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Article: Drying out; Australia.(Australian rivers)
- Article from:
- The Economist (US)
- Article date:
- July 12, 2003
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The country's main river system is faltering
THE mouth of the Murray, Australia's principal river, has dried up. For only the second time since European settlement 215 years ago, the river system that feeds most of the country has stopped flowing to the sea. The depleted Murray's salt levels are rising, leaving Adelaide, one of Australia's biggest cities, facing a big problem: its water supply will be undrinkable in 20 years unless a way can be found to restore the river to health.
Australians have been reminded of the fragility of life in a dry continent. A drought that that has been ravaging much of eastern Australia for the past 18 months is only part ...