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Murray-Darling Basin Commission –
July 2007, E-letter No 68
Welcome to the Murray-Darling Basin Commission monthly e-letter with reports of happenings across the Basin. Contributions are welcome. Please send items (no more than 150 words) to the editor at sam.leone@mdbc.gov.au An online html version is available at: mdbc.gov.au/communications/s-scribe/eletter_menu Please feel free to pass this e-letter along to anybody who might be interested. To subscribe online go to http://mdbc.gov.au/communications/s-scribe To be removed from the mailing list, please reply to this message with “unsubscribe” in the subject heading. This newsletter currently has 1380 subscribers. In this issue:
While the Murray River system remained in drought, Murray-Darling Basin Commission operations staff recently spent a day minimising the devastation of flooding around Hume Dam. But fortunately, this was not a real flood, just a simulated “desktop” exercise carried out on computers in the Commission’s operations room. The day-long exercise is an annual event and an integral part of the Commission’s Emergency Action Plan which covers a comprehensive range of possible threats to the Commission-controlled dams and weirs along the Murray. Chief Executive Dr Wendy Craik AM said the exercises ensured that proper measures were in place at times of real emergency. “As we’ve seen recently in other parts of the country, tragic floods can develop very quickly with devastating results so we must be alert and well prepared,” she said. “As we’ve seen, flooding can be just as threatening as drought. It can threaten human lives, property, stock and rural and urban communities living and working along the river and flood plains. “We must plan for any situation. This simulated training is essential during prolonged dry periods when there have been no floods to manage. It reinforces correct procedures and enhances the training of those staff members likely to be involved in a major flood.” During the simulation, expert and support Commission staff used new software for forecasting Hume inflows and analysing storage levels and release rates. A major aim of the simulation was to reduce the impacts of flooding downstream of the Hume Dam by anticipating the likely volume of floodwater flowing into the dam and releasing a commensurate amount to make space for it. For the first time for Hume, the simulation considered how the volume of water released from the dam could be set to gain environmental benefits downstream if circumstances permitted. The exercise included the final aim of ensuring that the dam was filled at the end of the flood in order to maximise water availability for the three States over the summer period. For more information
contact Trevor Jacobs on 02 6279 0100
Flood ‘rain shadow’
lifts inflows in Murray system
“While heaviest rain was on the eastern Gippsland side of he ranges which caused the severe flooding, the Murray catchment experienced a ‘rain shadow’ effect from the mountains, though with much lower rains,” MDBC’s River Murray Water division Mr David Dreverman said. “While the Upper Murray catchment generally received less rain than the Victorian alpine area, the flow in the Murray River at Biggara had increased from 400 to 2 700 ML/day. “This was the highest flow rate at this site since October 2005 and inflow to Dartmouth Reservoir increased from 1 000 to 5 500 ML/day but was gradually declining by the end of June,” he said. While it was too early to accurately predict the effects downstream, if the inflow turned out to be of a similar volume to the event in early June, there could be an improvement of 100 GL in the system to be shared by Victoria, NSW and South Australia. “In any case, we'll be storing these rises in Lake Victoria , Hume and Dartmouth reservoirs,” Mr Dreverman said. “However, there is still a very long way to go to get anywhere near back towards average water availability. This event and the one in early June are small movements in the right direction. “The encouraging thing is we still have July to October, traditionally a time of higher rainfall and inflow, yet to come and the Bureau of Meteorology is optimistic of a La Nina developing.” For more information check
out the latest MDBC Weekly Report at www.mdbc.gov.au/subs/river-info/weekly-report/current_wr.pdf
Drought Update:
Basin health needs more heavy, persistent rainfall
That’s the central message in the Murray-Darling Basin Commission’s latest Drought Update for the Murray River system. Chief Executive Dr Wendy Craik AM released the update on 26 June – the 8th since December 2004 - produced by the MDBC’s River Murray River division. Key developments since the last update in April 2007 have been:
“The end of May 2007 Murray system active storage volume of 740GL was 380GL below the previous lowest level of 1120GL in 1983. It is estimated that streamflows would need to be in the wettest 15 percent of records for Hume Reservoir to spill this winter/spring. “It is likely that, even with good falls of rain this year, it could take several years for storage levels to return to long-term average levels.” Rainfall in recent months has brought some hope to rural communities across much of the Murray- Darling Basin. There was between 25 and 100mm more this year compared with last year across much of the Basin - excluding the upper Darling catchment in southern Queensland where rainfalls have been similar to last year. Following the third moderate rain event in four weeks, surface soil layers had become sufficiently "wetted up" by early June to result in streamflow response in the upper catchments. Total inflow to the Murray River for the year to date has begun to rise, but is still behind where it was this time last year. For more information
and to download the complete Drought Update go to www.mdbc.gov.au/rmw/drought_updates
Changes to Hume
Reservoir releases announced
Mr David Dreverman, General Manager of the MDBC’s River Murray Water division, said although the same amount of water would be released each day, the flow rate downstream of the dam would be higher during the daytime and then lower at night. The level of the River Murray at Heywoods Bridge was expected to vary between about 0.9 and 1.45 m on a daily basis. The variable release would affect mainly the short section of the River Murray (about 18 km) between Hume Dam and the junction with the Kiewa River. Further downstream at Albury, the flow in the River Murray was being supplemented by inflows from the Kiewa River and the variable flow pattern would be less noticeable. Boat operators, stock owners, river pumpers and other river users are advised to take these changed water levels into account and make any necessary adjustments to their activities. More advice will be provided should the duration of the operation need to be extended. For more information
phone Trevor Jacobs on 02 6279 0100.
