MELBOURNE SERIES—
PARCHED RESERVOIRS
AUSTRALIA IS THE WORLD’S DRIEST INHABITED CONTINENT, AND IT IS GETTING
DRIER DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE. MELBOURNE IS AUSTRALIA’S SECOND LARGEST
CITY. OVER THE LAST DECADE, THE CITY EXPERIENCED ITS WORST DROUGHT EVER AS
WATER STORAGE FELL AS LOW AS 35% IN SUMMER 2010. AMONG ITS MOST STRIKING RESERVOIRS
ARE MAROONDAH AND SUGARLOAF. AS HIGHLY ENGINEERED FEATURES OF THE STATE OF
VICTORIA’S NATURAL LANDSCAPE, THESE LARGE RESERVOIRS HAVE CREATED LOCAL
NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS OF THEIR OWN, INCLUDING LAKES FOR BOATERS AND FISHERMEN.
FORTUNATELY, THE CITY’S RESERVOIRS RECOVERED TO 54% STORAGE CAPACITY
DUE TO FLOODS IN EARLY 2011. BUT MELBOURNE ISN’T TAKING ANY CHANCES.
A $13 BILLION DESALINIZATION PLANT IS SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION BY THE END OF
2011.
Sugarloaf Dam #1, 2010.
