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(See also The Living Murray website at http://www.thelivingmurray.mdbc.gov.au)

In this issue:

• New President for the Murray-Darling Basin Commission
• Community Forum on TLM “First Step” decision
• New version of  MDBC salinity atlas now online
• Community involvement urged for major new wetlands survey
• Murray Environmental Awards entries are 'world class'
• MDBC Publications online
• River Murray youth teach key water allocation lessons
• Murray storage low despite rain
• How old is that cod?
• New CRC Technical Report - Land-use Impacts on Rivers Program
• Sustainable Living Festival to 'inform and inspire'
• Call for postgraduate irrigation scholarships
• Christmas Greetings from all of us at MDBC

Mr Sinclair has a strong rural background and a long, distinguished parliamentary career. He replaces Dr Roy Green AO, whose term as President expired on 30 November 2003.

Mr Sinclair will be responsible for ensuring the decisions for a healthy River Murray are based upon well-informed scientific, economic and social analysis, on which the Basin community has been properly consulted.

His appointment is for five years.

For more information read the media release at http://www.affa.gov.au/ministers/truss/releases/03/03354wt.html
 

COMMUNITY FORUM ON THE LIVING MURRAY “FIRST STEP” DECISION
On 10 December, the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) of the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council hosted a forum which attracted 125 Basin community stakeholders and leaders.

The purpose of the forum was to explain The Living Murray initiative “First Step” decision and to agree on a process  for community involvement.

An essential part of the First Step decision was the agreement that a “comprehensive, responsive and accountable community engagement and communications strategy” be developed. The Murray-Darling Basin Commission is to develop the strategy.

The CAC wanted to gather a wide community view on the essential characteristics of the strategy, namely informing communities, seeking input from them, and involving them in planning and implementing the First Step.

Forum participants developed a communiqué which commended the Ministerial Council on taking the First Step decision, presented key community issues, and made several recommendations for consideration in developing and implementing the strategy on communication and engagement.

“With all our diversity, we share a common interest in engaging with each other and with government. ‘Community engagement’ (like dancing) requires contact, communication, leadership, responsiveness, goodwill and shared direction,” the communiqué said.

“It also requires all partners to ‘listen to the music’ and keep in time. If this Community Engagement process is to succeed, government and community partners must genuinely commit to these principles.“

The full text of the forum communiqué is available at http://www.mdbc.gov.au/about/cac/cac.htm
 

NEW VERSION OF MDBC SALINITY ATLAS NOW ONLINE
The MDBC has recently completed an updated version (2.2) of the Murray-Darling Basin Irrigation and Salinity Mapping (BISM) Atlas.

The atlas is a collection of salinity related irrigation data, such as irrigated areas, drainage catchments, groundwater pumps, evaporation basins, etc on a GIS platform.

The scope of the study has now extended beyond mapping the engineering works and drains called for by the MDBC Salinity and Drainage Strategy, to include other elements of land and salinity management, which are included in the new Basin Salinity Management Strategy.

The data was previously compiled into an atlas of data and distributed to government departments, irrigation trusts and regional groups throughout the Basin.

This information helps the MDBC and its partner governments (Australian, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and ACT) to manage salinity issues associated with irrigated agriculture in the Basin.

This year the atlas of maps is available electronically on the MDBC website. It includes information on irrigation infrastructure, groundwater salinity and groundwater flow systems.

To view the Atlas, go to  http://www.mdbc.gov.au/naturalresources/salinity/atlas/bism.htm

For more information contact Matt Kendall, MDBC Salinity Manager at:  Matt.Kendall@mdbc.gov.au or phone 02 6279 0132.
 

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT URGED FOR MAJOR NEW WETLANDS SURVEY
The River Murray Catchment Water Management Board is calling on the community to become involved in a major new physical and biological survey of 38 wetlands along the River Murray.

The project, which has important implications for the future management of the wetlands, is a partnership between the River Murray Catchment Water Management Board, Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation, and the riverine Local Action Planning Committees.

The project will be launched at Swanport Reserve at Murray Bridge on 31 January and will include a free breakfast and monitoring activities.

“Community involvement is crucial to the success of ongoing wetland management and monitoring. This project will provide volunteers with the opportunity to become familiar with collecting wetland data such as physical features, water quality, groundwater quality and depth, vegetation, fish, birds, frogs and macroinvertebrates,” says Project Coordinator Peter Waanders.

“The information collected during this survey will help managers improve the River Murray wetland environments by giving them a better understanding of existing conditions and the future needs of the systems.

“The community can also become involved by attending other special workshops and information sessions, field days on collecting techniques and eventually briefing sessions on the findings of the survey,” he said.

Carried out by staff of Sinclair Knight Merz and the Murray-Darling Freshwater Research Centre the baseline survey’s main aims are to:

• establish basic knowledge of the existing condition of 38 wetlands;
• assess priorities for future management; and
• identify threatened wetland species and/or communities for protection.

