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WorksheetsMurray-Darling Basin
Total questions: 30
Worksheet time: 15mins
Which states does the Murray-Darling Basin lie within?
South Australia, NSW, Victoria and Northern Territory
Queensland, South Australia, NSW and Victoria
Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania
NSW, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia
The approximate total area of the Basin is:
10,000 km2
100,000 km2
1,000,000 km2
10,000,000 km2
Approximately what percentage of Australia does the Basin cover?
2%
40%
14%
140%
Approximately how many wetlands are in the Basin?
2000
15000
30000
50000
Approximately how long is the Murray River?
120 km
1145 km
2500 km
4360 km
Where does the Murray River start?
South Australia
Goolwa
Snowy Mountains
Queensland
What type of environment is most of the Basin?
Floodplains
Wetlands
Mountains
Sea
Which mountain range runs along the eastern side of the Basin?
Snowy Mountains
Great Dividing Range
Australian Alps
Darling Range
What type of waterways are found in the Murray–Darling Basin?
Rivers and creeks
Lakes and billabongs
Wetlands and marshes
All of the above
In which state is the mouth of the Murray-Darling rivers?
NSW
Victoria
South Australia
Western Australia
Which of the following towns is NOT within the Murray-Darling Basin?
Bourke
Wentworth
Shepparton
Townsville
Approximately what percentage of Australia's food exports are grown in the Murray-Darling Basin?
10%
20%
33%
40%
Which of the following groups includes a food that is not grown within the Murray-Darling Basin?
Almonds, cotton, coconuts and oranges
Grapes, plums, prunes and cherries
Wheat, barley, rice and sorghum
Apples, pears, apricots and nectarines
The Murray-Darling Basin spans many climatic regions. Which of the following is NOT a climatic region within the basin?
Arid and semi-arid
Sub-tropical
Temperate
Tundra
What percentage of water in the Murray-Darling Basin is consumed by agriculture?
40%
50%
75%
83%
How many litres are there in a gigalitre?
100,000
1,000,000
100,000,000
1,000,000,000
The amount of water needed to grow different crops varies. Put these crops in order from least water needed to produce one hectare to most water needed to produce one hectare.
Wheat, cotton, citrus, rice
Cotton, citrus, rice, wheat
Citrus, rice, wheat, cotton
Wheat, citrus, rice, cotton
It is important to ensure the sustainability of Australia's water resources for the following reasons:
Food security
Economic value
Cultural and social reasons
All of the above
Australia's population in 2050 is predicted to be closest to ...?
20 million people
30 million people
40 million people
50 million people
Salinity in the waterways of the Murray-Darling Basin has increased due to:
Agricultural crops replacing native vegetation
Droughts
Floods
Variable rainfall in the region
Salinity refers to
the ability of a waterway to flow through a region.
floods washing organic material into waterways, where it is consumed by bacteria, leading to a rise in dissolved carbon in the water.
when water levels drop and the soils are exposed to air, reacting with oxygen to form sulfuric acid and releasing metals such as manganese and aluminium.
the movement and concentration of salt, in landscapes.
Blackwater events occur when
blue-green algal blooms deplete the oxygen in the water, effectively suffocating fish and crustaceans.
water levels drop and the soils are exposed to air, reacting with oxygen to form sulfuric acid and releasing metals such as manganese and aluminium.
flooding washes organic material into waterways, where it is consumed by bacteria, leading to a rise in dissolved carbon in the water.
oil spills into waterways.
Blue-green algae are a natural part of the freshwater environment. However, blooms of blue-green algae can
affect water quality by changing tastes, odours, and appearances.
affect people’s health and have consequences for the environment and the economy.
produce toxins, that when ingested, can cause liver damage, stomach upsets and disorders of the nervous system in people.
all of the above
Which of the following is not an environmental factor that may cause blue-green algal blooms in rivers?
warm water temperatures
sunny days
increased nutrient levels
increased salinity
The average annual rainfall in the Murray-Darling Basin (1980-1999) was between
350 and 650 mm
650 and 950 mm
950 and 1300 mm
1300 and 1500 mm
Since European settlement, what percentage of wetland area has been lost in the Murray-Darling region?
about 10%
about 30%
about 50%
about 70%
Weirs, levees, spillways, locks and floodgates alter the patterns of water flow in rivers. Such modifications can prevent or reduce flooding across the basin. A disadvantage of these alterations is
the loss of an important natural process
increased evaporation of water
reduced water flow to the mouth of the river
all of the above
Ensuring water sustainability into the future is an issue for ... (select the best answer).
all people in the Murray-Darling Basin
all farmers in the Murray-Darling Basin
all people in Australia
all people in the world
The best definition for BIODIVERSITY is ...
animals and plants living together harmoniously.
a measure of the variety of living things within a particular region.
humans using biological instruments to diversify their agriculture.
a biography of diverse cultures.
Groundwater is
water that exists beneath the Earth's surface in underground streams and aquifers.
water that flows into rivers from alpine creeks and streams.
water that covers a floodplain after heavy downpours.
water harvested by farmers to irrigate crops.
