BruceK
Moderator Emeritus
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- Oct 31, 2011
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Eastern Australia is in drought. It is serious,farmers are in real trouble. Probably the worst drought in 100years. Plenty of organizations are providing help, trucking feed from places unaffected distant regions despite the cost of feed and transport. And trucking in water too, cattle drink around 70 litres a day. But it`s rain they need, neither well wishers or Government can create that.
Drought is nothing new. It`s well over 100 years since Dorothea Mackellar wrote her poem "My Country",observing Australia a country "of droughts and flooding rains". Experience says it will rain, but it hasn`t, in rural areas,for around 2 years. The dry El Nino conditions currently have no predicted end. Coastal areas are less affected,but head inland, the effects are apparent. Australia looks like a big country, it is, but the further from the coast the less reliable the water needed for agriculture and the ability of the land to support a population.
At present the extreme dry is exacerbated by typical August westerly winds. Combine low humidity,dry undergrowth,wind, the risk of ignition from various sources, and the result is bush/wild fires,many uncontrolled, threatening property and people.Yesterday a very experienced water bombing helo pilot died when the attached water bucket line was fouled and brought the aircraft down.
Today winds are forecast around 30 knots. The Port Stephens area is at risk,somewhere I`ve always wanted to go cruising. It`s not a day to take the boat out,it won`t be pleasant doing some capping refinishing, but we will, and checking lines is a must in conditions like this.
These inconveniences pale into insignificance when we see parched paddocks, live stock at risk,depleted breeding stock as they cannot be fed and watered,and an inability to grow feed, and food, for people and animals. Major events like this can even cause recession. The effects on members of the farming communities are not pretty to watch either, they work long and hard in distressing conditions, trying to keep the farm going.
Until it rains.
Drought is nothing new. It`s well over 100 years since Dorothea Mackellar wrote her poem "My Country",observing Australia a country "of droughts and flooding rains". Experience says it will rain, but it hasn`t, in rural areas,for around 2 years. The dry El Nino conditions currently have no predicted end. Coastal areas are less affected,but head inland, the effects are apparent. Australia looks like a big country, it is, but the further from the coast the less reliable the water needed for agriculture and the ability of the land to support a population.
At present the extreme dry is exacerbated by typical August westerly winds. Combine low humidity,dry undergrowth,wind, the risk of ignition from various sources, and the result is bush/wild fires,many uncontrolled, threatening property and people.Yesterday a very experienced water bombing helo pilot died when the attached water bucket line was fouled and brought the aircraft down.
Today winds are forecast around 30 knots. The Port Stephens area is at risk,somewhere I`ve always wanted to go cruising. It`s not a day to take the boat out,it won`t be pleasant doing some capping refinishing, but we will, and checking lines is a must in conditions like this.
These inconveniences pale into insignificance when we see parched paddocks, live stock at risk,depleted breeding stock as they cannot be fed and watered,and an inability to grow feed, and food, for people and animals. Major events like this can even cause recession. The effects on members of the farming communities are not pretty to watch either, they work long and hard in distressing conditions, trying to keep the farm going.
Until it rains.