Or, Dr Michael Shirley,
Project Manager,
Sinclair Knight Merz
Phone (03) 92483246,
Mobile 0408 171 285
email: mshirley@skm.com.au
 

MURRAY ENVIRONMENTAL AWARDS ENTRIES ARE ‘WORLD CLASS’
World class – that’s how organisers have described the entries from community groups, business enterprises, schools and individuals in the River Murray Catchment Water Management Board’s Environmental Awards.

Organisations as different as the Boating Industry SA, Murray Bridge North Primary School and the Marina Hindmarsh Island, Akuna Station, Loxton High School and Win TV represented more than 27 entrants displaying solid community efforts and cooperation to protect and restore the River Murray Catchment.

Organisers said all of the nominees had done “wonderful work in the catchment with a strong focus on community involvement.” They went on to say it was “so good to see so much inspiring work happening to protect the River Murray Catchment.”

The River Murray Catchment Environmental Awards acknowledge individuals and groups working within the River Murray Catchment in South Australia whose effort and commitment has made a significant and positive contribution to the catchment environment.

Entrants have nominated under categories such as improving environmental and water resource, the quality of the environment and water quality, improving farm practices, education award, local government award, media award and sustainable recreation for tourism operators and others who care for the River Murray

Project nominations this year include:

• a project to improve the quality of the environment and water and an education program with Waikerie and Glossop High Schools (Akuna Station);
• work on Katarapko Island (Loxton High School);
• an integrated environmental schools program (Murray Bridge North Primary School) ;
• an environmental education project (Monarto Zoo);
• a river dwelling effluent removal program (The Mid Murray Council);
• a sustainable development agenda (Alexandrina Council);
• improving farm practices and water use efficiency (Orlando Wyndam Langhorne Creek Vineyard);
• sustainable recreation and improving water quality and the environment (Gluepot Reserve);
• irrigator workshops and community support for irrigators during the drought and water restrictions (Win TV);
• the Gurra Gurra Lakes project (Wetland care Australia);
• movement for ecologically sustainable horticulture (MESH); and
• community work on wetland management (Overland Vineyards and Brenda park Scotts Creek wetlands group).

Organisers stressed that all nominations were of a very high quality and that judging would be very difficult.  See the list of winners at http://www.rivermurray.sa.gov.au/news_events/riverlandwinners.htm
 

MDBC PUBLICATIONS ONLINE
Did you know there are some 1000 publications available through the  MDBC website at www.mdbc.gov.au ?

Some of the categories include:

• animals and plants;
• general Basin information;
• salinity;
• soil;
• water;
• natural resources management; and
• people and industry,

Many of the titles are free while others can be purchased online.

For a world of Basin information go to http://publications.mdbc.gov.au/
 

RIVER MURRAY YOUTH TEACH KEY WATER ALLOCATION LESSONS
Hundreds of Australian and overseas students and teachers recently took a lesson in water allocation from members of the South Australian River Murray Youth Council.

The Council members gave the lesson at the International River Health Conference held in Mildura during National Water Week in October. The conference attracted 450 students and 210 teachers from around Australia and from 14 overseas countries.

The River Murray Youth Council staged a workshop on environmental flows looking at how water is allocated throughout the Basin for domestic usage and irrigation. They covered the key messages of ensuring enough water for the environment and the ecological importance of the Murray Mouth.

The group used an imaginative concept of a train to represent water flow and supply. Students taking part in the workshop were required to get off the train when water was allocated to irrigation or domestic use. The train demonstrated how water is allocated to various uses within the Basin and those participating saw the overall effect of there not being enough flow for the environment.

Teachers attending the workshop said they were interested in using the concept themselves in their own classrooms back home.

The Youth Council, which was set up two years ago, by the River Murray Catchment Water Management Board is headed by an elected Chair - Sara Bray a year 11 student from Karoonda Area School.

The other members attending the River Conference were: Peter Titley and Robert Rich (Commandook Area School); Lars Wannop, Kate Baddams, Karoline Wulf, Melissa Nichols (Mount Barker High); Erin Kerber, Stacey Marks and Victoria Barolo.

The River Murray Catchment Water Management Board, which has a strong commitment to youth involvement, also sponsored Renmark High School students to attend the conference

For more information go to the website http://www.rivermurray.sa.gov.au/work/youth.html or contact Rachael Siddall on 8582 4477 or 0439 824 477.
 

MURRAY STORAGE LOW DESPITE RAIN
Water inflow to the upper Murray storages increased early in December, but has remained at relatively low rates since then, according to the weekly report for the week ending 10 December of the River Murray Water – a business unit of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission

Water releases from Dartmouth Reservoir were increased from 200 to about 1 000 ML/day for electricity generation in response to increased energy demand.

Releases returned to minimum flow of 200 ML/day by mid-December. Release from Hume Reservoir was temporarily reduced in response to the rain but has since been increased to about 15 000 ML/day to meet increasing downstream demand.

Release from Yarrawonga Weir has been maintained near channel capacity for the Barmah-Millewa Forest to continue to meet demand.  Transfer of water to Lake Victoria is also proceeding at near maximum rates via the Edward/Wakool System.

