The Big Dry  

The BBC notes that the Australian drought is still continuing, presumably due to global warming, which has made for a good autumn at the beach. With dam levels falling (Sydney's main water supply is now at a record low 36% of capacity), I'm starting to wonder what happens if the drought continues for a few more years.

Australia has had one of its warmest Aprils on record, opting for sun block and air conditioning, rather than autumn woollies and heaters. "It was a very spectacular departure from normal," said Peter Dunda from the Bureau of Meteorology in Sydney.

In parts of New South Wales, temperatures hovered just below 30C - more than five degrees above the average. It has not only been warm, it has also been very dry. Only once before since 1910 has Australia had so little rain in the period from January to April.

As a result, much of the country is in the grip of an unyielding drought, with an increasing number of farmers receiving emergency government aid. Weather forecasters are warning that Australia's 'Big Dry' could get even worse.

All of which makes for worrying times in a county used to climatic extremes. Many Australians are already living with tough water restrictions. Supply levels at dams supplying Sydney have never been lower. The New South Wales State government is considering a controversial desalination plant as a solution to dwindling supplies of fresh water. It had previously dismissed the idea as too expensive and ecologically damaging.

One aspect of low water supplies I hadn't considered before today is the need for a large supply of water to be available to cool power plants. As dam levels fall the energy companies will be looking at how to guarantee their water supplies.

Richard Duncan's grim predictions for the future specify that once the grids go down the game is up - say goodbye to industrial society. He was looking at lack of oil as the driver - but maybe water is every bit as important.

Perhaps we should be creating a strategic water reserve as well as a strategic petroleum reserve (hang on - we don't have one of them either !).

Technorati tags: peak oil