Murray-Darling Basin drought enters uncharted territory

The drought being experienced along the Murray-Darling Basin is now officially the worst on record, surpassing both the Federation and Millennium droughts.

Records have fallen as the drought being experienced along the Murray-Darling Basin reaches unseen levels.

Bureau of Meteorology manager climate services David Jones said rainfall across the basin in the last 30 months had been the lowest ever, and this lack of rainfall had been coupled with record heat.

“This is the most severe drought we’ve seen in terms of rainfall totals and general run-off in 120 years of records. It’s as bad as it gets,” he said.

Storages in the northern part of the basin were now close to empty at 6.8 per cent, while the outlook was brighter in the southern basin, with storages at 46.2 per cent.

Mr Jones said the significant rainfall needed to recharge the system was unlikely in the near future.

“The prospect for relief is pretty limited in the next three months,” Mr Jones said.

With the outlook for wet conditions along the basin fairly slim in the coming months, University of Melbourne professor Rob Vertessy said support for the Murray-Darling Basin Plan was more important than ever.

Prof Vertessy is one of 23 scientists to write an open letter to media outlets saying the plan was being “unfairly maligned”.

“We worry that negative populist rhetoric may hold sway and derail the basin water reform process entirely,” he said.

“Everyone along the basin is facing a very challenging future and that’s why the plan is absolutely crucial.”

Prof Vertessy said claims that the plan offered no environmental benefit were false.

“It is the largest redirection of water to the environment that has ever been made in any large river basin in the world.”