Murray-Darling Basin Commission – July 2005, E-letter No 44

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In this issue:

1. Living Murray, water issues, salinity top MDBC Meeting talks
2. MDBC Chief Executive talks on salt interception benefits to Murray
3. Native fish and wetlands should be linked to benefit both
4. Forum aims to balance economy and sustainability
5. Communities hear more about the Living Murray
6. Applicants wanted for $12m for Food Innovation Grants
7. New Australian safe water guide helps aid program
8. Nominations Open for 16th McKell Medal
9. Water innovators named Business of the Year
10. Call for Agribusiness awards applications
11. Condamine Catchment studies booming organic waste business
12. Condamine Alliance takes up nature challenge
13. Renmark High students form successful river health group

Living Murray, water issues, salinity top MDBC Meeting

The Commission noted that progress on the implementation of The Living Murray Business Plan included water recovery measures, development of environmental plans and community consultation.

The Commission noted that work was continuing on a cost benefit analysis of exchange rates and tagged trading systems, and principles for expanded permanent water trade.

Having received the Independent Audit Group (IAG) Special Audit on the Barwon-Darling/Lower Darling, the Commission declared that NSW had exceeded the Cap on diversions in this designated valley and agreed to report this to Ministerial Council.

The Commission also approved the model for determining annual diversions of the Namoi-Peel Cap valley.

It also approved public release of two reports: the Water Audit Monitoring Report 2003-04 and the Marsden Jacobs Audit Report. A third report, the IAG Special Audit Report will be published once responses from the states have been incorporated.

In response to the IAG –Salinity report, the Commission approved, in principle, development of a works program.

The Commission also noted that:

• a work strategy is being developed to coordinate salinity mitigation works with environmental water management under The Living Murray Business Plan.
• work is progressing on the assessment of risks to shared water resources, with a work plan under development for consideration by the next meeting of Commission on 30 August 2005; and
• an update on the outlook for water resource availability for the 2005-06 season.

For more information contact the MDBC on 02 6279 0100.

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Deputy Commissioner Flett farewelled

For ten of those years   he served as a member of the Commission and also as a member of the River Murray Water Advisory Board.

His recent work on developing expanded interstate water trade has showcased his ability to balance interests of member States and the Basin as a whole. Commissioners wished him well.

MDBC Chief Executive talks on salt interception benefits

Speaking at a MDBC salt interception scheme conference in Renmark, South Australia recently, Dr Craik said investment in salt interception schemes provided the most immediate and cost-effective benefit to river salinity management.

She said the conference participants inspected two schemes currently under construction at Bookpurnong and Loxton and explained that the additional operations were expected to deliver major benefits to river salinity.

“The schemes are a key component of the overall Basin Salinity Management Strategy but must be seen as just one option in a suite of measures to manage salinity across the Basin.

“They help sustain agriculture, water quality and ecological benefits where there is floodplain protection,” she said.

Salt interception schemes intercept and pump saline groundwater to disposal basins and most are located in the mallee zones of NSW, Victoria and South Australia , from Albury to Morgan.

More than 30 salt interception experts – operators, natural resources managers and senior MDBC personnel – took part in two topical workshops entitled “Post-flood salinity peaks” and “Disposal, disposal, disposal – innovative disposal methods”.

They heard that the Murray-Darling Basin had the most extensive salt interception schemes in the world that were built and are now operated at best practice standards.

“Salt interception schemes are funded by State and Australian governments as well as water users and help support regional development to take place,” Dr Craik said.

For more information on how salt is kept out of the River Murray go to: www.mdbc.gov.au/naturalresources/salinity/salt_interception/AboutTheProgram.htm

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Native fish and wetlands should be linked to benefit both

Dr Bill Phillips, Director of MainStream Environmental Consulting, told the workshop that wetlands and fish have not had a close association in the public eye.

“Wetlands, at least those of the inland, have tended to fall through a bureaucratic and administrative ‘crack',” he said.   “In most States and Territories those bureaucrats working to see inland wetlands protected or managed for long-term sustainability are not always doing so arm-in-arm with the fisheries agencies,” he said.

