Many are far from geography people believe that the most dry and dry continent in the world - it is Africa, with its renowned deserts.However, this is a profound error.A distant and mysterious Australia, of course, much less in Africa and rarely glimpsed in the international news, but on dry is it takes the first place.Precipitation falling on its territory, in terms of less than 5 times the African.
At the same rivers and lakes have something to feed on, somewhere to get new water to replace that which has evaporated from their surface.The main source of replenishment of evaporated water for most of the rivers in the world are the rains and melting snow, and precipitation is a problem in Australia.So this continent does not have a really big rivers, especially those that could be called abounding.
Area Australian rivers
However, if the island-continent was completely anhydrous, it is unlikely he could boast at least some vegetation and wildlife, and people would not have mastered.So here there are water bodies.
Another thing is that the rivers of Australia for the most part concentrated in the south-east of the country.There shed most of rains that fall on the mainland.That is why it is all the major rivers flowing in Australia, including home - Murray, also enclosed with the influx of Darling.This system begins with the peaks of the mountains, known as the Great Dividing Range, and despite the dry climate does not dry up completely ever.This is due to the fact that Murray is fueled not only rainwater, but also snow, took a fancy to the top of the specified range and the melting properly in due time.That this can be called a full-flowing waterway and shipping, because it (and it's unlike any other river in Australia) is available, even for a fairly heavy vessels throughout the year.We recall that this is not typical for the described part of the land.
should be clarified that the navigability of the Murray, despite the fact that it belongs to the category of "large rivers of Australia", refers only to the bottom of a thousand kilometers (despite the fact that the total length of the river is more than two and a half thousand).And for the deep seated ships Murray generally available: it abounds in sandy shallows, where they block the mouth of it.So that ships with low draft to enter it can not.
Features of Australian rivers
As is known to all who at least something remembered from the lessons of geography, all the rivers of the world must be somewhere to fall.Usually it is the sea or ocean.But Australia and the river is distinguished.Most of the existing ponds drain into the ocean do not have.Moreover, they can be called unstable value.The vast majority of waterways on this continent - drying up of the river in Australia.That is, they are filled with water during the brief but heavy rains, overflowing, flooding the surrounding area, and once again become dry riverbeds.
No less interesting is the fact that some large rivers and lakes of Australia (especially the latter) contain salt water.Actually, it can be said that on this continent problem with the water and with its fresh species.
Darling River
This waterway is something of a cross between Murray and the rest of the rivers.It has no extra "power" in the form of melting snow caps - its source is located far north "elder brother".Like the rest of the river Australia, Darling is on the "dry rations" and basically renews its water due to rainfall.However, it is quite a large waterway, which has a power supply and ground.So in the dry months the river becomes much more shallow, but do not dry up completely.
Australian cries
This word refers to not loudest sounds made by any living creature.So called small and you may say, temporary rivers (watercourses), existing in the rainy season and dry completely in the months of heat.They are characterized by inland desert areas, the most famous of them - the Cooper Creek.To say that the cries - equal River in Australia, it is impossible, but its role in its existence, they act out.
lake system
Lakes in Australia, very little.Moreover, as has been said, they are salted.The largest lake with the name of the Australian Air also not bland.All such ponds is a former inland sea in the territory of Australia.All of them are below sea level, so it is no surprise that freshwater are not encouraging.Rivers and lakes of Australia are closely related.It is fed by river water flow-through lake and just missed them, these ponds dry up, too.That is why the clear outlines of the coast line and the lake has.In the dry season the Australian lake more like our clay career.Even the largest lake in Australia (Eyre) during the hot months is divided into a large number of small ponds.
Overview Australian lakes
Air, as was said - the largest of them.In the rainy season it is filled with water, in the deepest part of its bottom is lowered by 15 meters.This lake - Closed.Water from it can only be removed by evaporation.It does not apply to the rare but heavy downpours during which Air can even get out of the banks and flood the surrounding area.It should be noted that the major rivers and lakes of Australia tightly interconnected, and the second without the first for many years (if not decades) are empty bowls.
next in terms of the lake - Torrens.Stoke also does not have, is located in the south of Australia.It is unique in that for the past half century, only once was filled with water.It is a national park, so that the "visit" it can only be by special permit.
