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Worst drought ever

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Its about time that NSW gave something back to Queensland after sponging off its wealth and natural resources since Federation.

The ACT, NSW and Victoria owe WA, Qld and the NT more than they can ever repay with a dinky little dam on a secondary creek like the Clarence.

Garpal Gumnut
 
Garpal Gumnut said:
Its about time that NSW gave something back to Queensland after sponging off its wealth and natural resources since Federation.The ACT, NSW and Victoria owe WA, Qld and the NT more than they can ever repay with a dinky little dam on a secondary creek like the Clarence. Garpal Gumnut
Click to expand...
hey Garpul,
I don't mind you calling NSWelshmen useless parasitic spongers ,

but hey ... NO WAY do you get away unchallenged calling the Clarence a "SECONDARY CREEK !!" ;)

PS you're probably right - such an insignificant little creek, - stupid idea in the first place lol.

PS puts a new meaning and level of intensity to the old State of Origin doesn't it lol - "state vs state" , but this year they'll probably drop the "mate vs mate" bit lol.
 
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/04/11/1175971180073.html

The drought has put pressure on the national power supply — and on prices — by depleting the availability of hydro-electricity from the major generators in the Victorian and NSW alps, as well as in Tasmania.
Click to expand...
If only that were the full story.

I'm being careful not to release confidential info here but suffice to say that the two big hydro companies aren't the only ones in trouble with the drought and for that matter they aren't even the worst affected thus far.

The situation is going to get a LOT more serious than a rise in prices if it doesn't rain soon.:eek:
 
http://www.eldersweather.com.au/dailysummary.jsp?lt=site&lc=72160&dt=0

Check out the above link for Albury weather statistics for the period Jan - Apr 2007.

ALL monthly min/max temp averages for each month in that period are well above the 10 year (1995-2005)averages. Now, if that doesn't indicate somethin's a'changin', I'll be a Murray River trout swimming in a deep blue lake!! :)

And the rainfall for April to date is none to impressive either = 0 mils :( . Only need a further 37 to reach the 10 year average!

Sigh... talk on, pollies... talk ooooooooooon....... there's plenty of time left to fix the planet..... isn't there?

AJ
 
Aussiejeff said:
Now, if that doesn't indicate somethin's a'changin', I'll be a Murray River trout swimming in a deep blue lake!! :)

And the rainfall for April to date is none to impressive either = 0 mils :( . Only need a further 37 to reach the 10 year average!
Sigh... talk on, pollies... talk ooooooooooon....... there's plenty of time left to fix the planet..... isn't there?AJ
Click to expand...
Vonnegut's last book ended with this quote ( they call it a poem? - doesn't rhyme, lol - but it sure hits home!!).......
When the last living thing has died on account of us, how poetical it would be if earth could say in a voice floating up, perhaps from the floor of the Grand Canyon, it is done, people did not like it here.

AJ, you know that one (I'm sure) about the fisherman bragging about catching a Murray cod that was so big it was gravel rashed on it's belly and sunburnt on its back ?

As you are implying, Not a joke any more, is it :( (and doesn't necessarily imply a big fish any more either)
 
Garpal Gumnut said:
Its about time that NSW gave something back to Queensland after sponging off its wealth and natural resources since Federation.

The ACT, NSW and Victoria owe WA, Qld and the NT more than they can ever repay with a dinky little dam on a secondary creek like the Clarence.

Garpal Gumnut
Click to expand...

We should all see ourselves as Australians, not Queenslanders Victorians etc and stop being narrow minded.

For decades Victoria and NSW have supported the WA, Queensland and Tasmania (and NT and the ACT as well) through the Federal Fiscal Subsidy system which favours those states with a low population, relative to its geographical area (the exception being Tasmania). I think it is only recently this has stopped for WA (or reduced in relation to Queensland). Now the time has arrived for WA and Queensland to start paying their way for all those decades they have been supported by the VIC and NSW.

Remember OZ is a federation!
 
Hmmm.. the following quote from a climate change website...