Dr Phillips suggested the wetlands-fish link could become more firmly established and recognised by:

• better community education and awareness raising;
• taking more integrated approaches to seeing wetland protection mechanisms, whether national, State/Territory or local, undertaken with native fish in mind, and planned at an appropriate scale;
• introducing more strongly than at present an expectation that regional NRM and catchment bodies are using their integrated planning and investment strategies to address native fish management, through options such as demonstration reaches or more formal habitat protection options;
• engaging private landholders, community organisations, specialised NGOs and anglers in on-ground management of wetlands and as a united lobby to influence government decision-making; and
• encouraging the corporate world to support the wetland-fish ‘partnership' with tangible, long-term resources.

MDBC Manager Native Fish Strategy Jim Barrett , said the workshop was a valuable contribution to the discussion of fish and wetlands, particularly as it developed a draft action plan.

“The draft action plan used the objectives of the MDBC Native Fish Strategy 2003-2013 as a framework.

The Strategy provides for the rehabilitation and protection of the natural functioning of wetlands and floodplain habitats for native fish and aims to revive the links between terrestrial ecosystems, wetlands and rivers”

Abstracts of papers presented at the workshop and a copy of the draft action plan are available online at www.mainstream.com.au/MDBCWetlands&Fish.htm

For more information contact Jim Barrett on 02 6279 0100

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Forum aims to balance economy and sustainability

The Murray-Darling Basin Commission is the foundation sponsor for the Forum and Commission President   Ian Sinclair will be this year's key note speaker.

This year's theme “leaving smaller footprints” will discuss the balance between economic social and environmental aspects of business for landholders, land managers, landcarers and anybody who supports work in sustaining and improving natural resources.

The Forum is expected to attract more than 400 participants from across NSW, the ACT and beyond.

The line–up of presenters includes people who are recognised by landholders and land managers as making a significant contribution in their primary production business or supporting those who do.

This year for the first time, the State Landcare Catchment Management Forum is multi-hosted and is lead by the Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Authority in partnership with the catchment wide Landcare body, the Murrumbidgee Landcare

Association, the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources, and the Wagga Wagga City Council.

A number of tours across the Murrumbidgee Catchment will be available to participants on Thursday 18 August. A dinner to celebrate the NSW Landcare Awards will be held   on Friday 19 August.

The forum will include a panel of identities – some of the best thinkers, practitioners and leaders to discuss and share their thoughts on sustaining and improving production and at the same time reducing the ecological footprint on the environment.

The forum also includes a trade exhibition with opportunities for organisations, individuals, businesses and communities to showcase their activities and services adopting sustainable practices.

For more information and to register, contact 02 69 230570 or email smaller.footprints@cma.nsw.gov.au or visit the website at www.murrumbidgee.cma.nsw.gov.au/footprint.html
 

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Communities hear more about the Living Murray

Attending the forum was Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council Chairman Minister Warren Truss, Victorian Minister for the Environment John Thwaites and South Australia 's Minister for the River Murray Karlene Maywald. The Ministers were present to outline how they will work together to implement the First Step Decision.

The Living Murray Business Plan details how the $500 million commitment by the Australian, New South Wales , Victorian, South Australian and ACT governments will be implemented. The plan will provide strategic direction as well as guiding planning and decision making on an annual basis.

Key elements of the Business Plan include:

• water recovery
• water application
• consultation and communications.

Water application will be managed through Asset Environmental Management Plans and a Living Murray Environmental Watering Plan. There will be a single Asset Environmental Management Plan for each of the six significant ecological assets, which will detail strategic long-term objectives as well as annual priorities.

The Living Murray Environmental Watering Plan will provide a framework for managing available environmental water across the River Murray system to meet the objectives across the Assets.

The Ministers also stated their commitment to consultation and communication to ensure there is opportunity for input in implementing the First Step for the Living Murray. This would ensure the consideration of a diverse range of views when making decisions around water recovery and the significant ecological assets.

The community leaders forum was a joint initiative of the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council's Community Advisory Committee and the Murray-Darling Basin Commission.

Smaller forums are proposed to be held around each of the significant ecological assets in the future. These will cover similar info rmation about the Living Murray Business Plan.

A South Australian forum was held at Renmark on June 24. Minister Karlene Maywald was present.

For more info rmation on the Living Murray : www.thelivingmurray.mdbc.gov.au
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Applicants wanted for $12m for Food Innovation Grants
Applicants are being sought for innovation and export growth projects in the Australian food industry.

