Science/Environment Darling river flows again , but for how long?

[WCfan22]

With this latest flooding rain in Queensland comes a greater responsibility to manage the water flowing down the Darling basin better. Natural wetlands have been killed off and man made ones created by weirs. With massive amounts of water drained from the system to provide for irrigation just how much is left for the "environment "? Mismanagement, Politics and corruption is all over this issue. Sure it won't always flow huge amounts as it is a very seasonal river but when you have some irrigator dams that can hold in excess of 120GL there has to be a decision that some of that water is returned to the system in times of low flow.

 

[HairyO]

It will never be done properly because there are completely opposing interests and no side has any desire to find a sensible middle ground.

 

[masai]

Are irrigated crops sustainable ?.

Amazed the amount of water used from irrigated sources to grow cotton in NSW.

Have we created industries via irrigated water that are still marginal, even with the irrigated water ?.

 

[HardcoreGeelongFan]

Greens need power and nats need to lose power over legislating any bills for the flow to continue

 

[WCfan22]

The new vision for the vision impaired NSW government is to divert water into toorale station. A man made wetland that has contributed to the decimation of many natural wetlands and water flow will be restricted from there to a trickle. All I can say is good luck if you live below the menindee lakes and your town is struggling with no water.

 

[Kwality]

With this latest flooding rain in Queensland comes a greater responsibility to manage the water flowing down the Darling basin better. Natural wetlands have been killed off and man made ones created by weirs. With massive amounts of water drained from the system to provide for irrigation just how much is left for the "environment "? Mismanagement, Politics and corruption is all over this issue. Sure it won't always flow huge amounts as it is a very seasonal river but when you have some irrigator dams that can hold in excess of 120GL there has to be a decision that some of that water is returned to the system in times of low flow.

So use Cubbie Station as an example in the top end of the Darling system:

Cubbie Station - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Water flows from southern Qld in first major test of Murray-Darling Basin Plan since deal struck

The first major flood after eight years of drought is flowing through southern Queensland this week in what could be the first real test of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, struck in 2012.

www.abc.net.au

• Up to 200,000 megalitres a day of water was being released from EJ Beardmore Dam to move through Queensland and NSW
• St George irrigators celebrated the first significant flow in eight years, and a chance to test the Murray-Darling Basin Plan
• Water flowing downstream will meet with the driest soil profile in well over 100 years

The first major flood after eight years of drought is flowing down the Balonne River in southern Queensland this week in what could be the first real test of the northern projects of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, struck in 2012.

As the Balonne River peaked at 12.22 metres in St George on Thursday, huge volumes of water — up to 200,000 megalitres per day — were released from EJ Beardmore Dam to move through southern Queensland and into northern New South Wales.

But how far will the water travel, and who will be able to divert it as it makes its way south?

 

[Kwality]

The new vision for the vision impaired NSW government is to divert water into toorale station. A man made wetland that has contributed to the decimation of many natural wetlands and water flow will be restricted from there to a trickle. All I can say is good luck if you live below the menindee lakes and your town is struggling with no water.

FYI

THE NSW government is preparing to restart the lower Darling river, with 200 gigalitres expected to flow into the Menindee Lakes after the recent deluge.

The Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) said it was working with the NSW government in anticipation of the water arriving by the end of the month.

Lower Darling to restart by months' end when 200GL hits Menindee

That should be enough to keep the river going for the next 12 months.

www.farmonline.com.au

 

[WCfan22]

FYI

THE NSW government is preparing to restart the lower Darling river, with 200 gigalitres expected to flow into the Menindee Lakes after the recent deluge.

The Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) said it was working with the NSW government in anticipation of the water arriving by the end of the month.

Lower Darling to restart by months' end when 200GL hits Menindee

That should be enough to keep the river going for the next 12 months.

www.farmonline.com.au

"THE NSW GOVERNMENT is preparing to restart the lower Darling river." First time I've heard that governments start rivers flowing. They don't have the brain power to know how to keep a steady flow going. Also yes cubby station is for irrigation but do you actually know what toorale is for? It is a man made wet land that the NSW GOVERNMENT bought to stop water being restricted by another irrigator and now these mental cases are filling it up and holding water back. An exact back flip on once again false promises by a corupt system.

 

[Kwality]

FYI

After years of drought, water is once again flowing through the Menindee Lakes, the site of last year's devastating mass fish kill, which left up to one million fish dead.

Widespread rains in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales have pushed water down the Darling River, with floodwaters reaching Lake Wetherell in western New South Wales yesterday.

Menindee Lakes revitalised as rains push water down Darling River - ABC listen

After years of drought, water is once again flowing through the Menindee Lakes, the site of last year's devastating mass fish kill, which left up to one million fish dead.

www.abc.net.au

Locals flocked to witness the event, with some saying the lakes had been dry for so long they had lost faith they would ever see them start to fill up again.

NSW Water Minister Melinda Pavey said the first push that made its way down the Barwon-Darling following rains last month entered the most upstream of the lakes, Lake Wetherell, on Wednesday morning, describing it as the best naturally occurring flow since the floods of 2016. “It’s a magical sight, long overdue, after one of the worst droughts on record — to see life being sprung is magic,” Ms Pavey told The Australian.

NoCookies | The Australian

www.theaustralian.com.au