The bar chart illustrates the water levels in reservoirs, expressed as a percentage of total capacity, across six different Australian cities during the month of October in two consecutive years, 2009 and 2010.
Overall, it is clear that most cities experienced an increase in their water storage levels over the twelve-month period. Canberra and Sydney consistently maintained the highest percentages, while Darwin was the only city to see a significant decline in its water reserves. Regarding the cities with the highest capacity, Canberra saw its water levels rise from approximately 80% in 2009 to reach full capacity (100%) by October 2010. Sydney followed a similar upward trend, starting at just under 80% and climbing slightly to roughly 82%. Similarly, Perth witnessed a substantial surge, with its reservoir levels jumping from about 42% to 75% – the most dramatic increase shown in the data.
In contrast, the figures for Melbourne and Brisbane remained relatively lower. Melbourne’s water levels nearly doubled from 25% to just over 40%, whereas Brisbane’s remained stable at 60% in both years. Darwin stood as the sole exception to the general trend of growth; it’s water levels dropped sharply from nearly 50% in 2009 to approximately 25% in 2010.