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Murray Darling Basin Plan
River Murray under threat by Labor’s $600m hydrogen plant that won’t lower energy bills: Patterson, Girolamo
Peter Malinauskas’ experimental hydrogen plant could raid precious water resources from the River Murray to operate, it has been revealed, alongside confirmation SA households won’t see a cent of energy bill relief despite $600 million taxpayer investment ... “We are the driest state in the driest continent in the world, and Peter Malinauskas doesn’t know where he is sourcing the huge amounts of water needed to run this experimental hydrogen plant that does nothing to reduce the cost of SA electricity bills": Shadow Minister for Energy and Net Zero, Stephen Patterson.
South Australians urged to call for River Murray promises to be fulfilled: Close
This is the Productivity Commission’s second five yearly review into the effectiveness of the implementation of the Plan and it focuses on what needs to change for it to be delivered in full ... The Productivity Commission is consulting widely on its review including with Basin governments, environmental water managers, peak bodies, researchers and academics, Aboriginal people and Basin communities.
Murray–Darling Basin Authority communique, 11 May 2023
The Murray–Darling Basin Authority met on 10 May 2023 in person on Ngunnawal Country (Canberra) and via videoconference ... Key water management activities in the River Murray System were discussed, including airspace management at Hume Dam, as well as the prospect of an El Niño weather pattern developing later in the year.
Just add water, again
While Victoria wrestles with the federal government over the Murray-Darling Basin Plan Sustainable Diversion Limit project, the delivery of held environmental water ramps up to flood Gunbower Forest again. Described as the ‘Special Sauce’ by North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA), held environmental water will be used to irrigate the forest following two flooding events in 2022, an irrigation event and the following wide-scale major flooding. It’s not tree or canopy health that is driving the NCCMA’s call for water this time around but food for water birds.
Buybacks cost jobs: Irrigation Council
Water buybacks were blamed for 3261 job losses across the economies of 40 southern Murray-Darling Basin communities, according to Murray-Darling Basin Authority modelling by the NSW Irrigation Council ... "Across the southern Basin States, 648 lost jobs (21 per cent of FTE jobs losses) in the profiled NSW communities profiled were attributed to water recovery, 1684 (30 per cent) in northern Victoria and 929 (45 per cent) in South Australia, mostly in its Riverland horticultural centres": NSWIC CEO, Claire Miller.
Hume Dam releases increase to manage airspace: MDBA
The Murray–Darling Basin Authority is creating airspace at Hume Dam as irrigation demands decrease and the wetter months approach ... "Hume Dam is currently at 91% capacity and Dartmouth is at 96%. Airspace management releases will continue at Dartmouth Dam at low rates": MDBA Executive Director of River Management Andrew Reynolds.
Barmah Choke trade opportunity for new irrigation year: MDBA
The Barmah Choke water trade balance to start the 2023–24 water year will deliver a solid trade opportunity for irrigators. MDBA Executive Director of River Management Andrew Reynolds, said the water available to trade downstream of the Barmah Choke on 1 July 2023 would be about 60.6 gigalitres (GL).
Southern Murray–Darling Basin water prices forecast to remain lower than average for fourth consecutive year: ABARES
Water allocation prices in the southern Murray–Darling Basin are likely to remain low for a fourth consecutive year, according to the latest ABARES Water Market Outlook ... ABARES considers the average scenario to be the most likely, with prices expected to increase to $80 per ML across the southern basin in 2023–24, up from $29 per ML in 2022 23.
Government urged to pilot bold new plan to deliver urgent final water flows to Murray-Darling Basin, without the need for buybacks: Waterfind
An Australian-first program designed to restore critical environmental water flows to the Murray-Darling Basin, while meeting the ongoing needs of local irrigators and growers, has been proposed as an “immediate, affordable and genuine” solution to the nation’s Basin Plan – avoiding the need for short-term, unpopular water buybacks as announced by the Federal Government.
Keep an eye out for changed conditions downstream of Hume Dam this Easter: MDBA
Murray River campers and river users looking forward to spending time on the Murray downstream of Hume Dam this Easter are reminded to be aware of potentially changed river conditions as a result of the recent floods. MDBA Executive Director of River Management, Andrew Reynolds said depending on which part of the river you visit, riverbanks may have changed and hidden snags and other debris may be more prevalent.
