E-letter April 2006 - Murray Darling Basin Commission - http://www.mdbc.gov.au

issue53-april06

Murray-Darling Basin Commission - April 2006, E-letter No 53

Welcome to the Murray-Darling Basin 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 leone@netspeed.com.au

Online html versions are available at:
http://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 1025 subscribers.

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

In this issue:

MDB Commission meeting approvals
At their recent meeting in Canberra on 15 March 2006 Commissioners approved two significant advances in the work of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission.

The Commissioners declared three salt interception schemes (which stop saline water from seeping into the river) as effective: the Bookpurnong SIS, the rehabilitated and augmented Buronga SIS and Stage 1 of the Pyramid Creek SIS which together will provide an estimated total of 24.2 EC credits.

Commissioners also discussed the successful completion of the first year of the Sustainable Rivers Audit - an ongoing program which assesses the health of rivers across the Basin.

For more information on the Commission meeting contact Helen Templeton on (02) 6279 0100

Indigenous Peoples and MDBC reach historic partnership agreement
On 23 March the Murray Lower Darling Rivers Indigenous Nations (MLDRIN) and Murray-Darling Basin Commission (MDBC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding recognising shared interests and goals regarding the management of land and water in the Murray and Lower Darling Rivers Basin.

The MOU was signed by Mr Matthew Rigney, Chairman of MLDRIN, traditional custodians from MLDRIN and The Right Hon. Ian Sinclair AC, President of the MDBC, on behalf of the MDBC partner governments, at a ceremony near Albury on traditional Wiradjuri country.

Mr Rigney said MLDRIN is a confederation of Traditional Owner groups in Victoria, South Australia and NSW, with rights and responsibilities stemming from their own customs and traditions.

"The signing of the MOU signifies the formalisation of Indigenous involvement in the programs and projects of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission," Mr Rigney said.

"We are very pleased with the increased opportunities to be involved in the management of natural resources on our Country. This MOU signifies a start of what we hope will be a long term relationship".

Mr Sinclair said it would provide government agencies with a direct point-of-contact to deal with Traditional Owner groups along the Murray and Lower Darling Rivers. He stressed it would not erode or change other arrangements with Indigenous groups in each of the MDBC States.

The MOU recognises each Traditional Owner group's spiritual, cultural and physical connection to their lands and their responsibility for caring for Country.

"Cultural perspectives need to be taken into account in the long term management of natural resources. Managing the Murray and Lower Darling Rivers requires decisions that go beyond a site-by-site approach," Mr Sinclair said.

"This is more important than ever at the moment with the Living Murray Initiative which focuses resources on five icon sites and the River Murray channel itself," he said.

Mr Rigney said the MOU provided a forum for Indigenous people to come together as a group and consider management issues at both local and strategic levels and provide input to government land management agencies.

The MOU will be in effect for three years, after which time it will be reviewed. Both Mr Rigney and Mr Sinclair said they were looking forward to working together to integrate Indigenous cultural perspectives and aspirations into the sustainable management of the Murray and lower Darling Rivers.

More information about the MDBC is available on our website: www.mdbc.gov.au

First cross-catchment Aboriginal Forum held at Forbes
The Lachlan, Central West and Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Authorities Aboriginal Reference Groups recently met in Forbes, NSW to help build the capacity of Aboriginal people engaged in Natural Resource management activities.

The first cross catchment forum provided an information sharing mechanism and an initial contact point for a range of agency staff.

Each Catchment has an Aboriginal Reference Group that consists of community members from each catchment, lands council areas and several Aboriginal nations.

The three CMA regions Lachlan, Central West and Murrumbidgee predominantly cover the Wiradjuri nation.

The forum was a first in NSW looking to create a partnership approach to protecting and managing our natural resources.

Mr Gavin Andrews, Aboriginal Liaison Officer Environmental Planning with Department of Natural Resources, facilitated the two day session.

"Since the formation of the CMAs this is the first Aboriginal cross catchment forum that has been held to date," Mr Andrews said.

"We hope that this Forum will be the start of a collaborative approach between all CMAs to work with Aboriginal people recognising their traditional areas and communities - which cross catchment boundaries."

Each Reference Group presented information on their membership structure, terms of reference and protocols as well as their community engagement strategies.

The Forum also explored funding opportunities including Protecting our Places and Envirofund grant schemes.

For more information on Natural Resource Management and Cultural Heritage contact Russell Hill at the Lachlan Catchment Management Authority on (02) 6851 9514 or visit the website www.cma.nsw.gov.au/index.html

Members sought for Living Murray Scientific Research Panel
The Living Murray Board is seeking expressions of interest from high profile and active members of the scientific community to join a new scientific research panel.

