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California taps Australia’s expertise in coping with drought

Posted by: Maven on December 21, 2009 at 6:26 am

From the Riverside Press-Enterprise:

“California’s water experts struggling with drought and other supply crises are looking for coping strategies in Australia, where life has changed amid a 13-year dry spell and rising temperatures.

A 10-person Western delegation recently toured Australian cities to get a handle on how the country has responded to its shortages.

Australia is suffering the driest period in more than a century of record keeping and scientists say it is most likely the result of climate change. The drought and heat have brought deadly fires and agricultural collapse, problems similar to what California has experienced on a lesser scale.

The tour group included Wendy Martin, the state’s drought coordinator at the Department of Water Resources, who said she was struck by the effectiveness of conservation measures there. Water use is about 40 gallons per person, per day, including outdoor watering. California’s per-capita average is 200 gallons.

“We have a lot of room to improve, that was one of the striking messages,” Martin said. … “

Read more from the Riverside Press-Enterprise by clicking here.

December 21, 2009 · Filed Under General Water Issues

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