The drought in South Australia is being made worse by record November temperatures. Rivers that run through the state are also drying up as other parts of Australia draw on the same resources. Three years of below average rainfall have led to water shortages in South Australia.

Australia relies on the river Murray and the river Darling to meet its water needs.  Both rivers are a huge water resource for states upstream - Queensland and New South Wales - as well as for South Australia.

Farmer Clem Mason believes care should be taken when water from the rivers and lakes is used by everyone.

Clem Mason, Farmer:

"People have got a choice. We can sell our water, we can lease our water, but we do not have the right to kill a river system."

Garry Hera-Singh is a fisherman, he stands on the lake bed where there was once water. Garry says in a few years, the lake won't be recognisable.

Garry Hera-Singh, Fisherman:

"What it will be like? It'll be a dust bowl and a little bit of water that will be out in the middle of the lake, which will maybe be a couple of hundred acres and will probably be pure sulphuric acid."

South Australia uses only 7% of the Murray's waters, with the rest of it taken by states further upstream like, Queensland and New South Wales.

Politicians in Adelaide have been arguing that there's little left for their citizens, because too much is used by other parts of the country.

More than half of the dairy farms in this region have sold their herds in the last few years, and more businesses are now at risk.

Coastal lake Albert is also shrinking rapidly. It relies on fresh water flowing in from the River Murray, but the amount of salt in the water has risen dramatically.

It is now seven times saltier than the sea, meaning it cannot be used for irrigation, and the fish stocks cannot survive.

More rain is needed, but long term forecasts suggest the low rainfall is likely to continue.

EBRU NEWS