Latest River Murray flow info now accessible in one easy location: Close
New inundation maps and a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions have been created as part of dedicated webpage on the highest River Murray flows in almost 50 years. Flood awareness, infrastructure and projected flow maps allow residents to look at potential inundation and check if their property is likely to be affected.
A statement from Campaspe Shire Council regarding the Echuca levee
Emergency Management Victoria, the lead agency in Victoria during an emergency event, made the decision on Monday, 17 October that a levee needed to be constructed in Echuca to protect as much of the township as possible. Based on the flood modelling available in the Incident Control Centre in Bendigo, Emergency Management Victoria had 48 hours to put the levee in place
Philip Zylstra continues the debate – self-thinning forest understoreys and wildfire risk
Our paper published in 2022 shows that, according to DBCA records, bushfires have been seven times more likely on land previously burned by them than on land that they have not burned. Mr Jack Bradshaw’s educated guesses about the causes of karri regeneration prior to 1850 do not change this, they use speculation to distract from the hard evidence we are discussing.
New online tool to unlock carbon curiosity: AgriFutures
Launched at the 2022 Australian Farm Institute (AFI) Roundtable: ‘Cultivating ESG Capability’ in Canberra, a new online tool offers a practical resource for landowners and primary producers to navigate the tricky landscape of carbon choices ... The tool explains which carbon opportunities may be available for a producer and encourages users to consider the potential benefits and costs of different carbon projects for their farming businesses.
Statement on Australia signing the Methane Pledge: NFF
Farmers have been given assurances there will be no new taxes or regulation on livestock methane, and no reduction to agricultural production nor livestock numbers. This commitment recognises agriculture’s existing achievement, future plans and dedication to ongoing partnership with government to develop technology-led solutions and associated innovation. We are confident Australian agriculture and farmers will retain a seat at the table as the conversation continues and this dialog with government is open and dynamic.
Flood emergency
The entire Central Victorian region has been smashed by catastrophic floods, which appear to be more serious and more widespread than the 2010 and 2011 floods. With many regions experiencing record-breaking rains over catchments that were already sodden, the end result has been devastating. Gutters have turned into creeks, creeks into raging rivers and rivers into churning brown oceans ... Geoff Palmer took this photo of the spillway at Cairn Curran last Thursday.
Oil spill
In the midst of dealing with the flood situation, emergency service workers were called out to an oil spill in Maldon last Friday. A significant quantity of waste oil had leaked out from a sump at a Victorian Goldfields Railway workshop and into a neighbouring property.
Keeping crops a head above water: GRDC
With wet conditions saturating large areas of crop production land across Victoria and Tasmania, a GRDC project is identifying ways to maximise crop performance when waterlogging occurs ... Applying nitrogen can help crops recover after being waterlogged, and looking at where waterlogging occurs when it is happening can help growers to plan improved drainage to prevent future waterlogging.
Supplementary water for Murray irrigators: Anderson
A 10 per cent increase in supplementary water access licences has been allocated for NSW Murray irrigators, taking the total for the 2022/23 water year to a record 110 per cent of entitlement. Minister for Lands and Water Kevin Anderson said the exceptionally wet conditions have resulted in a major increase in unregulated flows in the Murray which means there is an unprecedented amount of water in the system.
New Dungowan Dam EIS on display: Anderson
Tamworth and Peel Valley residents will soon be able to have their say on the New Dungowan Dam and Pipeline Environmental Impact Statement which will go on display by the end of October. Minister for Lands and Water and Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson said this signifies the NSW Government is getting on with the job of building the New Dungowan Dam and called on the Commonwealth to reaffirm its funding in next week’s budget.
Dam or be damned!: Bev McArthur
The East coast of the island is swollen with water – the bulging rivers purging to sea, or finding relief beyond their banks, the waters spewing and sprawling across paddocks and swirling down streets. The anxiety of sandbagging in the race to beat mother nature is real. The threat of the unknown is immense. The realisation of the brutal damage done: heartbreaking. If only we’d built more dams. Damn.