The panel will provide informed, factual scientific assessments of issues related to the implementation of the Living Murray, including its direction, methodology and expected outcomes.

In 2002 the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council established the Living Murray Initiative in response to substantial evidence that the health of the River Murray system is in decline. This decline has the potential to threaten the Basin's industries, communities and natural and cultural values.

The Living Murray Board has carried out significant work on the options for improving the health of the river through the provision of additional water for the environment. The Scientific Reference Panel will assist in this challenging and vital work.

Successful candidates will already be widely recognised as leaders in their fields. They will also have knowledge and understanding of the work of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission or will be able to demonstrate how their current scientific endeavour is relevant to this work.

Appointees to the Panel will be known for their ability to engage and interact with a range of people from both the scientific and broader communities. They will be adept public speakers and have the capacity to challenge conventional wisdom.

While acknowledged strategic and creative thinkers, they will also have a pragmatic approach to issues resolution which ensures that they get results and meet deadlines.

Expressions of interest close 14 April 2006.

For more information on the Panel and appointment processes contact Moya Ford on 0418 633 352 or email moiya.ford@bigpond

Papers sought for 10th MDB Groundwater Workshop
Organisers are calling for papers to be presented at the 10th Murray-Darling Basin Groundwater Workshop to be held in Canberra in September this year.

The theme of the workshop - "Does the science hold water?" will focus on the following topics:

Groundwater Resource Sustainability and Management;
River-Groundwater Interaction;
Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems; and
Salinity (Dryland and Irrigation induced).

In addition to papers of an applied research or strategic nature, papers offering good examples of either innovative research or the practical application of research are encouraged and will be well considered.

The Murray-Darling Basin Groundwater Workshops, held every two years, bring researchers, practitioners and policy makers at all levels of government and a broad cross section of other interest groups together to explore current projects and opportunities in groundwater management and planning.

The program committee will carefully review all submissions for their contribution to the four key topics.

Participation can be in the form of an Oral Presentation (15 minutes) plus five minutes of questions or a Poster Presentation with Information using printed material.

Abstracts for oral presentation and posters (no more than 500 words) must be submitted by 29 May and successful applicants will be notified by 26 June.

For more information go to the website at www.conlog.com.au/groundwater or contact the Workshop Secretariat at conference@conlog.com.au, Phone: 02 6281 6624.

Achieving sustainable groundwater entitlements
The Murray Catchment Management Authority recently met with Lower Murray Groundwater source license holders to discuss implementation of the "Achieving Sustainable Groundwater Entitlement's Program."

Murray CMA Chairman Mr Kel Baxter said the licence holders were presented with two models.

"We need to mould the best package we can to distribute the available water entitlements and structural adjustment funding across all groundwater source license holders and the CMA's new community based proposal appears to meet many needs," he said.

The Murray CMA is consulting with irrigators on developing a method to bring entitlements in the Lower Murray Groundwater Source back to the sustainable yield of 83,700 megalitres.

The NSW Government has asked CMAs to undertake extensive community consultation to determine the optimal outcome for their community. If the community is unable to reach a consensus a default package will be implemented.

The Murray CMA is conducting a further round of 'woolshed meetings' so license holders can review the impacts of the different models.

Mr Baxter urged licensees to attend these sessions to gain a deeper understanding of the issues.

"We want to develop a package that best meets the need of the irrigators and we're committed to ensuring licence holders have explored the issue as thoroughly as possible.

For more information and to attend meetings scheduled for April groundwater license holders, contact Matt Barden at the Deniliquin CMA office on (03) 5898 3908.

Comprehensive MDBC e-Resources Book online
The first five chapters of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission's comprehensive reference work on the natural resources of the Basin are now available for viewing on a special web site.

The remaining chapters are currently under production and will be made available when completed.

The "E-Resources Book" is the statistically updated, web based version of the original and popular 1997 work.

Chapters now online cover information and statistics on the Basin's rivers, groundwater resources, agriculture, fish and managing the Murray-Darling Basin.

The new electronic format gives readers the ability to view various levels of information simultaneously and to view and print a range of information including maps and other illustrative material.

A system is also in place that will enable the statistical information to be updated as it becomes available.

The new electronic version will eventually provide extra sections that cover more recent issues and a broader range of data.

For more information and to view the new online E-Resources Book go to www.mdbc.gov.au/subs/eResource_book/chapter1/p1.htm

Entries open for $30,000 salinity engineering prize
Entries are now invited for the challenge to win the third Engineers Australia National Salinity Prize of $30,000 for a new technology or other practical outcome to address the issue of salinity across Australia.

Engineers Australia is the common name of the Institution of Engineers, Australia which has a membership of almost 80,000.

