Murray-Darling Basin Quiz (Quiz: ABC Science)

Last updated: Thursday, 2 October 2008Quiz

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The mighty Murray River near Swan Hill, Victoria. (Source: iStockphoto)

Murray-Darling Basin Quiz

It's Australia's best known river system and our nation's food bowl but how well do you really know the Murray-Darling Basin? Take our quiz and find out.

Question 1 1. The Murray is the major river in the Murray-Darling Basin. Which three states border the Murray River?

a) Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria
b) New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia
c) Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia
d) New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania

Question 2 2. Which of the following towns is not on the banks of the Murray River?

a) Mildura
b) Echuca
c) Wilcannia
d) Wodonga

Question 3 3. The majority of the water drawn from the Murray-Darling for irrigation is used for…

a) Dairy
b) Cotton
c) Rice
d) Grapes

Question 4 4. The agricultural practice that gives the greatest financial return on the water used is…

a) Dairy
b) Cotton
c) Rice
d) Grapes

Question 5 5. Which environmental problem is not affecting the health of the Murray-Darling Basin?

a) Commercial overfishing
b) Salinity
c) Acid sulphate soils
d) Low flows

Question 6 6. Over the next 60 years, climate change is most likely to result in parts of the Murray-Darling Basin experiencing…

a) Higher rainfall
b) Higher temperatures
c) Lower rainfall
d) All of the above

Question 7 7. Which of the following is native to the Murray-Darling?

a) Golden bower bird
b) River red gum
c) Carp
d) Willow

Question 8 8. The algal blooms that kill large numbers of fish and other river life are caused by…

a) Decline in numbers of Murray cod, which feed on the algae
b) Increasing salinity in the upper reaches of the basin
c) A combination of high temperatures and drought, which cause the algal spores to bloom
d) Run-off from farms

Question 9 9. Before European settlement the Murray-Darling…

a) Dried up into a chain of saline waterholes during severe droughts
b) Flowed all year round because it wasn't restricted by dams or weirs
c) Supported fewer trees because of the irregularity of water flow
d) Supported minimal fish life

Question 9 10. In an average year, more water is stored in the dams and weirs along the Murray-Darling than flows through the river system itself.

a) True
b) False

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