Places at MDBC
International River Health Conference sell out
However, Canberra schools are welcome to contact the organisers about performing at the conference. Schools outside of Canberra that missed out can watch the conference live on the web. About 300 students had to be turned away before the last conference held in 2005. Organisers say that those schools which completed a registration of interest have reserved places and are counted as part of the total registrations. They simply need to complete final registration when they can confirm their student and teacher names. This is the fifth time the conference has been held, but the first time I has been held in the national capital. Based on a “kids teaching kids” concept, the River Health Conference started in 1999 as a small tri-state event and grew to a national event in 2001. The 2003 and 2005 events involved 500 students, 170 teachers, 700 participants in total from around Australia and overseas. The 2007 MDBC International River Health Conference is the culmination of a process. “This process involves students working with expert mentors many months prior to the event, and results in children who are motivated, have high self esteem, respect for others and a belief in a bright and compelling future – they realize they can have an impact,” says organiser Arron Wood. “The 2007 MDBC International River Health Conference will provide students with skills in environmental education, but more importantly it will build students who are optimistic, have a sense of future, are capable public speakers and can communicate ideas in many different forms. “Most importantly, the process is about promoting Kids Teaching Kids as the highest form of learning and aiming for a cultural change in the way we view, use and perceive our natural environment. “The 2007 MDBC International River Health Conference is less about a Conference and more about a lasting commitment to our youth, the environment and the sustainable use of our natural resources,” he said. For more information
go to www.onelifeoneworldourfuture.com
Budding ‘Attenboroughs’
join envionmental film project
The call is part of the Authority’s 2007 Schools Script Writing Competition in which student teams are asked to submit a film script and story board sketches for a short film of 5 to 10 minutes. The competition is supported by the Murray Darling Basin Commission, Department of Primary Industries, Country Energy and Department of Education and Training. The best script will be professionally filmed with the school students and a DVD will be distributed to all schools in the Namoi Catchment. Col Easton, Education Officer with Namoi CMA, said the aim of the competition was to provide students with “an exciting opportunity to develop new skills and learn about their physical environment at the same time. “Choose any style for your film script including an Attenborough-style documentary, children’s story book, crime, plasticine figure animation, comedy, drama or even romance,” he said. Individuals or groups of up to five students from years 8 to 11 are invited to enter the competition. Groups can be self organised or run by science, agriculture, English or drama classroom teachers. For more information
go to www.namoi.cma.nsw.gov.au
or call Col Easton on 02 6764 6819.
