Our enduring national shame - the Murray Darling Basin

From The Daily this month:

An extra 31,000 dams were built in the Murray-Darling basin in the decade to 2005, as the region grappled with severe drought.
Federal government experts studied satellite imagery of the basin's eastern areas to map the proliferation of water storages, largely farm dams.
The number of dams increased by 31,000, or six per cent, a result described by the experts as "seemingly large".
Many of the new dams were built around cities and towns. Dam hot-spots included Canberra, Wagga Wagga, Bathurst, Tamworth and Toowoomba.
In some areas, the number of dams increased by 20 per cent.
The Murray-Darling Basin Commission released the report, called Mapping the Growth, Location, Surface Area and Age of Man Made Water Bodies, including Farm Dams, in the Murray-Darling Basin.

For all that unsustainable dam building here is the on-the-ground reality of what little remains in either private or public storage:

“In the two years ending August, Murray system inflows were 3,540 GL – a new record low.
“Storage levels are extremely low. Active storage in the Murray system is only 1,690 GL or 20 % of capacity. This is well below the August long term average of 5,600 GL or 62 % capacity. (Active storage is water which can be released using only gravity).
“Persistent low rainfall during the past seven years, particularly in the alpine areas, has been the main cause for the record low inflows to the Murray system, with above average temperatures exacerbating the situation.”

Table of storages:
Basin Water Storages less commitments and not factoring in future inflows - 31 August 2008
Drought Update for September 2008