13 ^th June 2008

This year has marked the lowest level of losses from the Goulburn-Murray Irrigation District on record coming in at 380 GL. Of this figure, 70 GL was from non-recoverable losses of the Ramsar Listed Kerang Lakes making a total of only 310 GL available for water savings projects.

This volume of water is not enough to cover the government promised total savings of 520 GL from the Foodbowl areas. In fact it is not even enough water to cover the predicted Foodbowl Stage One Plan savings. The government has pre-Foodbowl water savings commitments of 95 GL to the Living Murray and the Snowy River. These include Shepparton Modernisation Project (52 GL), CG1234 (18 GL) and GMW reconfiguration plans (25 GL).  

Yesterday Minister Tim Holding tried his best to defend the low level of losses in an incoherent volley of excuses trying to hide his failings as the overseer of a fatally flawed project. His face saving circular arguments were centred on climate change, naming it for both the reason why losses were low and the source of new water for the state.

Not two weeks ago (3^rd June) in a public accounts and estimates committee hearing meeting  he angrily defended the projected savings, saying the savings will be delivered every year, on time and on budget. 

Well Tim what about this year? What about last year?

If  the big pipe was pumping water over the divide to Melbourne in a dry year, the government promise of abundance through the creation of new water will not account for much when there isn’t any. Clearly the Auditor Generals concerns about the rigor applied to the projects water savings has been born out this year. 

Investing in the Foodbowl can save water (and it should be done) but the savings should all go to improving environmental flows in the MDB and to offset the projected decline in water availability to northern Victorian irrigation communities as a consequence of climate change. Melbourne has other options.

The Brumby Government must abandon this ill-conceived plan for the good of country communities and the Nation.

After Spending billions.

If the 7000 km of open earth gravity irrigation channels in the Foodbowl Districts could be made watertight (no evaporation or seepage, 100% efficiency) then the Government would have failed to meet its targeted water savings plans for the last two years. Most urban water delivery systems run at 90% efficiency. The initial water savings calculations were provided to the government by the ill-equipped elite Foodbowl Alliance lobby group.