Water

Australia’s $13 billion Murray-Darling Basin Plan is in its tenth year. The plan had key objectives to save the Murray, restore the balance and do so in an adaptive way based on best available science ... The sheer insanity of the basin’s direction can be demonstrated by the huge almond plantations adjacent to the Murray. What were dryland farms 20 years ago are now intensive irrigation areas often using more water than rice or cotton per hectare with no regulation on salinity.

North Wanneroo growers have been dealt a blow with the McGowan Government seeming to rule out any benefits from the proposed Alkimos desalination plant being shared with agricultural licence holders.

‘To see the community and regions being prosperous instead of being diminished will always bring me happiness.’ - Neil Eagle AO ... Neil’s involvement in water policy started in the early 60s, the group that formed was the Murray Valley Water Diverters, which covered from Albury right up to the Menindee system. From the outset, Neil was the secretary of that organisation, a role that continued for 30 years before becoming chairman, continuing to advocate for sensible water policy and a fair go.

Horticulturists and agriculturists who take water from aquifers in the Gingin groundwater area south of Gingin Brook and Moore River will have any reductions to their entitlements delayed, according to the Gnangara groundwater allocation plan.

An invited presentation by Associate Professor Matthew Harrison from the University of Tasmania presents a summary of recent research in climate change adaptation and greenhouse gas emissions mitigation for the agriculture sector. Questions are welcome.

Delegates at the  River reflections  annual water conference heard about the challenges we all face due to climate change and how we must work together to make the Murray–Darling Basin ready for a more variable, drier and hotter future. In his address,  The future of the Murray–Darling Basin,  Murray–Darling Basin Authority Chair Sir Angus Houston said we must adjust our approach based on what we have learnt and continue in partnership with experts, communities and First Nations People.

What has caused this estimated 20 million cubic metres of sand in the riverbed between Yarrawonga and Picnic Point to be such a problem now? .... Why did gold mining centuries ago only raise a problem now? How did the sand from the upper reaches get through the settling pond of Lake Mulwala constructed in 1939? And even more alarming, where have the beaches gone around Cobram and surrounds in the last 12 years?

National Farmers’ Federation President Fiona Simson has welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement of Senator Murray Watt as Australia’s new Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry ... ARR.News has a question for NFF.

Victorian Environmental Water Holder (VEWH) commissioners will start to flood Gunbower Forest with 74,000 megalitres after ecologists raised concerns of declining health of red gums after four years without a flood ... Audrey Dickins, local landholder, passionate environmental advocate and member of the Central Murray Floodplains Environment Group, believes the problems with the Gunbower Forest are more complex than the ‘just add water’ approach.

NSW Independent MP for Murray Helen Dalton has introduced a bill into Parliament that will prevent Northern Basin floodplain harvesting licence holders from seeking financial compensation from taxpayers for their licences... “This unregulated practice known as floodplain harvesting devastates Lower Darling communities and reduces water allocations for Southern Basin irrigators : Helen Dalton

Delegates at the River reflections annual water conference today heard about the impacts of the massive sand slug in the Barmah-Millewa reach of the Murray River and the consequences to water users, the environment and local community if no action is taken to address it.

To demonstrate the magnitude of ignorance, look no further than the coffers of Australia’s largest irrigator, the taxpayer funded Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH). For the 2021-22 season, the CEWH has a total of 2,365,000 megalitres – 1,640,000 in new allocation and 725,000 in carryover from the year previous – 1,030,400 of that in the Murray system. As of March 31, 2022, the CEWH had used 492,200 megalitres in the Murray system for the 2021-22 season.

“It is impossible for this to be achieved by 2024. So, what happens then? Will we have huge volumes of water sitting in dams supposedly for ‘environmental use’ that cannot be released because it won’t fit down the system, but not enough water allocated to growing the food and fibre our nation needs? Under this scenario, regional communities will continue to suffer, and every Australian will be hit by increased cost of living" : Speak Up Chair, Shelley Scoullar.

A new series of NSW Government funded geophysical surveys will take place in the state’s Central West, New England and Far West to gather detailed information that will help to uncover valuable critical minerals buried deep underground ... “Exploration programs today may lead to a critical minerals project in five to ten years that employs locals and plays a vital role in the manufacturing supply chain for products such as batteries, electric vehicles, and renewables" : Paul Toole.

If we wish to compare current observations with past performance, we need to establish a set of relevant data, or baseline ... Water Corporation’s advertisements claim that “Perth’s rainfall is declining due to Climate change” showing a graph of reduced stream-flows into the reservoirs as convincing proof that “Climate change is real”. Such claims deserve scrutiny.

Logan City Council has opened an innovative new facility that turns human waste into energy and fertiliser ... The facility, which is the first of its kind in Australia, blasts sewage with extremely high heat to turn it into a product called biochar. Biochar can be used for a variety of purposes including as a fertiliser for the agricultural industry. It also has potential applications in the building industry.

Countless reports, ‘engagement’, reviews and the rapid erosion of the river have highlighted all these failings, yet a potential prime minister appears oblivious to the geographical diversity of issues, constraints and environments across the basin. With city centric politics appearing more interested in getting elected, what hope does the health of our basin have?

The community-based Speak Up Campaign has joined the growing list of organisations expressing concern at last week’s Labor Party announcement around implementation of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. In particular is the issue of water buybacks, which Labor’s Shadow Water Minister Terri Butler conceded, “If we have to” was “an option that will have to be pursued.”

“Despite all our achievements, we owe our existence to a six-inch layer of topsoil and the fact it rains.” A quote often attributed to long time US radio presenter, Paul Harvey, this quote succinctly captures the critical importance of our topsoil. What is topsoil, how is it formed and how do we improve it?

"There are real opportunities to deliver environmental outcomes to the river system without reducing production. I would call on both sides to put aside the political point scoring around who's tougher on water, and instead build upon the opportunities in the basin plan that have been hard fought but are still yet incomplete": Richard Bootle, NSW Farmers Water Taskforce Chair.

According to a recent survey by Farmbot of farmers across Australia, their two primary concerns are poor phone reception and a need to manually check water points ... ARR.News asks a few questions of Andrew Coppin, founder and CEO of Farmbot, provider of remote water monitoring solutions.