The Australian Government will make another $12 million available to the Food Innovation Grant program, with deadline for applicants Wednesday August 17.

The scheme is part of a five-year (2002-07) agenda.

Over $71 million has already been committed for investment over the seven rounds of the scheme to date. Of this, more than $30 million has been contributed directly by the Australian Government, with the remainder contributed by business participants.

Another round of Food Innovation Grants is anticipated in November.

For more information go to www.nfis.com.au

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New Australian safe water guide helps aid program

According to Aus AID, the guide presents an innovative, but rigorous approach to water quality that incorporates best practice principles for safe water from the Australian drinking water guidelines 2004 , and the World Health Organisation's Guidelines for drinking-water quality (3 rd edition).

Safe drinking water is essential to sustain life , but over the past 20 years there has been growing recognition of the decline in readily accessible, good quality water for drinking.

In 2003, about 1.1 billion people did not have access to clean drinking water. Only 5 per cent of the world's wastewater was treated.

The Guide was launched in April by the Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr Bruce Billson. It had its global launch at the Commission for Sustainable Development meeting, in New York April 2005. AusAID plans to disseminate and promote the SWG through domestic and regional workshops and other events.

The new guide was developed with the help of a wide range of technical, policy and communication experts. Its development has drawn in stakeholders from the Australian Government, the NGO community, academics and water sector professionals.

An important international partner has been the WHO Water and Sanitation Program (WSP), Geneva . Senior WSP staff have critiqued the SWG at various points in order to strengthen its technical content and to ensure it is congruent with the WHO Guidelines on Drinking Water Quality.

An electronic copy of the SWG is available at: www.ausaid.gov.au/publications

For more information call Simon Buckley, 02 6206 4203, simon_buckley@ausaid.gov.au
 
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Nominations Open for 16th McKell Medal
Nominations have opened for the 16th McKell Medal, a national award that recognises excellence in natural resource management and also honours the achievements of a great Australian.

This prestigious award is open to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to improve natural resource management in Australia through on-farm action, scientific research or community involvement.

Sponsored by all Australian governments, the medal commemorates the outstanding contribution made in the area of soil and land conservation by Sir William McKell, a former Premier of NSW (1941-47), and Governor-General of Australia (1947-53).

People can nominate themselves, a deserving colleague or anyone who has made a significant contribution to better managing natural resources in this country. Nominees should, however, still be working in their chosen field and, if they win, be able to use the award to promote the ethic of sound natural resource management.

Nominees would need to have demonstrated achievements in one or more of the following areas:

• showing community leadership in ethical land stewardship at the local, regional, state or national level;
• developing and implementing highly effective and innovative educational and promotional programs; or
• undertaking or promoting research activities, or applying research findings that can significantly contribute to the above criteria.

Nominations close on Friday 18 November 2005 .

Application forms are available at www.affa.gov.au/content/output.cfm?ObjectID=FCF25BAB-9F6B-4468-B3E82EF8908D1701

For more information , email mckellmedal@daff.gov.au or call (02) 6272 4399.

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Water innovators named Business of the Year

The Cohuna based company was named Manufacturing Business of the Year, before taking out the top award from a field of 33 finalists.

Presenting the award to company director Rick Bilton, the judges commended the company's commitment to increased water-use efficiency in rural and urban delivery systems.

AWMA provide nation-wide consultancy, design, manufacture and installation for water monitoring and control. The company has achieved significant growth over the last 12 months, following a partnership with Murray Irrigation Limited.

The recent signing of the National Water Initiative and associated funding gives AWMA the opportunity to help the National Water Commission increase the productivity and efficiency of Australia 's water use.

“Our staff and management are honored to receive this award,” Mr Bilton said.

“AWMA will continue to provide the Australian water industry with innovative water management solutions,” he said.

Rick Bilton and General Manager Brett Kelly also congratulated all other finalists.

For further information on the Gannawarra Business Excellence Awards or AWMA water management solutions contact Brett Kelly on brett@awma.au.com
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Call for Agribusiness awards applications

This is the 10 th year of the Rabobank Agribusiness Awards for Excellence - a significant event in Australia 's agribusiness calendar and a landmark event for corporate and individual achievement within the food, fibre, beverage and agribusiness sector.

Organisers say Monash University and Rabobank are proud to unite and present the Awards, continuing to demonstrate their long-term commitment to agribusiness.

