MDBC Newsletter - October 2004

Welcome to the Murray-Darling Basin monthly e-letter with reports of happenings across the Basin.

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Forum looks at global warming winners and losers
Global Warming Winners and Losers - the impact of climate change on Australian ecosystems is that’s the them of the Second Annual Bird Week Lecture to beginning in Sydney on 23 October.

Organisers say this will be a “once in a lifetime opportunity to learn from internationally recognised experts in the field about global warming and the impact of climate change on our birds and ecosystems.

“We shall be able to find out how we, as individuals and organisations, can become involved in the monitoring and study of these impacts, and how we can assist with their amelioration.”

The week includes an open forum with an expert panel discussing the issues and dilemmas for environmentalists in order to adapt to climate change.
Panel member will be:

Water releases from Dartmouth Reservoir to be increased
The rate of transfer of water from Dartmouth Reservoir to Hume Reservoir is to be increased to further supplement storage in Hume in preparation for the remainder of the 2004/05 irrigation and water supply season, River Murray Water (RMW) announced on 6 October.

RMW General Manager, Mr David Dreverman said the increase was needed because of the relatively low storage volume in Hume Reservoir, and to help meet water supply requirements along the River Murray.

“Storage in Hume Reservoir has risen from 26 per cent of capacity at the end August to 45 per cent by end of September 2004 as a result of improved inflows and transfer of water from Dartmouth”, Mr Dreverman said.

This was well below average for this time of year, despite the rain and subsequent rise in storage level in Hume over September 2004.

In addition, the continuing demand on Dartmouth is significant this season because there is currently no Commission storage available in Menindee Lakes.

“A substantial volume of water is likely to be transferred from Dartmouth to Hume to meet downstream requirements over the remainder of 2004-05”.

Water - everyone's business, everyone's responsibility
The Murray-Darling Basin Commission has joined with the Murray-Darling Association and other sponsors to promote the importance of water issues in the northern area of the Basin.

Local Government councils, Regional organisations of councils, Irrigators, Water users and the general community will come together for a one-day forum at Gooondiwindi in Queensland, on 21

October on the theme, “Water - Everyone's Business, Everyone's Responsibility”.
Organisers say participants will tackle the perception that the northern communities of the Murray-Darling Basin are not well engaged in the water debate.

Communities and Local Government want to be part of the search for a balance between economic, social and environmental outcomes through a serious north-south dialogue on water and natural resource management issues.

Outcomes must include profitable production in a healthy landscape, regional development implications of future water management, improving water efficiencies in towns, as well as exploring the human impact of water management and water trading.

Arid lands governance Phd scholarships available
Two Phd top-up scholarships are available for candidates to work on the Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre project ‘Better Governance for dispersed desert populations: A South Australian Case Study’.

One candidate will be based at the Centre for Rural and Regional Development at the University of South Australia and the other at the School of Management at Curtin University of Technology.

Each scholarship provides additional support for candidates holding another base scholarship such as an Australian Postgraduate Award (APA), UniSA Postgraduate Research Award (USAPRA), or International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (IPRS).

Support will be for three years through a stipend of $6000 p.a. and an operational budget of $5000 p.a. to do the project. Supervisors will help candidates to apply for base scholarships.

The research project focuses on establishing and operating regional natural resource management boards and associated institutions.

Community Advisory Committee Meeting 4 – Echuca, Vic
The Community Advisory Committee held its fourth meeting in Echuca on 10 September 2004. The meeting coincided with a field day in the Barmah-Millewa forest to raise awareness of issues relevant to the management of this site as one of six Significant Ecological Assets for The Living Murray. The CAC met with representatives of the Barmah-Millewa Forum, Yorta Yorta Council of Elders, Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority, local government and local conservation groups to gauge their views on future management arrangements for the Barmah-Millewa forests.

At its meeting, the CAC received a presentation on Interstate Water Trade from Mr Denis Flett, CEO of Goulburn Murray Water and Deputy Commissioner for Victoria. The meeting focused on the preparation of its advice to the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council, which covers advice on The Living Murray, salinity management and Integrated Catchment Management. The CAC will also present its first annual Business Plan for endorsement by the Ministerial Council.

MDBC supported art show stresses sustainability
The Murray-Darling Basin Commission and art students from the Australian National University have joined forces in an innovative art exhibition that emphasises environmental sustainability and a "sense of place".

'Common Ground' - a collection of video, painting , drawing , sculpture, photography, silver, glass and ceramics - was inspired by the 17 artists' own field research in Gunnedha and the neighbouring Liverpool Plains.

The artists are all students of the Environment Studio Field Studies program at the ANU's School of Art which helps artists at the school to get out into the world to seek inspiration for making art.

According to the program's coordinator, John Reid, "visual art informed by science, indigenous knowledge or local community wisdom and inspired by direct observation of the physical world can be powerful stuff.

"When applied in conservation strategies, aesthetic statements that stem from such research can help narrow the gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it.

"All 17 artists contributing to Common Ground are operating in that gap in various ways. This exhibition is dedicated to the people of Gunnedah and the Liverpool Plains," he said.

MDBC Manager Communication Lawrie Kirk says the MDBC is a strong supporter of the program as it creates and encourages people's responses to regional and environmental issues.

"This collection of work created for the Two Rivers Festival in Gunnedah is an excellent example of the use of the arts to visualise people's passion and concern for our natural heritage and resources.

"I hope that 'Common Ground' encourages more people to take a new look at the environment that sustains them."

The exhibition opens in temporary gallery spaces in the main street of Gunnedah on Wednesday 13 October and runs until Sunday 17 October. Digital video works will be shown at the Civic Theatre, Saturday 16 October from 5.30 - 6.00 pm.

For more information contact John Reid, Environment Studio, School of Art, Faculty of Arts, The Australian National University, phone (02) 6125 5809, email john.reid@anu.edu.au

Basin youth learn to lead
A series of environmental leadership programs for 15-25 year olds will be held at strategic location in the Murray-Darling Basin over the next month.

The programs work through leadership training and mentoring to help young people to develop plans for eco-social projects.

Organiser says that through Youth LEAD young people learn how to listen deeply to each other, to their own Hearts and to the Earth. They gain skills in strategic questioning, creative thinking, visioning, action planning and
social-enterprise.

Youth LEAD is a program of Oz GREEN - an independent, not for profit organisation dedicated to addressing critical water issues by enabling informed and active community participation.

Volunteers wanted for Murray-Darling River Rescue
Greenfleet Australia and Scouts ACT and are calling for volunteers to take part in this year’s Murray-Darling River Rescue on 23 and 24 October by planting 75 trees each.

The Murray-Darling Basin Commission supports the project because planting trees in strategically located areas within catchments in the Basin will help tackle long term salinity and water quality problems.

The Rescue aims to revegetate the Murray-Darling Basin by planting 10 million trees in 10 years. The trees are all Australian natives and create native “forests of diversity” where indigenous species will remain in the ground permanently.

Scouts Australia are responsible for coordinating and managing the thousands of volunteers and they work closely with Greenfleet Australia in setting the logisitics of the planting to ensure the success of the planting weekends.

This year is the fourth year of the program. More than 700,000 trees have been planted by Scouts and volunteers in South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.