Also in the south, the same salty and also deprived Photo Lake Frome.However, nearby is one of the cries (with unpronounceable name Strzelecki), so that the pond water has more often than the last.
the north-east of Western Australia have almost the only fresh water lake Gregory.Scientists, however, suspect that the drought will act on it in time, as in the rest of the rivers and lakes of Australia, that is, it becomes salty and is rarely filled with water.While Gregory - the most habitable and rich in flora and fauna of the lake Avtsralii (precisely because of freshwater).
artificial lake
Western Australia also boasts an artificial body of water named Argyle.Through a live feed of Australians and 150 kilometers of agriculture.Good fishing here: unlike other Australian lakes, there are a lot of fish, among which there are valuable species, including cod sleeping (she is loved by fishermen and connoisseurs of fish dishes more than others), barramundi and bony bream.And indeed, there are as many as 26 species of fish that this continent can be considered a kind of achievement.However, fish (or simply walk) along the shores of Argyll to be very cautious: 25 thousand crocodiles - a weighty reason for vigilance.
course, many fans may not be impressed by the scale: major rivers and lakes of Australia, probably not as grand as they would like.But do not forget that Australia is in and of itself is small (when compared with the continents).
List of Australian rivers
To be honest, the list of what can be classified as "rivers of Australia" on the map consists of 70 items.However, it is hardly pay attention to Prospect Creek, which flows just over 17 kilometers, or Lane Cove that does not hold up to that distance (its length in the rainy season is only 15 km away).There are rivers and at length - the same Queen, which pulls up to 13 km.It is clear that for "drying up" of the continent and it even refers to the category of "drying up of the river Australia," a value.But consider it in detail, we will not.Let us dwell only on those that can be roughly classified as "major rivers of Australia."
What river in Australia can be attributed to a major?Adelaide - in the north of the continent, reaching as much as 180 km, but still navigable.Gascoigne - the longest artery in the west, nearly a thousand kilometers (978) also has a drain in the Indian Ocean.Flinders - winner of the length of Queensland, flowing over 1004 km.Lachlan River, which has made happy 1339 km across Australia and flows into the Murrumbidgee.And she Murrumbidgee, which falls short of almost one thousand five hundred kilometers (for corrosive - 1485), and besides, one of the few river facilities, where there was an opportunity to build a dam.
very ancient history
from the above is easy to conclude that the Australians are very sensitive to water in general, and to fresh water in particular.Investigations, searches and historical information - this is what the inhabitants of the miniature continent very seriously.And even if at the moment the results of the studies have a practical use, the Australians are interested in them ... and beneficial effects can wait.
These surveys include the recent studies conducted by the Smithsonian Institution, in collaboration with the National University of Australia.Scientists have created a unique software learned everything they inherited from previous researchers, and held its own intelligence "on the ground".
result of the study was the oldest map of the distribution of the waters of the Australian land.And because the tectonic stability on this continent was established before, there is an option to track the "hidden" water, using this research.
reservation: many geologists do not trust the results and refute them, in terms of other data.But to challenge them completely is not yet possible, so that Australia can, using unverified information, try to enrich themselves with additional water.
Alternative sources of drinking water
From the foregoing it is clear that Australia is in dire need of fresh water.Neither river (most of which are dry) or lakes (which are the bulk of sea almost) do not give it the required amount of unsalted water.Therefore, the state was forced to turn to alternative sources that can provide the missing.
course, ground water - not a panacea.Their sulfur content (as pure compounds or in) are too high, but another source of fresh water are often not exist.
The good news is that under Australia's Great Artesian Basin there.Bad - that he, too, ever end.And this continent now have to think about what his people will do next.
