Riverina dam levels diving compared to the rest of NSW
Marguerite McKinnon. Blowering Dam water levels have fallen by nearly 70 per cent to 31 per cent capacity and while rain has drenched much of NSW, in the Riverina conditions are not so good with dams drying up. Blowering Dam, which usually holds the equivalent of three times Sydney Harbour, is now down to 31 per cent of its maximum capacity.
Take a look at the proposed Greenmount Water Treatment Plant
New documents released by Toowoomba Regional Council have revealed more details on how the Greenmount Water Treatment Plant will look and how it will function. Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) has submitted a material change of use development application to itself in anticipation of the plant's construction, expected to start this year and be completed by early 2027.
Mining exploration escalates in catchment
The Clarence Catchment Alliance CCA, local environmental groups and residents are calling for immediate action as mining exploration for antimony and tungsten escalates across the Wild Cattle Creek area near Dorrigo; a sensitive part of the drinking water catchment relied on by more than 80,000 people in the Clarence Valley and Coffs Harbour regions.
Why so many SES resources in town?
...Lots of SES boats, big trucks and volunteers in town ... Water is heading our way but many local people are commenting that the response is over the top ... The river is expected to peak at 9.6 metres in the next week or so.
‘Humbled, worried’: Pasin predicts troubled times during this fifth term
Hugh Schuitemaker. Water buybacks will loom large on the second-term Albanese Government's agenda, the re-elected Liberal Member for Barker has warned. Tony Pasin was easily returned for a fifth stint in office on Saturday, despite suffering a 3 per cent two-party-preferred swing against him, and seeing his primary vote dip below 50 per cent.
Voter guide to water policy
An easy assistance guide to the water policy of candidates in four electorates has been prepared by the Speak Up Campaign. Deputy Chair David Farley said the Speak Up executive believed it was important for voters to have a tool which provided a quick reference on this vital national issue.
Candidate profiles
Ten candidates for the seats of Mallee and Farrer respond to questions on a range of key issues including cost of living, national energy security and affordability, housing, water buyback and human rights violations of the Government's Covid-19 response.
$210m spent on water buybacks – local entitlements sold to meet MDB targets
The Australian Government has released figures pertaining to more than $89 million water purchasing contracts for the period March 1 to April 14. Total purchases over the past six weeks total $210 million. The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) Austender website lists only contract values awarded.
River Murray Communities Water Transition Program
Nicola Centofanti. While many irrigators have been removing patches of wine grapes and converting to other crops, there are still many grape growers feeling the impact of ongoing low prices. With consumption of commercial wine falling globally and the large volume of wine retained in storage, there is little cause for optimism in the immediate future.
Funding deed for feasibility study finalised
As communicated with shareholders in June 2024, Murray Irrigation (MIL) and our fellow southern irrigation infrastructure operators (IIOs), Coleambally Irrigation Cooperative Limited (CICL) and Murrumbidgee Irrigation Limited (MI), applied for funding under the Australian Government’s Resilient Rivers Water Infrastructure Program for a feasibility study to explore what is required to bolster the efficiency and resilience of our irrigation networks in an era of water recovery.
Bore no more soon in Vale View
An additional 100 homes in the Vale View area of the Toowoomba Region will soon be connected to the Bulk Water Supply network, meaning the existing bore will no longer be needed.
Straight to the top
Hugh Schuitemaker. Assurance Riverland irrigators will receive 100 per cent water allocations will provide business certainty amid pressure from low rainfall across the state, says a senior local industry figure ... "It's very positive news for the Riverland that SA Murray Class 3 irrigation allocation is 100 per cent for the coming water year": Renmark Irrigation Trust CEO Rosalie Auricht.
The brutal cost of ignoring the bush: Australia’s rural collapse
Government changes have reallocated 3,200 gigalitres of irrigation water to environmental flows, much of it unmetered and flowing out to sea, creating dire consequences for regional food production. The Gannawarra Region alone is losing $1.3 billion annually – and these impacts are expected to worsen.
Opinion: Farmer wants wetlands reinstated after toxic floodwaters destroy crops and trees
Steve Posselt lives on a property at Swan Bay. He describes the impact of the latest flooding on farmland ... Thearles Drain had gone from black to green and now back to black ... This dead cane is the area to the left of the drain ...
Council chasing water
Funding is being sought for Council to undertake test bores to identify a suitable ground water source for Hay. Council currently draws water from the Murrumbidgee River, but fears there could be a major risk on the water supply should the river water become unavailable or unsuitable.
Farmers set their sights on federal election after underwhelming budget: NFF
...Federal Budget underscores just how critical the upcoming election will be to deliver the key investments needed to secure and grow Australian agriculture in an increasingly uncertain environment. National Farmers’ Federation President David Jochinke said this was a chance for the Federal Government to back Australian agriculture and give the economy a much-needed shot in the arm.
Politics drives Basin demise
Australia’s largest water reform project, the Murray Darling Basin Plan, appears to be joining a growing list of abject failures driven by politicians and bureaucrats who have little to no wisdom, ethics or skin in the game. Unless of course, that skin is water trading ... Despite constitutional protections, the Australian Federal Government's $13b has fuelled a 50 per cent reduction in NSW and Victorian irrigation water use since 1997-98. SA saw a 22 per cent reduction, while Qld bucked the trend increasing extraction by roughly 58 per cent.
Nhill water storage tank bursts, causing property damage
Nhill's town water storage tank burst on Wednesday, March 12, at approximately 6:40 a.m. when a low-level water storage facility failed on George Street. A spokesperson for GWMWater confirmed that no injuries were reported but said a small number of nearby residential properties experienced water damage.
Research to boost farmers’ connection with ‘green finance’: Charles Sturt University
A Charles Sturt University researcher argues that sustainability research is particularly relevant to supporting Australian farmers’ resilience to both climate change and market risk.
Independent Member for Murray, Helen Dalton, has declared South Australians to be Australia’s worst water wasters
She is arguing they don’t need, or deserve, access to water from NSW and Victoria. In her new social media video Mrs. Dalton contends that the reason South Australians don’t have enough water is because the State wastes the water it already has.
Water debate continues to flow
Hugh Schuitemaker. The Federal Government says it is reaching new milestones in recovering environmental water, however senior Riverland politicians claim a focus on fulfilling the Murray-Darling Basin Plan is harming local growers and irrigators. Statistics released last week by the Federal Government show 286GL of water for the environment has been recovered under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
White Cliffs hit with water restrictions
Central Darling Shire says the restrictions will remain in place until drought conditions improve. Level two restrictions came into effect on March 3, and will remain in place until conditions improve.
