Last week’s Department of Industry’s Namoi Valley water allocation update doesn’t look promising for the next irrigation season.
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And this, coupled with a planned environmental water release, has irrigators worried according to Namoi Valley Irrigators Association executive officer Jon-Maree Baker.
“No-one in the Namoi water community has any issue ensuring there’s enough water to meet critical human needs for northern communities, but we don’t support a section 324 being used for environmental water, it’s a breach of property rights and may set a precedent devaluing water licences if not properly compensated,” she said.
Ms Baker said the department planned to release about 5000ML from Chaffey for environmental flow combined with a release of Commonwealth-owned Peel Water from Keepit.
However, federal MP Barnaby Joyce announced the proposed release had been reduced to 3870ML and had petitioned Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg to wipe the full Commonwealth allocation of 1250ML.
One of Ms Baker’s main concerns was that using Commonwealth-held water and then embargoing other water users under section 324 for environmental water was likely an impact of property rights for irrigators.
“What we want to see is government work with stakeholders to find enduring solutions through water sharing plans as this is the appropriate place for these issues to be assessed,” she said.
“Rural banks and lenders often hold liens over water and if that water becomes effected by government policy, reducing reliability, it could negatively impact farm loans as lenders reconsider farmers’ equity.”
With much of the region in drought, lots of rain will be needed to refill Namoi catchments for the next irrigation season.
“Our outlook for irrigators relying on surface water is pretty grim at this stage,” Ms Baker said.
“There will be one block release of water next year for whatever was left in accounts so most irrigators in the valley will be relying on groundwater this year.
“With 82,000ML of groundwater in the Lower Namoi and 110,000ML in the Upper Namoi this water will still provide a base level of production.”
Last week, Keepit Dam was about 13 per cent full and falling – holding about 60,000ML, while Split Rock Dam was 14 per cent full and falling, with about 60,800ML.
