mr Dawson said. ''My family's been around here since the 1800s and they survived a lot but I don't know if they could survive today, because this is coming on top of eight years of drought.''
Water is expected to stop flowing down the tributary near his property within weeks.
Another farmer, Barry Crouch, said allocating the remaining litres was already becoming a source of tension between those in towns and on farms.
''We haven't used our irrigation pump since 2003 because we haven't had the allocations but we will have to forgo our water because they are sending it to the town. The question is, how do you cut a drop of water in half?''
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/water-issues/water-crisis-in-west-as-lachlan-river-runs-dry-20091023-hdce.html
October 24, 2009
THOUSANDS of households in western NSW are facing an unprecedented water crisis and the State Government is stepping up plans to help truck water to several towns, while others will be restricted to using water only for critical human needs.
The Lachlan River is expected to cease flowing west of Condobolin within weeks after the decision was taken yesterday to at least halve water flows from the region's biggest dam, Wyangala, on November 1.
A telephone hook-up of state officials, community representatives and farmers in the Lachlan Valley confirmed measures that would be taken to cope with the crisis, which follows the failure of spring rains. It is feared that Wyangala could run dry by mid-summer.
''I don't think people understand that, under the present conditions, by next April the dam will have less than 1 per cent left in it,'' said the chairman of Lachlan Valley Water, Dennis Moxey.
''Towns like Cowra and Forbes may not have any water, either. There are going to be hundreds, even thousands, of households that will have to truck water in to … live in their houses or they will have to walk away. I never imaged it could get this bad.''
The Department of Water and Energy triggered plans yesterday for slashing flows and supplying water to suffering towns south and west of Condobolin.
The drought gripping the valley has caused the water level in Wyangala dam drop to 6 per cent. At full capacity the dam holds twice the water in Sydney Harbour and helps sustain the 100,000 people in the region.
"The Government will never let a town run out of water,'' said the Water Minister, Phillip Costa. ''Government agencies are working with local water utilities in the area on a range of emergency drought works to strengthen town supplies and continue water delivery, should the situation continue to worsen.''
A senior official in the Department of Water and Energy, Peter Christmas, said slashing flows to keep only part of the river flowing had not been tried since the dam was built in 1935.
''I don't think there were any heads in the sand; people were aware of it and hoping against hope that it would have to happen. Now that it's going to happen, it has really hit home.
''The whole Lachlan Valley's been in drought for the seventh year this year, and I'm just absolutely amazed at the resilience of these people. But for some, I don't know whether this will be the last straw.''
Wal Dawson farms beef cattle, merinos and cereal along a Lachlan tributary south of Condobolin, just after the point where the water flows stop.
''The situation for us is unprecedented,'' Mr Dawson said. ''My family's been around here since the 1800s and they survived a lot but I don't know if they could survive today, because this is coming on top of eight years of drought.''
Water is expected to stop flowing down the tributary near his property within weeks.
Another farmer, Barry Crouch, said allocating the remaining litres was already becoming a source of tension between those in towns and on farms.
''We haven't used our irrigation pump since 2003 because we haven't had the allocations but we will have to forgo our water because they are sending it to the town. The question is, how do you cut a drop of water in half?''
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/water-issues/water-crisis-in-west-as-lachlan-river-runs-dry-20091023-hdce.html
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