Worst drought ever

[nioka]

Yeah, that is a load of crap.

You need to get out more chops. There are millions of acres along the East coast of Australia with a summer dominant metre plus rainfall that is perfect for dairying. Southern parts or WA with a dry summer, they depend on irrigation to get through the summer. Not so further north. Wake up mate.

And that razor blade picture was an absolute disgrace.

Agree.But:
There were plenty of dairy farms in this area a few years back. Very few had or needed irrigation. The only problem was they could not compete with the southern and western irrigation farms. Most have gone over to beef and crops. If you don't want irrigated pastures then be prepared to pay a lot more for milk and milk products. I believe we need more dams with regulated flow and some movement of water east to west and from North Qld. (When I say that locally I get as much flack as I do when I suggest it is time to start Whaling again.)

 

[robert toms]

The political approach of the SA government has been to do what is possible.
That is to secure X percentage of allocation.
The undoing of over allocation is almost impossible...so SA is trying to do what is possible.
As to dairy farming,if they are productive and can pass an economic or "worthwhile" test incomparison to other activities in irrigations areas....of course they should remain.

 

[Smurf1976]

These photos were taken about 4 hours ago. Lake Pedder and Lake Gordon which collectively form the storage and part of the catchment for Gordon power station (Tas).

Pedder is 1.18m below full (normal mimimum level of -1.5m for aesthetic reasons can be dropped lower in emergencies), Gordon is 39.93m below full (14% full).

 

[Smurf1976]

The drought might be over in some parts of the country, but certainly not in Tas. Photo is of Lake Echo and was taken 27-04-2008.

 

[chops_a_must]

Well....

Parts of this weekend's Avon Descent have been taken out due to our river being too full!!!

Good stuff.

 

[So_Cynical]

Well....

Parts of this weekend's Avon Descent have been taken out due to our river being too full!!!

Good stuff.

Is it still live on TV...the Avon Descent?

Perth...the quintessential Aussie country town.

 

[chops_a_must]

Is it still live on TV...the Avon Descent?

Perth...the quintessential Aussie country town.

It's never been live AFAIK.

Perhaps Extracts Weir once was. But that is pretty cool.

 

[wayneL]

It's never been live AFAIK.

Perhaps Extracts Weir once was. But that is pretty cool.

I once crewed for some power boat guys. The bits I recall were pretty insane, a recommended weekend.

Perth...the quintessential Aussie country town.

It's so sad... that was once true. But those days, regrettably, are gone.

 

[Smurf1976]

Heard on the news yesterday that despite a bit of rain in the past few weeks, Tassie is still in the "worst drought ever".

 

[Prospector]

Twice now, the view from our lower lakes property has featured on the front page of 'The Australian' showing how bad the situation is now. And on Friday, Brendan Nelson held a press conference there. A few years ago we bought a property at Clayton Bay, a community of about 200 people, on the Lower Lakes; in the last 12 months Clayton Bay is starring in the media for all the wrong reasons. Who would have thought! We dont even have a postal delivery there; yet Howard, Rudd and now Brendan Nelson have held press conferences there in the last 9 months! Crikeys, we didn't even have mains water until 3 months ago, (because our water became unfit for human consumption!) and we still dont have a sewer system yet.

One thing that is really Pi**ing me off right now is that Rudd has latched onto this as evidence of global warming! It is NOT ABOUT Global warming, but River MISMANAGEMENT and this, coupled with a drought, has meant no water. And I am really pi**ed off with our state pollies who keep saying 'we cant make it rain" - well, it did rain, and the equivalent of 45 days worth of Adelaide's water consumption went straight out to sea because we don't manage the rain we do get.

 

[chops_a_must]

I once crewed for some power boat guys. The bits I recall were pretty insane, a recommended weekend.



It's so sad... that was once true. But those days, regrettably, are gone.

It's been a life time goal of mine to do it. Looks like a heap of fun... plus an excuse for a massive piss up...

 

[robert toms]

I see that an irrigator Tandou ...TAN on ASX... is not growing cotton this season by the Menindie lakes.Instead they are selling their 10000 megs of carryover water on the market.See their asx announcements.
It is some system where there is not enough water for longtime family irrigators and yet this company can sell their allowance on the market.
Where does this water come from ?Who is deprived so that these late arrivals can sell water ?Water that they tell us is not in the system.
Some mess that state governments have got us into.
I will hazard a guess that they got their water licences for bugger all as well.

