MURRAY-DARLING BASIN MINISTERIAL COUNCIL
COMMUNIQUÉ FROM MINISTERIAL COUNCIL MEETING 42
25 MAY 2007, ADELAIDE
Communique 42 as downloadable PDF _____________________________________________________________________
The Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council expressed deep concern at the record low inflows into the Murray System over the past year, coupled with the likely record low storage levels.
Ministers also expressed their serious concern at the effects of the severe drought on individuals, communities, irrigators and the environmental health of the Murray-Darling Basin and agreed to work cooperatively to minimise its effects wherever possible. Council discussed conclusions reached by the First Ministers that opening water allocations in the Southern Murray Darling Basin are likely to be zero unless there are significant rains and inflows over the next couple of weeks. Slight improvements in end of May storage estimates as a result of reduced evaporation and demand from rain events have been reported to the Ministerial Council. Council discussed the potential long term impacts of very low water availability on agriculture. Council directed the Commission to make water available, if possible, in a way that is equitable, efficient and ensures sustainable use. In the first instance, this water is to be used to ensure basic human consumption and stock and domestic needs are met. Council also noted that the Senior Officials’ Group is developing recommendations on sharing any improvements in water availability and expressed support for an approach that minimised impacts on communities, agricultural production and the environment to the greatest extent possible. As the current drought may be a forerunner of likely climate change impact, Council noted that the development of policies and programs to tackle identified risks to the shared water resources of the Basin is well underway. A CSIRO report to Council suggested that risks to water (including climate change) could reduce available surface water by 2500 to 5500 GLs by the year 2020. The Council has identified the main threats as: climate change; increased groundwater use; bushfires in the catchments reducing run-off; farm dams intercepting run-off; land use change including reforestation, floodplain harvesting; and reduced return flows from better irrigation and water transport.
At its meeting on 29 September 2006 the Council directed the Commission to develop a work program for providing the detail of the Risk Strategy. Council noted that a clear structure and process for the development and negotiation of the program has been established. Critical research consultancies are underway or nearing completion and progress has been recorded, including receipt of jurisdictional reports on the implementation of regulatory approaches to manage farm dams, groundwater and afforestation. The Commission is working with partner governments to improve knowledge and understanding of how the risks might impact on the Basin’s shared water resources. They are identifying actions that can reduce the level of risk or lessen their potential impact and they are identifying other potential risks. On water trading, the Council announced that it would enable permanent tagged water trading under the MDB Agreement from 1 July 2007 allowing NSW, Victoria and South Australia to conduct interstate tagged entitlement transfers. Tagging is a method in which the water that becomes allocated to an entitlement issued in one state can be physically taken in another. In essence, the state boundary is removed. Tagging means that water carries the characteristics and reliability at source. Victoria and South Australia will be able to continue interstate exchange rate entitlement transfers where agreed. As part of the annual audit of surface water diversions, the Council agreed to publish and distribute the
Council also noted that while cumulative diversions in most NSW valleys were within the Cap, the IAG Report declaredthat the combined Barwon-Darling/Lower Darling Cap valley continued to exceed the Cap. The cumulative Cap debit increased by 6 GL during 2005-06 to 143 GL. During the Special Audit 2005-06, NSW advised that it proposed to implement the Cap for the Barwon-Darling/Lower Darling Valley by allocating the long-term Cap volume of 173 GL to individual irrigators each year with provisions of carry-over. NSW advised that the cap management arrangements for the Barwon-Darling/Lower Darling Valley will be implemented commencing in 2007-08. Ministers warmly supported NSW’s commitment to limit diversions to cap limits in the future. Council noted that cumulative diversions in all South Australian and Victorian designated Cap valleys were within Cap. Council welcomed and approved the Queensland Cap proposals for the Paroo, Nebine, Warrego and Moonie rivers. In relation to The Living Murray program, Council welcomed proposals on water recovery and noted that with the two new approved projects, there are now projects approved for implementation to recover 273.5 GL for a total of $251.2 million and projects that are registered for further development likely to contribute around 55 GL for $168.5m. Council also noted that additional water recovery projects are being progressed. Council agreed that the Australian Government’s ‘Water Through Efficiency Request for Tenders’ project was ready for investment and would recover 0.45 GL for $765,000. Council announced that the MDBC would run a pilot market purchase project in the near future, which may purchase up to 20 GL of water entitlements at market prices. Water will only become available once allocations improve. The pilot will focus on purchasing water outside of Victoria and will take account of progress towards The Living Murray targets. The Ministerial Council in particular welcomed water recovery measures proposed by the Ricegrowers Association, which may recover more than 12 GL of water for the Living Murray. These proposals are currently being assessed. An annual audit of The Living Murray by the Independent Audit Group (IAG) required under The Living Murray Business Plan was approved by Council. Council approved the release of the Independent Audit Group’s Review of The Living Murray Implementation 2005/06 and a revised Living Murray Business Plan 2007. Council also announced that the NSW Government and the Murray Darling Basin Commission (MDBC) have jointly purchased a 1480 hectare property, “ The property, about 50 kms downstream from Echuca, has redgum forests and river frontages in the Koondrook-Perricoota Icon Site. The purchase will facilitate future flooding of the redgum forest without interfering with private ownership rights. The property cost $4 million, but parts of the property not needed to meet the Icon Site objectives will be on-sold. The Lower Toorangabby property has now been gazetted as part of the Perricoota/Koondrook group of forests which is 31,000 hectares. These forests are part of 84,000 hectares of the NSW Central Murray state forests listed as wetlands of international significance under the Ramsar Convention. Council reviewed an interim report on the state of Icon Sites and noted that the ongoing drought and lack of environmental water was continuing to impact on the health of the Icon Sites and it has not been possible to fully use the environmental water allocation for 2006-07. Lower Lakes , Coorong and Murray Mouth; Chowilla Floodplain, Lindsay-Wallpolla Islands ; Hattah Lakes ; Gunbower-Koondrook-Perricoota Forests; Barmah-Millewa Forest ; and River Murray Channel.
