The Murray-Darling basin is a large geographical area in the interior of southeastern Australia, whose name is derived from its two major rivers, the Murray River and the Darling River.
The Brisbane Times reports, “A draft plan released (on Monday) by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) proposes returning 2750 billion litres (of water to it) annually, but environmental groups say that falls well short of what’s needed. …Environmentalists have begun a grass-roots campaign to ensure the ailing Murray-Darling Basin river system gets all the water it needs to return it to health.”
“Voices for the Murray-Darling, which is made up of various green groups, will hold public meetings and letter-box homes in a bid to get Australians to push for higher environmental flows. The alliance will be calling on Water Minister Tony Burke, who has the power to amend the final plan, to increase the minimum return to 4000 gigalitres, as was specified in an MDBA guide released last year. …Conservationists have seized on a Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (Australia’s national science agency) report commissioned by the MDBA, which said a 2750gl return will not meet all its environmental targets.”
The Murray Valley Standard explains, “The controversial Guide to the Proposed Murray Darling Basin Plan, released last year, recommended a minimum 4000GL reduction to extractions. The draft plan (released this week) recommends a 2750-gigalitre per year reduction on extractions from the basin, based on the 2009 baseline figure of 13,623GL.”
In July 2009, Council of Canadians chairperson Maude Barlow wrote in Adelaide Now, “On a recent trip to Australia, I toured the Lower Lakes of the Murray Darling Basin by land and air and was devastated with what I saw. Federal and State Governments kept blaming climate change and drought for the mess but there is much more to it than that. Australia has become wealthy by damming and diverting the once mighty the once mighty Murray Darling Basin to grow crops for export and successive leaders have allowed the country’s water heritage to be shipped out of the country in what is called ‘virtual water trade’. The river is so over over-extracted, particularly during drought, it is dying from the mouth up, and the resulting sulphuric acid and saline invasion is steadily advancing, killing the animals who ingest it. ….A fresh water secure future depends now on cooperation of all levels of government and a plan based on the principles of public trust, watershed restoration, conservation, fair sharing and the right to water. The people must demand such a plan. This will require declaring a State of Emergency for the Murray Darling and establishing a Royal Commission.”
A 20-week consultation period has now begun (ending in mid-April) with a final plan expected to be adopted in 2012.
