Border Rivers Food & Fibre

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NEWS

Buyback Outcomes

1300 Expressions Of Interest received in Total - 78% South, 22% North

Pursuing 48 Northern Basin purchases Total $76m

Water shepherding arrangements are being negotiated with both States, this is a key issue that must be resolved before the water the Commonwealth has bought back is used for downstream environmental purposes.

Sleeper Licences are also being purchased, being treated much the same as active licences. Buyback is Basin specific, where Infrastructure investment is national.

Water Infrastructure

13 different funding streams (programs) under Commonwealth's Water for the Future program

$3.7 billion of the $5.8 billion is going through the States Priority Projects - MDB states

QLD $160 million

NSW $1.36 billion

Vic $1.1 billion Foodbowl plus Sunraysia projects

SA $610 million

Private Irrigation Corporations

NSW $650 mill

Vic $103

SA $110

Xenophon Deal

Money beyond 2012 has been brought forward to be spent before 2012

Next Steps - Discussion with Basin States to do the due diligence  on the business cases  proposals that come forward.

 

NSW DPI - Stephen Elliot

NSW 'Sustaining the Basin' Project $708 million

$650 million private irrigation corporations

$400 million Menindee Lakes

Subject to due diligence

'Sustaining the Basin' program

Basin and Valley approach to allow for differences between north and south

Farm Modernisation

$200 million for Darling Basin in Total

$47 million Stock and Domestic

Metering $221

Flood Plain Harvesting $50 million

DPI - on farm projects

A lot of work already being done by various CRC's (Irrigation Futures, Cotton Catchments Communities, etc.)

Aim is to build on the work already done, not start from scratch

PHASE 1 - Hotspots Assessment - Completed 2009

Evaluate losses

Focus on infrastructure

Identify and prioritise losses and gains

Farm storages, channels, fields

PHASE 2 - Business Plan - Completed 2010

PHASE 3 - Implementation - Commencing 2010

Mix of methods

Subject to funding availability

QLD Healthy Headwaters Program - Frank Walker QDNRW

On-farm $115 million

Same principles basically, as the NSW programs

Project 1 - QMDB appraisal and district level planning

Project 2 - Design on-farm infrastructure investment schemes

Project 3 - Pathways to adoption - Implementation

Project 4 - SunWater Modernisation of Infrastructure

Project 5 - Feasibility of Coal Seam Gas water

$ to start flowing July 09

Panel Session Q and A

Problem with % of savings being handed back.

That is fine, this is not a coercive process, it is a business proposal, not a grants scheme.

Will invest up to 80% of cost for 50% of the savings

COAG agreed that no less than 50% would be returned

Competitive process - may be able to find advantages by co-contributing $

Buyback targets - there are none yet - Basin Plan will provide these in 2011.

Current buyback is 'no regrets'

Future will bring the adaption and tailoring of changing the balance of buyback v infrastructure.

Emphasis could be changed from one to the other depending on where the greatest benefit can be derived.

The same options need to be given to all water-users right across the basin.

There is an inequity in the fact that the buyback is happening now, but the WUE programs won't be available for several years.

States are keen to get it moving, but the design of the programs has to be done. Acknowledge the inequity.

Pricey - Removal of water is killing the smaller western towns.

The whole package is designed around preparing for a future with less water.

Lease programs - Don't have policy approval for that at the moment, but could be looked at.

Market impact of licences bought by C'wealth - Acknowledge their is an impact on the market, but they have to pursue the opportunities they are offered.

They are not forcing people to sell their water, they have only  hung out their shingle.

$200 mill for "planning, wue, etc. for councils. Decision made a week ago.

CEWH is bound by the Water Act to use the water for environmental benefit.

It is still very early days of the program -

Price determination - value is dependent on the purpose that water is required to perform and that will vary from one area to another.

CEWH will pay all the same charges as irrigators do.

Environmental targets will be primarily local.

Below are presentations that were presented on the day from various departments

'Goondiwindi Presentation February 2009'

'Healthy Headwaters Program Overview'

'Sustaining The Basin'

'DEWHA Infrastructure presentation Febuary 2009 - Goondiwindi'

 

CSIRO Murray Darling Basin Sustainable Yield Project - Final Report

The final CSIRO report, 'Water availability in the Murray-Darling Basin' was released in November 2008. Click on the links below to access the reports:

Border Rivers MDBSY Report

MDBSY Whole Of Basin Report

 

MDBC Sustainable Rivers Audit

This report was released in May 2008 as a 'report card' on the river ecosystem health for each of the 23 valleys in the Murray Darling Basin. It is based on observations of fish, macroinvertebrates and hydrology from 2004 to 2007. The audit is overseen and report written by an independent group of scientists.

This first report found the Border Rivers to be the second highest ranking valley in the Basin, and the healthiest 'working river', in terms of river health.

Click on the link below to access the Summary and Full Report:

MDBC SRA Report 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
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