In Booligal the canary down the mine is already gasping
As the Rudd government dithers over climate change and the Abbott opposition, like little kids who have made a deal with their “invisible friend”, holds its breath and believes it will go away, some communities are already running out of water.
The residents of the small Riverina town of Booligal and farmers in surrounding areas rely on the Lachlan River for their water supply, but without significant rains especially hundreds of miles away in the Lachlan’s headwaters, the river will dry up in the next few weeks. The Wyangala Dam about 40 kms south-east of Cowra is now effectively dry.
Bores are being drilled at Booligal and surrounding towns including Forbes, Lake Cargelligo and Ivanhoe, but the bores may not be sunk before the water completely runs out. Farmers in the region however, are being literally being hung out to dry, facing huge bills just to purchase water for household use and drinking.
Can a water crisis in western Sydney be far away? Despite the Carr,, Iemma, Rees, Keneally government mantra of “Dams, Recycling, Desalination and Water Efficiency”, Sydney’s water reserves continue to fall by around 0.5% per week. Barring significant replenishment we are looking at severe restrictions and hugely increased costs for householders (desal water is very expensive) within a few years – perhaps only 18 months. Needless to say neither the ill-considered lifting of sensible water restrictions by Rees in early 2009 nor constant population growth encouraged by the federal government’s baby bonuses and unfocussed immigration polices is going to reduce the risk of a crisis.
Cattle farmers Matt and Sandra Ireson were interviewed on ABC Radio National Breakfast today.
They run a property at Booligal in the New South Wales Riverina. The Iresons are among the hundreds of farming families who rely on the lower Lachlan River for their water supply. But the river is running dry. Heartbreaking drought and a contentious decision by the New South Wales Government to stop the River at Condobolin has slowed the Lachlan to just a trickle.
You can listen to the interview at Booligal big dry
All the people of the lower lachlan including Lake Cargelligo,(1300 people) have been suffering for years. The fact that 3 mines take the water from the Lachlan, even when the river was stopped, shows the drastic mis-use of the valuable resource.
Critical human needs in the Water Act of 2000 should be the basis of water allocations in times of drought. Clearly mining magnates needs are more important than the needs of communities and families that have relied on the Lachlan for their very existence.
Mines and water traders are the overwheling presence on committees and even the critical water committe that administers the scarce waters ot the lachlan in emergency periods. One major critical water member is on Jemalong irrigation and the LCMA and LVWU and has 12000 megs of water license himself? Another member is a Barrick Gold rep? Where are the community representatives that speak on behalf of our families and small farms? Why are the voices of those making profits the only ones being heard?
It is time that a water inquiry and audit was had to find the truth of water crimes of the criminally negligent water management Lachlan river.