Rain revives
landscape and inspires competing shutterbugs
“Recent rainfall, which was very heavy in some areas of the catchment, has brought the landscape to life, and that has already been reflected in the photographs received,” Western CMA Communications Officer, Maree Barnes said. “The rangelands respond quite spectacularly to rainfall and with some areas receiving 65ml of rain - the most since 2000, people may be keen to capture the change in the landscape. “With barren areas now transformed to bodies of water that attract bird and animal life, as well as the wide range of plant life now appearing, there’s plenty of subject matter for budding photographers,” she said. The theme for the 2007 competition is “Our Country, Our Life, Our Future: natural resources in the Western Catchment”. A free screensaver compiled from the best images submitted over the past decade, including the 2007 competition will be produced to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the competition. Entries closed on June 29. Winners receive cash prizes of $250 for first place and $50 for runners-up. For more information
go to www.western.cma.nsw.gov.au
Community
reference group meets on Murray items
The 30 member group meets three times a year and advises the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council on community views and interests relating to the River Murray. During this meeting, members also visited the Gunbower-Koondrook-Perricoota Forest, one of the six “icon sites” identified for priority environmental support under the MDBC’s The Living Murray program. The meeting also considered opportunities for further strategic input into The Living Murray in 2007-08. The group is an important point of contact for finding out about and providing input into The Living Murray. For further information visit
www.thelivingmurray.mdbc.gov.au/
MDBC to buy
water entitlements for the Murray
Chief Executive Dr Wendy Craik AM said the purchases would be part of a pilot project to recover water for the environment from willing sellers under the Living Murray program. The Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council approved the project at its last meeting in Adelaide on 25 May. The MDBC will buy the water on behalf of Murray-Darling Basin partner governments. “Water will be bought only from willing sellers under commercial conditions at prevailing market rates and within existing market rules and safeguards,” she said. “The project aims to buy up to 20GL or about 0.2% of the average water diversion from the southern Murray-Darling Basin, and also to help us with any future water purchase projects.” The recovered water will be managed under The Living Murray Environmental Watering Plan to improve ecological conditions at the so-called “icon sites”. The Living Murray program was established in 2002 in response to evidence showing a decline in the health of the River Murray system. The program’s “First Step” focuses on improving the health of the six “icon sites” along the river. The “First Step” aims to recover 500 gigalitres of water for the environment by June 2009 through improving water infrastructure and by buying water entitlements from willing sellers. “Recovering water by developing and implementing infrastructure projects can be expensive and can take a long time to implement. Some infrastructure packages are being implemented as part of The Living Murray First Step. On the other hand, buying water can be done quickly and cost effectively,” Dr Craik said. “The pilot project will allow us to judge whether purchasing entitlements is an appropriate way of recovering water. We’ll monitor the pilot and, it if proves to be a successful and effective way of recovering water, we will consider developing further projects. “The MDBC will also consider donations of water licences from any entitlement holders who might just want the satisfaction of knowing that their water will be used to improve the health of the river. Transfer costs would be paid for by the MDBC,” Dr Craik said. Expressions of interest to participate in the project can be submitted until 28 September 2007 directly to the MDBC or via water brokers. For more information visit
www.thelivingmurray.mdbc.gov.au.
Expert group to
help grow horticulture sector
Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Peter McGauran, said the leadership group, comprising industry representatives from growers through to buyers, will provide expert guidance for the industry’s Horticulture Strategic Plan. The Australian Government has matched the horticulture sector’s $900,000 investment in the strategic plan under the Industry Partnerships Programme. “These industry leaders will represent the views of more than 40 horticulture industries, including producers, processors and retailers, addressing the challenging issues faced by a sector that employs over 100,000 people,” Mr McGauran said. “The strategic plan is an important initiative given the horticulture sector’s current situation of substantial production growth in some industries, the severe effects of the drought and increased global competition. “With the farm gate value of horticulture production expected to top $7.2 billion this year, the plan will improve the sector’s ability to manage its challenges and shape its long-term decision making and funding priorities.” Respected agribusiness director and economic consultant, David Trebeck, has been appointed the Chairman of the 26-member Leadership Group. For more information go
to www.maff.gov.au/releases/07/07083pm.html
Strategy and
brochures help sort out the weeds from the weeds
Or whether that peppercorn tree in the back paddock is classified as a noxious weed? A new edition of the Lower Murray Darling Catchment Management Authority’s "Regional Weed Strategy" and related brochures can help you sort out which weed is which. The Strategy has been circulated to all Catchment landholders and has now been complemented with a series of brochures on weeds in specific agricultural zones such as Cropping areas, Horticultural areas, Rangeland areas and Riverine areas. The colour brochures are a handy ready-reckoner that can be carried in the back pocket or the glove box of the ute. Colour photographs of weeds, their common names and scientific names provide an easy reference to the landholder. Invasive plants have a negative impact on native flora and fauna causing a loss of biodiversity, second only to land clearing. It is estimated that weeds cost the Australian economy more than $4 billion a year in lost agricultural production. Early action to prevent new weeds from establishing and spreading is the best way to prevent future impacts and ongoing cost to farms and the community. Copies of the brochures
can be obtained by phoning 03 5021 9460.
Community
input wanted for catchment plan
The plan builds on the North Central Regional Catchment Strategy and the North Central River Health Strategy. It will provide more specific direction on required actions and identify key locations as priority sites. Senior Riverine Officer, Megan Kreutzer, says the missing element at the moment is the local knowledge of what really is important to the farming community. Once the plan is completed a user friendly report will be provided to landholders and landholder groups. For more information please contact Megan Kreutzer on 03 5440 1848. ends
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