Further downstream, flow at Euston Weir has been steady at about 8 500 ML/day, and is expected to remain near this rate next week.

Storage in Lake Victoria has temporarily levelled out at about 82% of capacity over the week, and is currently at a level of 25.9 m (1.1 m below full supply level). With increasing river and evaporation losses, the level of Lake Victoria is expected to begin to fall slowly next week.

Flow to South Australia is being maintained at the December entitlement rate of 7 000 ML/day.

For more information and to view the latest report and the archives of weekly reports visit the website at http://www.mdbc.gov.au/river_murray/river_murray.htm
 

HOW OLD IS THAT COD?
Researchers at the Murray-Darling Freshwater Research Centre's Northern Laboratory in Goondiwindi have started a study into the biology of Murray cod in local river systems.

The study is particularly aimed at unravelling how fast these fish are growing in our waterways and at what age they are beginning their reproduction.

The project, led by Dr Glenn Wilson, Scientist In charge at the Goondiwindi Laboratory, will use annual growth rings laid down in the ear bones or 'otoliths' of Murray cod to age these fish.

"By combining this information with other details such as the length and total weight of the fish, an idea of its growth rate can be gained."

"Although we encourage the release of Murray cod back into our waterways by anglers, we do realise that some are kept to eat" Dr Wilson says. "It is a bonus if we can use these same fish to improve our knowledge of this iconic native species."

"As we are working with the otoliths, we only require the head of the fish to extract these bones, a process which does not affect the head if it is to be mounted as a trophy" Dr Wilson explains. "In addition to the head, anglers are encouraged to provide us with details of the length, sex and total weight of the fish, plus note which river the fish was caught in."

Fish to be used in the project will predominantly come from local anglers. Importantly, specimens have already been donated by fishermen from across the Border Rivers and Balonne river systems, including fish up to 70 lb.

For more information or if you wish to become involved with this important research, the laboratory can be contacted on (07) 4671 4650, 0429 837 082 or gwilson@northernlab.net.au.
 

NEW CRC TECHNICAL REPORT - LAND-USE IMPACTS ON RIVERS PROGRAM
A new report just published adds to the knowledge of the gap between the science of catchment water balances and the management of rivers.

Part of a series on the subject, the new report is published by the Cooperative Research Centre for Catchment Hydrology.  Written by Pat Lane, Alice Best, Klaus Hickel and Lu Zhang the report tackles the impact of afforestation on flow distribution throughout the year.

The simple fact that trees use more water than grass has important implications for managing dryland salinity and changes in river flows.

Until recently, the data analysis and predictive tools only allowed confidence in predictions concerning river flows on a mean annual basis. This has limited the use of the science in the day-to-day management of water resources and catchment planning.

Afforestation and water will remain a contentious issue until the hydrologic impacts are clear for a complete range of environments and timescales.

The  report is available for downloading at  www.catchment.crc.org.au/cgi-bin/WebObjects/CRCDataViewer.woa/wa/newsItem?id=1000153 .

Printed copies are available for purchase from the Centre Office.

For more information, contact virginia.verrelli@eng.monash.edu.au on 03 9905 2704.
 

SUSTAINABLE LIVING FESTIVAL WILL ‘INFORM AND INSPIRE’
The Sustainable Living Festival to be held in Melbourne 13-15 February will showcase and celebrate sustainable living with the Australian community.

The festival aims to encourage, educate and promote the uptake of sustainable living. It is free and will include artworks, film, soundscapes, fashion and exhibits.

The organisers say the festival is designed to “inform and inspire”.

For more information, see the website at www.sustainablelivingfestival.org/ or contact Shelly Blake on  03 9412 7888 or info@sustainablelivingfestival.org
 

CALL FOR POSTGRADUATE IRRIGATION SCHOLARSHIPS
The CRC for Irrigation Futures is calling for nominations for Postgraduate Scholarships to help it achieve its goals for better water use and irrigation.

The centre’s aims include doubling irrigation water use efficiency, improving profitability for commercial irrigation enterprises and protecting and enhancing landscapes and the environment.

The centre is seeking “enthusiastic, committed individuals who want to make a difference through research in the most dynamic area of Australian agribusiness”.

The CRC operates Australia wide with links to all the major Universities involved in irrigation research.

It has research programs covering a wide range of biophysical, socio-economic, legal and policy framework disciplines.

The centre is looking for applications from people with a sound undergraduate degree in any of the following areas:

• Social Sciences and Law
• Economics and Business
• Environmental, Agricultural and Resource Management and Sciences
• Agricultural, Environmental and Civil Engineering
• Equipment Manufacture and Mechatronics

To apply for a scholarship information pack, contact Sonya Krenske at enquiries@irrigationfutures.org.au or phone 07 4631 2046

For more information visit the website at: www.irrigationfutures.org.au.
 

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS FROM ALL OF US AT MDBC
The Executive and staff of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission extend a warm thanks to all partner organisations and individuals throughout the Basin and beyond who have worked with us over the past year and wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

ends