D729E    Lake Eucumbene, in the Snowy Mountains region of NSW, Australia, has long been a popular destination for anglers eager to catch some of the trout that inhabit its waters. The lake, created in the 1950s as part of the Australian Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Scheme, was, before the impact of the worst drought in Australian history, a vast expanse of water. When full, it holds approximately 4,758 gigalitres of water - more than nine times that of Sydney harbour - and has a surface area of around 14,500 hectares (36,000 acres) that is encompassed by a shoreline that extends for more than 224 kilometres (140 miles). Drought, together with an increasing demand for water for agriculture, for industry, and for domestic use have seen the lake's level fall to an historic low, with the dead trees and barren ground that dominate the landscape once submerged by deep blue water.

 

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