"Trees and other plants absorb CO2 from the atmosphere as they grow, through the process of photosynthesis. They store the carbon as sugar, starch and cellulose, and subsequently release oxygen back into the atmosphere.

A young forest composed of rapidly growing trees absorbs CO2 and acts as a sink where CO2 is stored. Mature forests made up of a mix of various aged trees, as well as dead and decaying matter may be carbon-neutral above ground, but CO2 can also be absorbed by the soil.

When a tree dies or rots on the ground, nutrients are returned to the soil. The gradual build-up of slowly decaying organic material will continue to accumulate carbon, thereby acting as a sink by sequestering carbon at a rate that exceeds any soil carbon and other emissions.

Carbon dioxide can also be released back into the atmosphere as the trees, timber or wood products are burned.

Land plants can hold about three times as much carbon as the atmosphere. However, the rate at which forests sequester carbon is influenced by climate, topography and soils, as well as by the trees’ individual characteristics and how the forest is managed.

Plantation forests have the potential to help existing forests to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. They also provide a number of additional benefits including reduction of erosion, increased water capture, and economic benefits when sustainably harvested".

The bit about the burning of trees releasing CO2 back into the atmosphere is an interesting point. Has any one done any hard research into how much CO2 is actually being released back into the atmosphere by so-called "controlled burns" which the various state authorities carry out each year, on the premise that they will save lives and property?

I'm not convinced that the 10's of 1,000's of hectares of forest burnt through "controlled burns" over the last 20 years did ANYTHING significant to stem the massive destruction of the last bout of Victorian Alps bushfires. If they did, the effect seems minimal from my lay person's point of view. In fact, a lot of destruction and heartache seemed to come about through "controlled burns" started by the fire authorities that rapidly became "uncontrollable burns" that couldn't be stopped by the extremely limited fire fighting resources the Vic Govt had at it's disposal.

My thoughts on this are as follows:

(a) If CO2 emissions are now such a concern of jittery Govt's, why are massive burning programs still consciously initiated each year (underway at the moment in Vic... *cough*..*cough**), knowing that these burns will release massive amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere.

(b) Given the growing "concern" about CO2 emissions (a significant amount of which is produced by the burning of trees) and the perceived concern about so-called "wildfires", why don't Govt's in OZ spend A LOT MORE on FIRE SUPPRESSION equipment (eg: fleets of ELVIS choppers and LARGE WATER BOMBERS etc - that can be utilised for all manner of non-fire related tasks in the off-seasons) rather than on INCINDIARY AND FIRE LIGHTING equipment?? It seems the first response to any fire these days is for the "fire authorities" to race around lighting a miriad back-burns - some of which themselves get out of control - in the hope it might stop the original fire, rather than hitting the original seat of the fire WITH ALL THEY"VE GOT.

I don't think I'd be overstating that a squadron of "Elvis's" based in Vic. would make short work of most Alpine fire breakouts WITHOUT the need for massive back-burns or much of the "controlled burns" - thereby saving huge amounts of CO2 being released into the atmosphere. Oh, unfortunately I forgot that Guvment would have to SPEND SOME MONEY to buy the necessary extra fire-fighting equipment and I already know their crappy argument - "Oh no, what to do with all that expensive equipment in the off season - it will go to waste - lets spend the money on more fire crews to START fires under controlled conditions" ... yeah, right!

Surely, the "spare Elvis's" could come in mighty handy in flood relief work, natural disaster relief work, maybe even hire 'em out to the Yanks when they need 'em and we have a slack natural disaster period!

Any way, it would be nice to know that someone, somewhere, has done a fully independent cost-benefit analysis that proves what the Guvment is now doing in relation to their burn off programs is actually improving the ratio of CO2 emissions for our beloved one and only planet.... surely, they would have looked at this?

Cheers,

AJ
 
There is something weird happening in Perth right now. A substance is falling from the sky... it appears to be... water! :eek:

I've seen this happen on TV and alway wondered what it was like. :p:
 
wayneL said:
There is something weird happening in Perth right now. A substance is falling from the sky... it appears to be... water! :eek:

I've seen this happen on TV and alway wondered what it was like. :p:
Click to expand...