 

[2020hindsight]

I will hazard a guess that they got their water licences for bugger all as well.

like BHPB getting their artesian water (Olympic Dam, Roxby Downs) for zilch

 

[2020hindsight]

Greg Hunt would have to be the most idiotic and irrelevant politician out there (imo anyway) - it is clearly "mischievous" to compare anyone with Saddam

PS What did the Libs do in 10 years ?

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/06/2326442.htm?section=justin

Senator Wong likened to Saddam Hussein
Posted 26 minutes ago

The Federal Opposition's environment spokesman has compared Water Minister Penny Wong to Saddam Hussein, saying she and the Federal Government have condemned South Australia's Lower Lakes region to death.

In a radio interview today, Senator Wong said there was not enough water in the Murray Darling system to save the Lower Lakes and Coorong region.

The former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein drained wetlands in southern Iraq as part of an ethnic cleansing campaign.

The Opposition's Greg Hunt says the Labor Government's actions have not been much better.

"Saddam Hussein has destroyed a RAMSAR listed wetland, Penny Wong and Kevin Rudd are about to join unique company," he said.

 

[2020hindsight]

One thing that is really Pi**ing me off right now is that Rudd has latched onto this as evidence of global warming! It is NOT ABOUT Global warming, but River MISMANAGEMENT and this, coupled with a drought, has meant no water. And I am really pi**ed off with our state pollies who keep saying 'we cant make it rain" - well, it did rain, and the equivalent of 45 days worth of Adelaide's water consumption went straight out to sea because we don't manage the rain we do get.

Prospector
I disagree
some call it GW (cause) - some call it climate change (symptom) - whichever, it is lack of rain in this case that is the main problem (surely you'd agree). Sure as hell there is damn all water available in the tradional storage dams to keep the river healthy.

Managemnt of the problem? - well someone will miss out at the moment when there isn't enough to go round. And at the moment they are (allegegedly) forced to give priority to (storage for) long term water supply for populated areas like Adealide.

PS I'm amazed that Melbourne takes water from the Murray with a straight face. They must have alternatives surely?

 

[Smurf1976]

This is supposed to be the wet season down here in Tassie. And it was - briefly. Now it's back to dry again despite everything being thrown at it in terms of trying to make it rain (some success there but not enough).

Overall the water storage situation is roughly the same as at this time last year - 21.4% - but the downwards trend now versus a rising trend 12 months ago is a worry.

 

[Prospector]

2020, I dont agree that the main cause of the lower lakes drying up is the drought. The drought simply brought forward a disaster in waiting. All of us are guilty of taking the Murray-Darling system for granted; and this means none of the Governments have much bothered with the infrastructure needed to stop our reliance on it; costly but invisible things like rainwater capture, replenishing aquifers, and instead focussed on things like watering the desert (namely Hay Plains - Hay plains was never meant to be green!)

We dont have a rainfall problem in Australia, we have a water management one. Neither Rann (SA Premier) nor Rudd created this problem, they have simply done nothing to fix it. The RAMSAR site (which is 20 metres from our shack) no longer exists.

The way the states are failing to come together to solve this problem, and in fact, are creating real barriers makes me really question the Australian ethos of helping your mate. It is now all for one and none for all.

 

[2020hindsight]

prospector - sorry
didn't mean to suggest that Sth Aus wasn't getting the rough end of the pineapple here.

I think the truth is probably in the middle (as usual) - bad prior management, and also the drought.

Will your mate Xenophon get some changes ? turn it around? - time will tell.

PS I apologise for using Queensland terminology in the first sentence there - goes to the origins of the problem yes?

 

[Prospector]

At the moment, as soon as there is 600 gigalitres confused reaching Lake Meningee, (in the eastern states somewhere) then water is released to go down the lower Murray. Except, the irrigators are channeling the water before it gets there, so it never reaches that magical mark. They do this by operating sluice gates and pooling the water. And other water is being kept for people who bought a licence previously, but because of the drought, were not able to get it until this year. Except, many of these people dont even want the water, but are simply trading in Water Licences, much like you do with shares!

Xenophon has his heart in the right place, and will get plenty of media attention through his stunts, and will cause many Public Servants to hate him because he keeps asking questions, but until Australia can think 'big picture' about water he wont actually achieve anything. The eastern states really couldnt give a rats what is happening in SA; the Victorian Premier is hated here.

 

[bassmanpete]

We dont have a rainfall problem in Australia

We certainly do in Victoria, and have for the last 12 years.

the Victorian Premier is hated here.

He is here too