Together with Engineers Australia, the Murray-Darling Basin Commission and the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality are the major sponsorship partners for the 2006 Engineers Australia National Salinity Prize.

The prize money is for the winner to advance their salinity project through activities that could include further research and development, commercialisation, public awareness and education activities, or engaging further support from other individuals, groups or organisations. The efforts of all entrants will be publicised through the prize processes.

The prize is open to individuals and organisations that have already developed and implemented an innovative technology or methodology or have a working prototype. It must have provable outcomes for widespread applications and must also include an identifiable engineering component that may include good practice design and innovation.

There is one open category for all the entrants and entries close on Thursday 20 April 2006. The winner will be announced and presented with the prize by the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, Major General Michael Jeffery, AC, CVO, MC, at an award event at Parliament House, Canberra, on Thursday 1 June 2006.

Full details of the selection criteria and conditions of entry are available on the homepage of the Engineers Australia website at www.engineersaustralia.org.au.

For more information contact John Bright on 0407 234 490 or email jbright@engineersaustralia.org.au

Fish flock to innovative Murray fishways
More than 50 000 fish have used the fishways at Goolwa and Tauwitchere Barrages in South Australia, according to recent five-week assessments.

The monitoring team of research agencies from South Australia (SARDI), New South Wales (NSW DPI) and Victoria (ARI), found that the fish included thousands of juveniles that would have been spawned in spring and early summer.

The barrage fishways were built as part of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission's "Sea to Hume Dam" fish passage program.

Recent flows through the innovative fishways have facilitated the movement of at least 16 species of fish, ranging from 40 mm long Common galaxias to 400 mm long Callop (Golden perch).

Some of the most promising results have been the large numbers of juvenile Congolli and Common galaxias using the fishways. Both species move between fresh and salt water to complete their lifecycle.

For more information on the Native Fish Strategy go to: www.mdbc.gov.au/NFS

MDBC's 'special' poetry celebrates World Water Day
Poetry from the project Special Forever was selected by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as Australia's contribution to a new Museum of Water in New York.

The poetry was promoted at a World Water Day press conference on 22 March by the Australian office at the United Nations.

While in its formative stages this new Museum is the first and only public museum in the United States solely dedicated to water and the only one in the world to focus on providing a global perspective for water.

Art from the MDBC/ANU Field Studies program was also considered for exhibition.

For more information on this new museum go to http://www.nymw.org/about.html

Entries open for $10,000 water research prize
Entries for the $10,000 Land & Water Australia Eureka Prize for Water Research close on 5 May.

The prize, sponsored by Land & Water Australia, is part of 2006 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes.

The Land & Water Australia Eureka Prize is awarded for a scientific research project that has the potential to lead to substantial change in the way Australia manages, uses or protects its water and water-dependent ecosystems.

The emphasis is on the extent to which the research is genuinely original in its thinking, and rigorous in its application.

The research must have been undertaken in Australia by Australian residents within the past five years.

The research can cover any aspect of sustainable use or protection of water resources and ecosystems, including inter alia research fields such as ecology, economics, policy, societal change, water use and reuse, engineering and the biophysical sciences.

Entries in the Land & Water Australia Eureka Prize for Water Research should specifically address the following questions: innovation, relevance, and communication.

For more information and entry forms go to www.amonline.net.au/eureka/water_research/index.htm

National Water Conference looks at 'big picture'
The "big picture" of sustainable water management will be a major theme at the 2nd National Water Education Conference to be held at the Alice Springs Convention Centre from 18 to 21 April.

The title for the conference this year is "'From the Waters Edge to the Red Centre".

The three-day conference and exhibition will include a plenary session, three concurrent streams of free papers and workshops and two half-day "Clearwater" workshops.

The exhibition will showcase water education programs, products and initiatives from across the water sector.

Keynote speakers include:

Blair Nancarrow, Director of the Australian Research Centre for Water in Society (ARCWIS) at CSIRO Land and Water, Australia;
Paul Perkins, adjunct professor at the Australian National University; and
Professor Stuart White, Director of the Institute for Sustainable Futures.

The international speaker will be Lorraine Loken, Senior Manager of Public Education for the Water Environment Federation (WEF), a network that includes water quality professionals from 79 member associations in over 30 countries.

The conference is aimed at community organisations, government agencies, water organisations, local government, not-for-profit organisations, non-government organisations, private consultancies, industry and the formal education sector (schools, vocational institutions and universities).

For more information go to the website at: www.awa.asn.au/Content/NavigationMenu/NewsEvents/2ndNationalEducationConference/2nd_National_Educat.htm

Property planning competition celebrates 10th anniversary
Sponsors, landholders, teachers, and students (past and present) gathered in Tamworth recently to launch the 10th annual Property Planning Competition.

