Water Conservation - Major Australian River Runs Dry
As the picture here shows, Australia's Murray-Darling River system has run dry; spelling devastating news for the already struggling farmers and vineyards, and also set to hit consumers in the pocket.
Australia's Prime Minister, John Howard, announced that drought-weary farmers would have their irrigation rights turned off, meaing many growers of annual crops such as vegetables, rice and cotton face a year with no income.
Growers of perennial crops such as citrus and grapes will be hit even worse - If these trees and vines die, it takes between five and seven years for them to regrow sufficiently to harvest.
Experts are predicting price increases within weeks - fresh produce is likely to become very expensive, and the ability to buy cheap wine is likely to to disappear altogether.
Australia's government needs to help farmers meet the costs of irrigation, and watering and feeding of their live-stock.
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