Lost water
Sophie Baldwin. Roger Reid thought he was doing the right thing when he made the decision to invest some big dollars into water efficiency projects on his mixed farming property in the Riverina. However, Roger has been left scratching his head and questioning his decision this season, after the Bullatale Creek was reduced to water holes and he couldn’t access water.
Groundwater reserves being examined for irrigation
Sebastian Calderon. An innovative project based in the Riverland is aiming to improve the potential use and benefits of groundwater. Last month, a small reverse-osmosis (RO) plant was installed on Century Orchards, in Loxton, with the objective of identifying different pathways to diversify water sources and relieve resource pressure on the Murray River.
Irrigators warn the Federal Government is on a power grab before the election: National Irrigators’ Council
The Federal Government is again being called out for rushing through risky and untested reforms that seek to gain more power for themselves, prior to the upcoming election. Consultation soon closes on their recent grab, to list two new areas as "endangered" under national environment law, replicating a controversial and subsequently, disallowed move by the former Labor Government in 2013.
Helen’s water victory
Independent Member for Murray, Helen Dalton, says a new Water Register she has convinced the NSW Government to introduce will help stop money laundering as well as the secret purchase of Australian water by foreign governments. She introduced the bill to parliament late last year, with the aim to force NSW politicians to declare their water interests on our conflict-of-interest form.
Say NO to water buybacks
Hay Shire Council is urging residents to support a petition led by local member for Murray, Helen Dalton, which seeks to protect regional and remote communities from the potential impacts of Commonwealth Water Buybacks. The petition which needs 10,000 signatures calls on the NSW Government to ensure that no water transfers occur without a detailed and transparent report into the expected impact of any Commonwealth buybacks.
Audit reveals major gaps in government’s Basin Plan compliance: NFF
An independent audit into the Federal Government’s compliance with the Basin Plan 2012 and water resource plans has exposed significant shortcomings in its systems and processes, according to the National Farmers’ Federation. NFF Water Committee Chair Malcolm Holm said the audit into the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water's (DCCEEW) confirmed concerns about the Government’s ability to manage Basin resources effectively.
Commonwealth annual water for the environment delivery second highest on record
The figures are in, and the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) delivered the second highest amount of water for the environment on record, in 2023-24. The CEWH, Dr Simon Banks, said around 1800 gigalitres of commonwealth water for the environment had been used to maintain or improve conditions in river and wetland systems across the Murray–Darling Basin.
Where has all the water gone?
Sophie Baldwin. The last time the Bullatale Creek ran dry was back in 2007 – at the peak of the millennium drought. And yet, in 2024 and after three consecutive wet years, the creek is dry. Again. Which begs the obvious question – where has all the water gone?
Water matters: Who controls our river?
Rosalie Auricht. The states in the Murray-Darling Basin have been arguing, seemingly forever, about how to look after and share the rivers ... At the MDBA River Reflections conference in Albury, the audience was asked to explore ‘what does a healthy river mean to you?’ ... "no carp, native fish are increasing in abundance, and no dead fish ..."
Terra nullius, aqua nullius, farming nullius
Remember ‘terra nullius’ the legal term that rose to prominence in the Mabo case? ... my focus in this opinion piece is not on terra nullius and who owns the land but on aqua nullius and who owns the water ... the Albanese government shows no sign of learning from the referendum disaster and is pushing ahead with building indigenous veto powers into a new National Water Agreement plus revving up the Commonwealth's Heritage Act.
Murray Darling Association 80th National Conference
Jenny Clarke was a representative of the Narrandera Shire Council at the 80th National Conference of the Murray Darling Association, on which she was the Council’s delegate ... Murray Darling Association – representing local government and community in the Murray-Darling Basin since 1944 - covers 12 Regions from Queensland down to Murray Bridge where the water runs out to the sea ... A challenge in managing the Basin’s resources is delivering sufficient water for people, crops and livestock while maintaining a healthy environment.