The Icon Sites were chosen for their high ecological value - most are listed as internationally significant wetlands under the Ramsar Convention. The Icon Sites are important breeding sites for waterbirds and provide habitat for native fish, birds and plants. The Icon Sites were also chosen for their cultural significance to Indigenous people and the broader community. The Icon Sites have suffered ecological decline over many decades as a result of river regulation and associated impacts. The extreme drought currently being experienced in south east Australia has exacerbated this decline. However, there has been some positive feedback from the small amount of environmental watering that has occurred. For example, watering to wetlands at the Hattah Lakes area in 2005 and in 2006/07, resulted in breeding of a number of waterbird species. Species that bred included Black Duck, Wood Duck, Grey Teal, Australasian Grebe, Eurasian Coot and Pied Stilts. This encouraging result was due to the temporary watering of a small number of wetlands. A full report on the current condition of Icon Sites will be considered by Council in October 2007. If there is only sufficient water for human consumption in 2007-08, the Icon Sites will not receive any water. Council agreed to publish the Basin Salinity Management Strategy Implementation (BSMS) Report 2005-06 and the Report of the Independent Audit Group - Salinity 2005-06 and directed the Commission to prepare a brochure summarising the two reports. The BSMS Annual Implementation Report 2005-06 [PDF 3.9 Mb] reports that some key achievements to date have set the foundation for a salinity management framework, particularly: the existing salt interceptions schemes (joint works) established to respond to long term projected increases in salinity (the “legacy of history”) have contributed to a relatively low river salinity of less than 484EC for 95% of the time at Morgan South Australia which is well below the critical 800 EC threshold salinity;
improved governance arrangements that include coordinated reporting arrangements; more robust Salinity Registers which now demonstrate significant basin-wide accountability arrangements; and agreement of key in-stream indicators in the form of End of Valley salinity targets. The Independent Audit Group – Salinity [PDF 2.1Mb] (IAG-Salinity) found that the MDBC and the BSMS interjurisdictional working group pursued most of the recommendations from their 2004-05 report. In particular, they commended: restoration of the rate of implementation of the BSMS, including the joint works program expected to achieve 70 EC credits by 2010; significant efforts and substantial improvements made to the Registers requiring great cooperation and input from the States and Commission; and impressive achievements by regional groups in implementing investment plans. Council noted that, despite the drought, Sustainable River Audit sampling was again completed successfully through the extraordinary efforts of State agency staff. Council agreed to release a summary of the SRA data. The Audit uses scientific Basin wide sampling of indicators of health - fish, macroinvertebrates and hydrology - to determine the current status of the Basin’s rivers and any potential trends. The latest data shows there has been a severe reduction in the distribution of many native fish relative to pre-European natural condition. Also, two alien species, carp and gambusia, were found in all eight valleys sampled in 2006 and alien species constituted 71% of the biomass across the valleys. However, the MDBC Native Fish Program has reported that at certain parts of the Murray system - particularly around the completed new fishways – considerable improvements in the populations and health of many native species have been observed. MDBC is preparing a brochure outlining these positive observations. The Murray Mouth has been dredged since 2002 to the present time and Council approved the continued sand pumping measures to at least June 2010 (subject to approved funding $12.5 million) at the Murray Mouth to keep the Mouth open and maintain connectivity between the sea and the Coorong. Prior to the Ministerial Council meeting, the Council met with its Community Advisory Committee. It endorsed the CAC Strategic Plan and noted the CAC advice on Basin community impacts of drought and the capacity to respond to natural resource management issues. The communiqué issued at CAC Meeting 16 held in Shepparton on 8 November 2006 reflected the drastic situation facing communities in the Murray Darling Basin. The situation continues to cause considerable pain and hardship and highlights the need for government support for those affected. Drought has affected community capacity to change the way they manage natural resources, as they are consumed by the im mediate situation. There are a number of resource issues that must be addressed as a matter of urgency, including the need for a strategic reserve of water for essential supplies. Council also noted the CAC’s response to the National Plan for Water Security and the outcomes of the Healthy Basin Forum held in Sydney on 24 April 2007. Council approved the MDBC 2007-08 Business Plan and Budget of $221.821 million. Major areas for increased expenditure for 2006-07 include water recovery and environmental works and measures for The Living Murray. ends Media contact: Sam Leone, MDBC Communications Unit Phone: 0407 006 332 | 