I noticed this as well, hoefully it penetrates out into the wheatbelt...
 
bel532 said:
We should all see ourselves as Australians, not Queenslanders Victorians etc and stop being narrow minded.

For decades Victoria and NSW have supported the WA, Queensland and Tasmania (and NT and the ACT as well) through the Federal Fiscal Subsidy system which favours those states with a low population, relative to its geographical area (the exception being Tasmania). I think it is only recently this has stopped for WA (or reduced in relation to Queensland). Now the time has arrived for WA and Queensland to start paying their way for all those decades they have been supported by the VIC and NSW.

Remember OZ is a federation!
Click to expand...

Absolute bull.

Us in WA really aren't Australian. We get ignored, underfunded for everything and would be far better off if the secession had of happened in 1933. If you bastards had let it!

We don't get our fisheries protected, we don't get any royalties from Gorgon and other massive projects. We just get left with the problems. So why the hell should we do anything?

WA has always funded the commonwealth with its mineral wealth. Our economy was also booming before the commodities bull began charging:

In the modern economy, in per capita terms, Western Australia is the most productive State in terms of per capita income of $45,277 in 2003-04 compared with the national figure of $39,234.[1]
Click to expand...

And for the record, WA is NEVER mentioned in the pre-amble to the constitution in regards to the Federation. WA would be well within its rights to break away. If our resources keep getting raped with little re-investment, it may well come back to be an issue as it did in the 70s, when development here was stifled from the peoples over east.
 
you going for parliament, chops? ;)
digging that ditch up the long border, and bolting on a few outboard motors? lol.
You wait till you want to come over and watch your footyteam play in Sydney, we'll charge you tax like you wouldn't believe.
 
chops_a_must said:
Absolute bull.

Us in WA really aren't Australian. We get ignored, underfunded for everything and would be far better off if the secession had of happened in 1933. If you bastards had let it!

We don't get our fisheries protected, we don't get any royalties from Gorgon and other massive projects. We just get left with the problems. So why the hell should we do anything?

WA has always funded the commonwealth with its mineral wealth. Our economy was also booming before the commodities bull began charging:



And for the record, WA is NEVER mentioned in the pre-amble to the constitution in regards to the Federation. WA would be well within its rights to break away. If our resources keep getting raped with little re-investment, it may well come back to be an issue as it did in the 70s, when development here was stifled from the peoples over east.
Click to expand...

Spoken like a true "sandgroper", Chops! :)

I lived there in Perth from 1984 to 2005, so I can well understand the sentiment (even if my vision is a bit dimmed by the fluttering of cockroach wings!) hehe..

AJ
 
 
MURRAY DARLING BASIN COMMISSION REPORT FOR THE WEEK ENDING Wednesday, 11 April 2007

Rainfall and Inflows:

Extremely dry conditions prevailed over the Basin for the week ending 11 April. As a result inflows to
the River Murray continue to be extremely low. The Bureau of Meteorology forecasts another dry
week ahead.

River Murray Operations:

Release from Dartmouth Dam continued to be gradually reduced over the week to about 1 000
ML/day and will be further reduced to 600 ML/day next week. It is expected that release will be
maintained at about this level over coming weeks if conditions remain dry. Any decision regarding
further alterations in release will be made after consideration is given to likely future levels of river
losses and irrigation demands further downstream. Storage in Dartmouth is currently 470 GL (12.0 %
of capacity).

Release from Hume Dam was increased from 6 000 to 7 000 ML/day in order to meet higher irrigation
demands at Yarrawonga Main Channel. Storage in Hume Reservoir continues to gradually fall and is
currently at 124 GL (4.1% capacity). Under continuing extreme dry conditions Lake Hume is
expected to gradually fall over the coming weeks towards the minimum operating level of about 1% of
capacity. River Murray Water will provide updates as necessary over coming weeks.

