News Latest News Murray-Darling irrigators reassured about water reductions
Murray-Darling irrigators reassured about water reductions
The Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) is reassuring irrigators about the likely size of the cuts to their entitlements when the new basin plan is revealed next month.
The Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists says Murray Water availability should be cut by 39 per cent to keep the river healthy. But Di Davidson from the MDBA says the authority is much more concerned about the social implications and ensuring the carve up is fair:
Unfortunately the Wentworth group has set this very high number in their minds that maybe this is something the basin plan will look at, we might be much more like angels in their eyes when our plan does come out because I don't think they'll find it quite as frightening as the Wentworth group's suggestions.
The Wentworth Group's report received sharp criticisms from irrigator groups in the region, particularly for its recommendations that Murray Valley have its water diversions limited by 39 per cent. This area would include irrigators from South Australia, Victoria and NSW.
Caren Martin from South Australian Murray Irrigators, for example, criticised the report has for not considering the efforts which had been made to date by South Australian irrigators with entitlement caps and the uptake of water use efficiency:
South Australian irrigators should be treated on their management actions. South Australia only contributes to 6 per cent of the diversions. Clawing back 40 per cent of 6 per cent isn't going to give you a big volume when it comes to recovering volumes for the environment. It's pretty obvious from that that the volumes required for the environment need to come from the upstream catchments.