They say their vision for the Awards is to help the sector fully realise its future potential, by fostering excellence, innovation and leadership.

  The Rabobank Agribusiness Awards for Excellence recognise and reward outstanding achievement in the following categories:

• Rabobank Agribusiness Emerging Leader of the Year Award;
• Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service Export Award;
• Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation Agribusiness Value Adding Award;
• The Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology's Technology and Innovation Award;
• Australian Greenhouse Office Environmental and Energy Management Award;
• Australian Farm Journal Rural Enterprise Award;
• Rimfire Resources Agribusiness Employer of Choice Award; and
• Ernst & Young Risk Management Award.

A judging panel of industry leaders and academics will select the winners for each category.

Entries must be received by Wednesday 31 August 2005 .

For more information and to get an application form go to www.agribis.net  or contact Dr Lawrie Dooley lawrence.dooley@buseco.monash.edu.au or phone (03) 99032757

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Condamine Catchment studies booming organic waste business

Recycled organics are typically by-products from intensive animal facilities and include manures, sludges from treatment ponds and effluent, as well as sawdust, cotton trash and straw.

The regional environmental management group, Condamine Alliance (CA), is funding the project undertaken by FSA Consulting to provide data and resources that will increase awareness and maximise the use of recycled organics within the catchment.

The project, managed by Kaara Klepper of FSA Consulting in Toowoomba, will document the volume of organic waste and the location of facilities that produce it.

Ms Klepper will collate data on the composition of wastes produced in the catchment and provide information packages on how to source, use and make money with recycled organics.

Condamine Alliance and FSA Consulting are appealing to members of the community to help kick-start the project by providing some feedback on issues surrounding recycled organics.

Condamine Alliance is a community-based regional body responsible for enabling the community to achieve sustainable natural resource management, including securing the viability of rural and regional industries and communities.

FSA Consulting is distributing a confidential survey which takes less than five minutes to complete.   Results of the survey will be collated at the end of July.

The survey can be completed online at the Condamine Alliance web site ( www.condaminealliance.com.au ), or hard copies can be posted out on request by phoning Kaara Klepper at FSA Consulting on (07) 4632 8230.

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Condamine Alliance takes up nature challenge

The Condamine Alliance has allocated $100,000 for incentives to encourage landholders to enter nature refuge agreements, complementing the $144,000 allocated for a state-wide pilot program of the Queensland Biodiversity Tender Model, run by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Condamine Alliance Chief Executive Phil McCullough applauded the EPA initiative to test an auction incentive system to help secure conservation covenants on private land within “biodiversity hotspots”.

The catchment is home for more than 500 native vertebrate animals including 66 mammals, 323 birds, 100 reptiles and 38 frogs. Ten species are considered endangered -- two frogs, four birds, one mammal, two reptiles and one butterfly. A further 21 species are considered vulnerable and 26 are rare at the state level.

There are nearly 2000 flora species in the Condamine -- five of these are endangered, 32 vulnerable and 34 species are rare at state level.

Landholders will be invited to tender for incentives to manage hotspots on their properties, nominating on-ground works such as fencing riparian or wetland vegetation, building watering points away from waterways, protecting vegetation corridors and controlling feral plants and animals.

For more information on the nature refuge program, contact your local EPA office, call the EPA hotline on 1300 130 372 or visit www.epa.qld.gov.au

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Renmark High students form successful river health group

Two of the students Emma Graham and Theo Papageorgiou said the group started over a year ago and calls itself “Youth River Us”.

“Our group has been to many different environmental seminars to tell other people what our little group is doing and to show that Youth play a big role in the future and that we can do a lot if we try,” Emma and Theo said.

Youth River Us has addressed the South Australian Parliament and travels around the State.

“This year we are also planning on going to different schools around the Riverland to tell them what we are doing and how they can help in saving our River.

Last October the group ran a “Carp-A-Thon” at Bert Dix Park in Paringa near Renmark on the 30th of October 2004 attended by 500 people who caught 90 carp on the day.   The event was named the “Event of the Year for the Renmark and Paringa area” by   the Renmark and Paringa District Council.

“This year we plan to organise our second event to be held in early November at the Renmark River Front,” Emma and Theo said.

For more information contact “ Youth River Us” at youthriverus@yahoo.com.au

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