WATER sharing plans for the Peel, Upper and Lower Namoi could rely on data up to 26 years out of date by the next time they come across Murray-Darling Basing Authority's desk.
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Tamworth Regional Council and Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson met with Water Minister Melinda Pavey last week to share their fears in what both called a "progressive discussion".
The water sharing plans for the Upper and Lower Namoi rely on inflow data from as far back as 2004 and completely ignore the worst drought on living record.
The meeting was encouraging, mayor Col Murray said, but the four issues specifically brought to Ms Pavey are yet to be resolved.
"The council is satisfied with the minister's approach to have a good attempt at resolving four of the major issues with the water sharing plan by the end of June," he said.
"The alternative is probably to put the water sharing plan on hold, which has lots of implications from a broader state perspective and an inter-valley perspective.
"It would be great to see if we can resolve some of those issues and satisfy some of those concerns."
The Leader has requested an interview with Ms Pavey on three separate occasions since April 29 and has been told by a spokeswoman that the minister has "prior engagements" and "back-to-back meetings", but is "working with Tamworth Regional Council".
Just last week Independent MP Justin Field took the National Party to task for ignoring the Millennium drought in previous water sharing plans, which has left Tamworth's town water supply at a meagre 13.9 per cent, as residents enter their eighth month of strict Level 5 water restrictions.
A motion was passed in the NSW upper house that called on Ms Pavey to use up-to-date drought figures in the water sharing plans that will determine the next decade of the precious resource's management.
Mr Field said the National Party had deliberately ignored the Millennium drought in the 2014 water-sharing plans because it would reduce the amount of water allocated to irrigators.
"The NSW Nationals hung their hat on an assumption that another Millennium-level drought wouldn't occur and they were wrong," he said.
"They left regional towns facing critical water shortages, rivers starved, fish kills and massive additional stresses in agricultural and river communities.
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"The current NSW Nationals Water Minister Melinda Pavey is trying to continue that failed approach because it benefits a handful of irrigators."
The motion in the upper house has called on Ms Pavey to amend the water-sharing plans to include up-to-date information before they are submitted to the Murray-Darling Basin Authority and the federal Resources Minister Keith Pitt.
Madeline Link
Madeline Link is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald, with a focus on Lake Macquarie City Council. To keep up with my stories, follow my Twitter @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au.
Madeline Link is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald, with a focus on Lake Macquarie City Council. To keep up with my stories, follow my Twitter @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au.
