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1/ Water take from the Macquarie... supplementary access and floodplain harvesting.
https://www.theland.com.au/story/6727573/macquarie-irrigators-boost-with-rain-inflows/?cs=4951 via @thelandnews
https://www.theland.com.au/story/6727573/macquarie-irrigators-boost-with-rain-inflows/?cs=4951 via @thelandnews
2/ the Macquarie was cut off at Warren last Sept for the first time ever, sacrificed for overallocation, overextraction and mis management. Fish were rescued from the river.
The system will need time to reestablish..
The system will need time to reestablish..
3/ the first flows came in Feb from tributaries below the dam, and with little notice, and without consulting with the local Env. Water Advisory Group (as per rules), supplementary access was announced & over 12 bill litres extracted.
4/ supplementary access is the lowest priority of take allowed in the rules. It must only be called AFTER all stock and domestic requirements were met in the system.
5/ people below Warren had been without rivers and creeks all summer, trucking in water, selling stock, very dire. While they were still parched, supplementary was called upstream of them.
A forecast was made the s&d would be met in 3 weeks time - not intent of rules.
A forecast was made the s&d would be met in 3 weeks time - not intent of rules.
6/ summer saw 5k ha of the parched Nth March reed bed burn. Biggest reed bed in MDB, internationally significant, protected by Water Act.
It was desperate for water in time, can only go 1 year no water. Needed flood and warm days to grow.
It was desperate for water in time, can only go 1 year no water. Needed flood and warm days to grow.
7/ first flow in feb only reached 1,200 ha reed bed, as v. important peak of flow was taken. Reed bed needed that water in summer so reeds could grow & store energy to shoot again in spring.
Are just getting some flows now, prob too cool now, much prob lost.
Are just getting some flows now, prob too cool now, much prob lost.
8/ But it's FLOODPLAIN HARVESTING thats the great elephant in the room we need to talk about.
Massive volumes taken by levies as water rises out of the river channels, or rain falls that would have reached the river - and all for free.
Massive volumes taken by levies as water rises out of the river channels, or rain falls that would have reached the river - and all for free.
9/ we don’t know how much FPH water is taken, but we know its a lot.
NSW is working on licencing this take, and when they finally announce the volumes to be licenced, multiply that by 5 to allow for the very generous 500% carryover allowances in the policy.
NSW is working on licencing this take, and when they finally announce the volumes to be licenced, multiply that by 5 to allow for the very generous 500% carryover allowances in the policy.
10/ thankfully there has been follow up flows from other tributaries downstream of the dam, and the East Marsh is looking good.
Not so good for the Nth Marsh, only getting water now. The Lower Macquarie between the North Marsh and Mathaguy creek has not much water.
Not so good for the Nth Marsh, only getting water now. The Lower Macquarie between the North Marsh and Mathaguy creek has not much water.
11/ FPH takes vast, unmeasured, historically underestimated volumes from our valley - for free. A travesty given the value of water to all life.
We don't protect the environment very well in this valley.
Even after Dubbo facing no water, nothing has really changed.
We don't protect the environment very well in this valley.
Even after Dubbo facing no water, nothing has really changed.