Release from Yarrawonga Weir was decreased to 4 300 ML/day in order to continue to store as much
water as possible in the upper storages for next season. Lake Mulwala remains fairly steady at a level
of about 124.75 m AHD. Torrumbarry Weir is back to its Full Supply Level of 86.05 m AHD
following the arrival of increased flows made from Yarrawonga Weir during the previous week. Flow
at Euston Weir has increased to 2 500 ML/day.

Flow to South Australia remains at around 1 700 ML/day which is the lowest ever experienced since
Dartmouth Dam was commissioned in 1979. The low flow to South Australia has resulted in a
reduction in the weir pool level at Lock 6 to around 12 cm below Full Supply Level. River Murray
Water is currently working closely with South Australian and NSW Agencies in an effort to boost this
pool level and maintain other pool levels in South Australia.

The low flows to South Australia have contributed to a further reduction in the water levels of the
Lower Lakes with Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert falling to 0.13m AHD (0.6m below Full
Supply Level). These levels are expected to continue to fall over coming weeks, particularly if
conditions remain warm and dry.

Salinity levels in the Lower Lakes continue to gradually climb with Lake Alexandra levels
approaching 1600 EC and Lake Albert readings around 2700 EC.

DAVID DREVERMAN
General Manager

------------------------------

Regarding the bits I underlined in the above report ...

(a) What the hell are they doing releasing more water from Hume just because those pesky downstream irrigators demand "more, more, more!!". The authorities are nuts... plain and simple - aren't they supposed to be able to make and take hard decisions to protect our precious water resource? Yeah, right.

(b) What the hell is the Commission doing, bending over backwards to help feed the poor S.A. CROWS!?? Dam it! I live in Wodonga and we are told we are going on to Stage 4 restrictions soon - why? ... obviously so's we can keep supplying those GOD DAM CROWS!!!! :(

Sigh...

AJ
 
Do you know that SA has a constitutional right to an allocation of water...guaranteed since federation.
There must have been some inspired foresight there.NSW kept giving out irrigation licences until the Commonwealth took over earlier this year.The NSW premier was only too happy to cede water powers to the Commonwealth after the inept mess that NSW has made of water allocation.
In SA they stopped issuing new irrigation licences in 1973.
I read figures in one newspaper that NSW uses nearly ten times as much water from the Murray-Darling as SA,and Victoria six times as much......I spent last year living in the Riverina.I found some amazing attitudes in NSW.The shire that I was in sold water for $50 a meg when the market rate was $350....but no matter ...it would rain next year and people would forget about it!
The mayor of one shire,I think Wakool,was advocating stopping the river flow at the SA border,because the irrigators in his shire were facing hardships.
In the big picture ,they were Johnny-come-latelies that should not have been there in the first place...or just misled by governments ?
The current state of the river is caused by drought,but there are lot of bad attitudes and over allocations to be addressed.
 
chops_a_must said:
Absolute bull.

Us in WA really aren't Australian. We get ignored, underfunded for everything and would be far better off if the secession had of happened in 1933. If you bastards had let it!

We don't get our fisheries protected, we don't get any royalties from Gorgon and other massive projects. We just get left with the problems. So why the hell should we do anything?

WA has always funded the commonwealth with its mineral wealth. Our economy was also booming before the commodities bull began charging:



And for the record, WA is NEVER mentioned in the pre-amble to the constitution in regards to the Federation. WA would be well within its rights to break away. If our resources keep getting raped with little re-investment, it may well come back to be an issue as it did in the 70s, when development here was stifled from the peoples over east.
Click to expand...


Stop being so parochial.

WA (and to varying degrees other states) have been HEAVILY subsidised by NSW and Victoria until the advent of the resources boom in the mid to late sixties. This subsidy has continued to varying degrees (every investor in the resources sector knows how much that sector has fluctuated in that period) until recent times. Until the advent of the mining boom WA was a very poor state economically and it was agreed at that time, that it and other states, would be subsidised by the then richer states namely NSW and Victoria.

Remember in these very uncertain times we all need to pull together and help each other and not have 'a dog in manger' attitude. We are a very small pond (from a population aspect) in a very big pool.
 

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