We can't make it rain. But you are already helping if you don't use more water than you need. And you can talk to your parents about the planet getting warmer, because the heat makes drought worse.
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Articles on Drought
Displaying 1 - 20 of 257 articles
Cities relied entirely on conserving and recycling water to get through the last big drought. We now have desalination plants, but getting the most out of our water reserves still makes sense.
Australia's subtropical regions are drying, but if we can slow the global temperature rise then rainfall should increase again.
Sydney and Melbourne are bringing desalination plants back on stream and Adelaide plans to increase its plant's output. Perth depends on desalination. But is it the best way to achieve water security?
Freshwater fish are suffering as drought becomes more common and severe. Whether they survive will depend on how governments manage rivers and lakes, and on taking action against climate change.
New satellite-based research shows there is at least as much value in knowing how much water is left for plants to use as there is in knowing how much rain may be on the way.
Banking water minimises the impact of evaporation and means that water can also be recycled from various sources.
A decade of bipartisan research has provided plenty of answers to the problems plaguing the Darling River.
Forests in the US face many threats: climate change, invasive species, pests and pathogens. Could genetically engineering trees make these plants more resilient?
Mass fish deaths are a blaring warning sign for the heath of the Murray Darling Basin, but just as worrying is the sight of dry areas in the Darling.
Public confidence in the institutions in charge of the Murray Darling Basin has plummeted – with good reason.
2018 was Australia’s third warmest year on record, as the NSW drought dragged into another year.
Climate change threatens to cause mass extinctions – but how, exactly? New research suggests male fertility may be the weakest link.
The microbes living in the soils around plant roots can help plants deal with a variety of stresses.
Australia is facing an increase in extreme heat, fire danger weather, floods and marine heatwaves, according to the latest biennial snapshot from the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO.
Water supply systems weren't designed to deal with altering weather patterns brought about by climate change. This needs to change.
Water and power cuts prompted by reduced rainfall and drought in Southern Africa have caused major problems for business.
Some observers have blamed recent wildfires on poor forest management, while others point to climate change. In fact, a climate scientist explains, reducing fire risks means tackling both issues.
Research shows water restrictions can mean well-off households have to cut down on leisure and luxury. For disadvantaged households, and particularly women, it is a different story.
South Africa is a water stressed country but crisis point can be avoided.
Top contributors
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Climate Scientist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology
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Manager of Long-range Forecast Services, Australian Bureau of Meteorology
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Climate scientist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology
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Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University
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ARC DECRA fellow, University of Melbourne
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Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
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Agus Santoso is a Friend of The Conversation.
Senior Research Associate, UNSW
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Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Global Change Institute, University of the Witwatersrand
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Senior Lecturer in Environmental & Geographical Science, University of Cape Town
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Climate Scientist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology
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Principal Research Scientist, Wealth from Oceans Flagship, CSIRO
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Research Fellow in Climate and Water Resources, University of Melbourne
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Senior Climatologist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology
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Professor of Atmospheric Science, University of Melbourne
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University of Technology Sydney