Cod and crays come under protection
The Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) and NSW Department of Primary industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) are reminding recreational fishers that the Murray Cod and Murray Crayfish seasons have ended. NSW DPIRD Program Leader Fishing Stocking and Enhancement, Jim Harnwell, said the Murray Cod fishery is subject to a three-month closure every year to protect our number-one native sportsfish during their breeding season.
Boats grounded on the Riverland
Sebastian Calderon. Houseboats traveling along a section of the Murray River are facing challenges, due to low water levels, forcing operators to limit mobility through the Riverland. Changes in the river’s water flow following environmental conditions have recently seen a group of boats unable to travel between towns like Renmark and Berri.
$100m Indigenous Murray-Darling Basin water fund faces devaluation amid rising prices
A Murray-Darling Basin water advocacy group says $100 million in federal funding for Aboriginal water entitlements is expected to lose about 30 per cent of its value before it’s spent. The Murray Lower Darling Rivers Indigenous Nations group wants traditional owners to be given control over the funding to restore ancestral sites. What’s next? The federal government says it is taking "proactive measures" to make sure its water purchasing programs don't drive up water prices.
Southern Basin communities raise alarm over water recovery impact
The Commonwealth Government water buybacks scheme will disproportionately impact the southern Murray-Darling Basin, as the region still struggles to overcome the impacts of earlier water recovery programs. Water users and local government have outlined the significant risks posed by water recovery policies to the region’s agriculture, economy, and mental health, in a letter to State and federal politicians and departments.
Local faces at water resource conference
Hugh Schuitemaker. Local mayors and a senior irrigation industry figure participated in discussions of how to approach South Australia’s future water use at a major conference ... "A key announcement was that SA Water has committed to cap its reliance on the River Murray at the current level": Riverland Irrigation Trust CEO Rosalie Auricht.
Murray Darling Basin Authority visit
An influx of Government and Government Agency staff visited Wilcannia on Monday 29th July to look at the old weir, proposed site for the new weir and meet with local organisations and the Shire. Included in the group was former Western Lands Commissioner and passionate Wilcannia and Darling River advocate Geoff Wise.
Southern Murray-Darling Basin water entitlement markets lost nearly $2 billion in value over 2023-24, despite Commonwealth buybacks
Today Aither, a Ricardo company, released their eleventh annual Aither Water Markets Report. It summarises water trading activity and trends in the 2023-24 water year and provides insights into the outlook for 2024-25 ... Following a decade of 21 per cent compound annual growth, the Aither Entitlement Index (AEI) has fallen 12 per cent since reaching an all-time high in February 2023 ...
The Menindee compromise released
As the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) and the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) continue to change the rules in their favour, irrigation communities are proposing a dramatic change that aims to benefit food producers and Australia’s largest irrigator, the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder.
Koondrook tourism recognised
Koondrook has taken out bronze in the 2024 Victoria Tourism Industry Council Top Tourism Town Awards. Our idyllic Murray locality was one of nine towns recognised across three categories in the awards; Koondrook competing for the Top Tiny Town award against five finalists, with Timboon taking out the win.
Second release set to boost the future of the Murray crayfish in South Australia: Landscape SA
An additional 80 Murray crayfish have been released into the River Murray as part of an ongoing project to re-establish this iconic species in South Australia. The crayfish were released into the river at a secret location to protect the community in its infancy.
Huge, costly flaw revealed in Labor’s buybacks system leaving local growers hamstrung: Centofanti
Struggling South Australian growers could be forced to wait almost a year for compensation after selling water to the Albanese Labor Government to meet its target of 450GL for the Murray-Darling Basin. Labor has released its Restoring Our Rivers - Trading Strategy which outlines its approach to the destructive water buybacks model over the next year, claiming: “The intent of these rules is to ensure that persons or organisations with prior knowledge of market sensitive information that will be publicly announced, do not have an unfair market advantage over other water market participants”.
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