The competition, run by the Namoi and Border Rivers - Gwydir Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs), gives school and TAFE agriculture students first hand experience with strategic property planning.

The Murray-Darling Basin Commission is a major sponsor of the competition.

Bruce Brown, General Manager of Namoi Catchment Management Authority said, "Property planning is one of the most important tools for successful business on the land today."

"Australian farmers operate in an environment which is among the most diverse and fragile in the world. Planning is not about predicting the future but knowing the risks and being prepared for it," he said.

Students are given a scenario, and as consultants they are asked to develop a plan ensuring that the property is managed for economic viability as well as environmental sustainability.

Two properties from the different catchments have been made available for the students to study in conjunction with gaining first hand experience through on farm field days. The selected properties are based in varying locations to provide different management challenges and this year include a property at Mary's Mt, West of Gunnedah, and a property near Inverell.

This competition caters for an estimated 300-500 agriculture and TAFE students that are spread from Tenterfield and Quirindi in the east through to Walgett and Coonabarabran in the west and everywhere in between.

Lisa Roberts, General Manager with Border Rivers - Gwydir CMA, said "this is the most exciting year yet as students are utilising cutting edge technology in the class-room. The Namoi and Border Rivers-Gwydir CMAs are providing a CD ROM of the study properties with new software so that students can overlay such features as water and vegetation by the touch of a button.

"Such a valuable competition exposes them to the real life challenges of managing economic viability and environmental sustainability" she added.

For more information contact Col Easton (Namoi CMA) on 02 67 646819, col.easton@cma.nsw.gov.au or Liz Blair (Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA) on 02 6721 9848, liz.blair@cma.nsw.gov.au.

Wanted - pictures of frogs
The Murray-Darling Basin Commission is working on a new poster called "Frogs in the Murray-Darling Basin" and needs images of three species of frogs.

They are:

Growling Grass Frog (Litoria reniformis)
Eastern-sign bearing froglet (Crinia parinsignifera)
Bibron's Toadlet (Pseudophryne bibronii)

Photographs will need to be supplied in electronic form and need to be of a minimum quality and resolution.

If you can help provide these images, please contact Sheridan Lockerbie on 02 62790141 or http://www.mdba.gov.au/contact

Students learn to weed out 'ghastly guests'
The CRC for Australian Weed Management has released a new study unit resources package for schools around Australia.

"Ghastly Guests" helps upper primary teachers and students to investigate weeds and their insidious effects. Activities in the unit are linked to the curriculum in each state and territory.

The unit, which includes suggested lesson activities with accompanying worksheets, is divided into three sections:
What are weeds? Students complete activities that introduce and describe weeds discovering some basic weed issues and developing their interest to find out more about this topic.

Why are weeds such ghastly guests? The activities in this section provide the opportunity for students to investigate weeds by completing a range of scientific experiments and activities.

Final projects. Students apply the theory that they have learnt by completing some assessable projects.

For more information contact Susanna Greig on (02) 6773 2809, email: susanna.greig@une.edu.au

Surat anglers 'bust' Murray-Darling Carp
As the sun set on another hot day, the South-West Queensland Balonne River's Carp population was recently counting its losses.

More than 220 people had arrived in the riverside town of Surat for the first "Carp Buster Competition" organised by the Surat Fishing and Restocking Club and the Queensland Murray-Darling Committee (QMDC).

The competition was designed to raise awareness of the threat Carp pose to Queensland's waterways, and to make a dent in the large numbers of Carp currently in the Balonne River.

Carp, a dirty word for most Australians, are responsible for severe degradation throughout the Murray-Darling Basin's waterways, affecting water quality and native fish populations.

"The sheer numbers have meant that there's increased competition with native fish," QMDC's Riverine and Wetlands Technical Officer, Erin Bainbridge said.

"And the feeding habits of Carp stir up sediment in the water, which uproots aquatic plants and disturbs native fish habitat. This has resulted in a significant change in the ecosystem and a drop in the level of water quality," she said.

Funded by QMDC, staff were out in force to support the day. However, it was the Surat locals who actually achieved the results, catching and disposing of 200 Carp.

Female Carp spawn twice a year, laying over one million eggs per kilogram of body weight each time.

So, the eradication of over 270 kilos of the pest made the day a huge success - and a lot of fun, too!

In addition to the work done to eradicate Carp, 50,000 yellow belly fingerlings were released by the Surat Fishing & Restocking Club, with the help of QMDC staff, to restock the native fish population.

For more information contact Amelia Radford on (07) 4637 6201 or Pam Fisher on (07) 4622 8727.

ends