The Murray-Darling Basin Authority has admitted full implementation of the Basin Plan is not possible by the 2024 deadline.

Despite environmental accounts brimming with over 4,600,000 megalitres of held entitlements, the MDBA believes there will be a shortfall of water for the environment as set in the Basin Plan.

Flood waters known as unregulated flow are not considered environmental water, environmental water is a class of licence. 

16 key Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism (SDLAM) projects are unlikely to be operable by June 30, 2024, the Authority estimates a shortfall in water recovery of between 190,000 and 315,000 megalitres. 

The shortfall in modelled saving will leave irrigators nervous and investors jubilant with the potential to remove another 815,000 megalitres of productive water with the SDLAM shortfall. The extra 450GL promised to SA and the Commonwealth tender commenced in March to purchase almost 50GL of water from irrigators in NSW and southern Queensland.

Southern Riverina Irrigators said Federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek’s determination to deliver the Basin Plan in full shows just how out of touch with reality the minister really is.

SRI CEO Sophie Baldwin said it comes as no surprise the Basin Plan can’t be delivered on time.

“The plan is based on out-of-date modelling and has always been about political point scoring – never about environmental outcomes.

“If this was true, the environmental destruction caused by sending excessive amounts of water downstream to South Australia would be taken into consideration and not continually ignored,” Ms Baldwin said.

In a recent radio interview, Plibersek said the Basin Plan is world leading and the “biggest investment to be made in inland Australia.” SRI maintains the plan sets a gold standard of self-sabotage – harming the environment, Australian food security, economic success, and will go down as one of the most misaligned and poorly executed pieces of policy in the history of our country. The Basin has changed dramatically over the past two decades.

“We know why the Federal Government will not pause and review the plan, because evidence so far shows it’s failing. The Murray can’t sustain high flows and the Darling is an environmental catastrophe with repeated fish kills and inconsistent flows.

“How is she going to deliver a further 750,000 megalitres of water through a system that can’t cope at current volumes?”

High river flows have already seen the Barmah Choke lose over 20 per cent of its capacity in the last decade, while the Edward River and Gulpa Creek, which are used to bypass the choke are now in decline.

Riverbanks are littered with century old gums as the banks erode away. 

The MDBA admits the Basin Plan will never deliver environmental outcomes, including flows of 80,000ML to the South Australian border, nor will it keep the Murray mouth open.

To date, 83 per cent of water recovered has already come from the southern basin and SRI is urging NSW water minister Rose Jackson to follow Victoria’s lead and put a line through future buybacks.

Despite the devastation caused by the MDBA in the southern basin, MDBA Chief Executive Andrew McConville said most communities are in support of the plan’s implementation. 

“Despite the challenges ahead, Basin communities in most regions support the implementation of the Basin Plan. We all want a healthy river system, and a sustained commitment from all to implement the Basin Plan is essential for the long-term sustainability of our rivers.”

In other water related news, the NSW Government is seeking expressions of interest from Aboriginal people across the state to join new Regional Aboriginal Water committees, which will ensure their voices are heard when it comes to water planning and management.

Director of Aboriginal Water at the Department of Planning and Environment, Darren Murray, said the committees will strengthen the role of Aboriginal people in a governance structure that is inclusive and culturally appropriate.  

“Water is sacred to Aboriginal people, and we know from years of discussions with Elders and other representatives that they need to have more of a say in guiding the important work we do in this space,” Mr Murray said.

Each committee will consist of up to 12 members and will be regionally based in alignment with the NSW Government’s 12 Regional Water Strategy areas.

“It is a terrific opportunity to amplify Aboriginal voices at a regional level, so if you’re interested, please contact us to register.”

Expressions of interest close midnight August 24.

Details are on the website at https://www.dpie.nsw.gov.au/water/plans-and-programs/aboriginal-water-program/regional-aboriginal-water-committees

This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 3 August 2023.