The current drought in South Australia (SA) in 2025, while severe, exhibits distinct characteristics when compared to previous notable droughts in the region:
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Spatial Footprint: The current drought is widespread, affecting most of SA, with severe to serious rainfall deficiencies noted across Yorke Peninsula, Eyre Peninsula, and the South-East districts for most of 2024 and into 2025 . This contrasts with historical droughts like the Federation Drought (1895-1902), which was concentrated in northern and eastern Australia, and the WWII Drought (1937-1945), which extended across much of the country but did not affect the southeast as severely as the current drought .
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Seasonality: The current drought has seen a significant decline in rainfall during the cool season months of April to October, consistent with long-term trends of drying in southern Australia . This is similar to the Millennium Drought (2001-2009), which was characterized by a disproportionate decline in autumn/early-winter rainfall, particularly in the north of the study region . However, the Federation and WWII droughts did not follow the same seasonal trend, with the Federation Drought predominantly due to rainfall reductions in spring/summer and the WWII Drought showing a more uniform reduction across seasons .
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Severity: While the current drought is severe, it does not match the intensity of the Federation Drought, which was the most severe for much of New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland (QLD) . The WWII Drought, while widespread, did not affect the southeast as severely as the current drought. The Millennium Drought, known as the "Big Dry," was the worst since Europeans arrived in Australia, with record-low inflows into the Murray system in 2006, but its impact was more confined to southeast Australia .
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Climatic Drivers: The current drought is influenced by changes in large-scale circulation due to greenhouse gas emissions, leading to a shift towards drier conditions in southern Australia . This is different from historical droughts, which were driven by different climatic teleconnections with the Pacific, Indian, and Southern Oceans .
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Water Management: South Australia has learned from past droughts, particularly the Millennium Drought, and has implemented improved water management strategies. These include water allocation plans, private carryover, trading, and taking and using water, as well as reducing Adelaide's reliance on the River Murray in dry years . These measures were not in place during previous droughts, highlighting a significant adaptation to drought conditions.
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Community and Government Response: The current drought has prompted substantial government intervention, with a $55 million drought relief package announced in April 2025, building on an initial $18 million from November 2024, for a total of $73 million in state assistance . This level of support reflects a more proactive approach compared to historical responses, which were often reactive and less coordinated.
In summary, while the current drought in South Australia is severe and widespread, it differs from previous droughts in terms of its spatial footprint, seasonality, severity, and the climatic drivers behind it. The state's response, informed by past experiences, has been more proactive and adaptive, focusing on water management, community support, and long-term resilience planning.
Citations:
- http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/drought/
- https://unisa.edu.au/unisanews/2019/june/story1/
- https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/goodliving/posts/2025/02/droughts-and-saving-water
- http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/drought/knowledge-centre/previous-droughts.shtml
- https://www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStore.ashx?id=e75d2425-4bb3-425b-ba4f-dc640c258804
- https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/topics/water-and-river-murray/basin-river-murray-lakes-and-the-coorong/river-murray-droughts
- https://nesp2climate.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Regional-drought-projections-for-Australia-report-v7.pdf
- https://www.thedailyaus.com.au/news/south-australia-victoria-drought-15-05-2025
- https://rdahc.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/AHFKI-Drought-Plan-Draft-FINAL-04-APR-2025.pdf
- https://thedailyaus.com.au/news/south-australia-victoria-drought-15-05-2025
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