Landmark national bushfire framework to save Australian lives, land and property: Forestry Australia
A landmark new body of work has been released to assist governments and private organisations to tackle Australia’s growing bushfire problem and save lives, land and property. Turning the Goals of the National Bushfire Management Policy Statement into Objectives and Key Performance Indicators aims to guide improvements in bushfire management and provide consistent reporting nationally on achievements.
Preparations underway for expected increased River Murray flows following Victorian floods: Malinauskas, Close, Szakacs
The Malinauskas government will embark on a six week campaign to ensure River Murray communities are afforded the best possible protection from flood waters heading to South Australia. Latest modelling by the Department of Environment and Water is predicting flows of up to 120 gigalitres per day by early December – the highest flows since the 1970s.
Koala numbers fall at Yanchep National Park
Koala numbers at Yanchep National Park have fallen with only half the population there now compared with three years ago. Prior to the 2019 Yanchep bushfire there were eight koalas in the colony located in the national park’s enclosure. But a Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) spokeswoman said there were now four koalas left in the colony.
Residents evacuated as Narrandera inundated
David Lee. Narrandera and surrounds are currently experiencing rising flood levels with more than 20 residents having evacuated their homes as of Monday. And it’s not over yet, with showers and storms expected over the coming days.
Self-thinning forest understoreys and wildfire risk debate – Jack Bradshaw responds to Philip Zylstra
In his response to my critique of his paper, Zylstra agrees that the proportion of an area burnt is influenced by the likelihood of a fire starting and the effect of the fire suppression effort. He also agrees that these factors were not taken into account. The degree and direction of bias in their results in therefore unknown, invalidating the results. This is exacerbated by the fact that they have treated the dry north-eastern jarrah forest and the wet karri and tingle forests, with their very different fire behaviour, as one type.
MINCo continues plan traditions
Last week, the Murray-Darling Basin Authority sang the praises of the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council (MINCo) meeting outcomes. Hot topics were climate change, delivering the Murray-Darling Basin Plan in full, water buybacks and First Nations water. When it came to the almost $2 billion unregulated water trading industry that impacts communities, rural economies and the environment, it seems implementing legislation already in place was not on the radar.
Digging deep
Community members from our twin towns have had a busy week as flood waters test the towns’ levees ... At the Gannawarra Shire Council depot on Tuesday night, 48 tons of sand filled 3,500 bags in 90 minutes amongst a flurry of community volunteers ... The flood peak is expected to arrive in Koondrook-Barham on October 28, early estimates are a height of 6.2m...
Worsening floods to put co-ops and mutuals to the test again, as the sector’s leaders converge on State Parliament: BCCM
The Business Council for Co-operatives and Mutuals said the worsening flood outlook across the state underscored the need for greater collaboration on disaster and resilience planning, as it launched the NSW Parliamentary Friends of Co-operatives and Mutuals. With scores of flood warnings in place across New South Wales, the BCCM said its members’ community values would once again be in action in coming days and weeks.
There are two types of people and disasters bring out both
Over my life I have come to the conclusion there are two type of people: the “could have, should have, would haves”, and the helpers. The “could have, should have, would haves” are the majority. They would have handled things differently, ie, “you should have done things differently and then you could have not been in the trouble you are in”. They were out in force this week when television stations showed the frantic efforts to save broodmares in the Goulburn Valley floods.
Undera – left to its own devices during the flood
The small community of Undera in northern Victoria is pulling together during the floods. It has been reported to Australian Rural & Regional News that, as at 18 October 2022, it had had no assistance from council, the ADF or any authorities with sandbags, levees or with fighting the flood ... It is concerning that this dire situation may be being repeated across a wide area of rural and regional Victoria.
East coast grain crop hangs in the balance: Grain Producers Australia
Grain producers on the east coast of Australia are on high alert with severe flooding and more heavy rains causing significant interruption and damage to this year’s crop, and loss of critical value. Victorian grain grower and Grain Producers Australia Southern Director, Andrew Weidemann, said this year’s crop was on a knife’s edge and with more rain forecast the losses will only escalate.
