Thread: WHERE HAS THE MURRAY DARLING BASIN'S WATER GONE?

Originally Posted by rick130

I don't think so.
If that was the case the Darling wouldn't have had the massive die offs that have occurred in the last two years.

Then I guess the various cockies who regularly appear on local TV complaining about how they can't get water even though the river behind them is flowing with environmental water have got it wrong.

Originally Posted by Grumbles

Then I guess the various cockies who regularly appear on local TV complaining about how they can't get water even though the river behind them is flowing with environmental water have got it wrong.

Depends where on the river and rain events upstream.
And when are you talking?
It was only 18 months ago that we had mass die offs at Menindee

And the river is a couple of thousand km long.
Too many times Qld irrigators have pulled so much out but well within allocations there's been no flow downstream.
How the hell is that sustainable?

And there's been stuff ups like the Menindee locks.
Why dam the lakes when they are so shallow?
The evaporation levels are crazy high in summer

it's NSW farmers pulling the water out of the Darling , not Queenslanders. Cottonfarmers....

the Darling River doesn't exist in Queensland

A couple of relevant stories on the subject.

• The On-Farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate gave farmers the green light to drill for bores and de-silt dams.
• Once works were underway or complete, farmers were eligible for a 25 per cent Federal Government rebate, administered by states.
• The scheme's run out of money and farmers have been left out of pocket.

Farmers promised financial help to drought-proof their properties left out of pocket - ABC News

And mates looking after mates.

The Commonwealth paid nearly double its valuer’s central estimate when it gave Eastern Australia Agriculture nearly $80 million for its water licences, the Government’s valuation document shows. Most of the profit from this record price paid for water licences ended up with a company founded by Energy Minister Angus Taylor, Eastern Australia Irrigation in the Cayman Islands.
Barnaby Joyce approved the deal as water minister in 2017.
An unredacted copy of the valuation by Colliers International, obtained by independent senator Rex Patrick, appears to contradict findings by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) that the Commonwealth’s strategic water purchases were less than the maximum price recommended by valuers.


Barnaby's Boondoggle: documents reveal $80m price for 'Watergate' licences was nearly twice valuation - Michael West

Originally Posted by ramblingboy42

it's NSW farmers pulling the water out of the Darling , not Queenslanders. Cottonfarmers....

the Darling River doesn't exist in Queensland

Actually Cubbie Station is the guilty party up here. It used to be cattle, the Japanese bought it and turned to cotton. Some of the most water intensive farming on the planet. The amount of water allocated to Cubbie meant a reduction in flow to the south. How this was allowed to happen in one of the driest continents on Earth , well, you just have to shake your head. The Darling River is not in Qld, but the Culgoa empties into the Murray Darling catchment , AFAIK.

Cubbie Station in South Queensland, Australia’s major interstate water diversion issue.The station has significant water rights to flows along the Culgoa River, within the Murray-Darling basin. The topography of the area is defined by channels & floodplains of the upper reaches of the Darling & Barwon Rivers. Cotton was originally grown in the area from the late 1970s. In 1983, Cubbie Station was converted from grazing practices to cotton growing. The property consists of both agricultural & non-agricultural uses, with approx 22,000 hectares (54,000 acres) presently developed, with a further 11,000 hectares (27,000 acres) under development.


The station was created by amalgamating twelve floodplain properties to give Cubbie a total of fifty-one licences. The station’s water storage dams stretch for more than 28 kilometres (17 mi) along the Culgoa River, within the Murray-Darling basin. In an average year the station uses 200,000 megalitres (7,100×106 cu ft) of water, in a good year as much as 500,000 megalitres (18,000×106 cu ft).
The water is used to supply 130 square kilometres (50 sq mi) of irrigated cotton and other crops including wheat, which generates a net profit in the range of A$50 million to A$80 million a year.
The station is licensed to take 460,000 megalitres (16,000×106 cu ft), the equivalent of all irrigation entitlements downstream in north-western NSW. The property has the capacity to grow 200 square kilometres (77 sq mi) of cotton. In 2006, the dams on the property were filled to 1% capacity allowing for only 200 hectares (490 acres) of cotton planting. The station is often derided for its large water usage requirements in a time of extreme drought in Australia and damage to the Murray Darling river system.

Originally Posted by ramblingboy42

it's NSW farmers pulling the water out of the Darling , not Queenslanders. Cottonfarmers....

the Darling River doesn't exist in Queensland

Semantics Den, we all know the Murray-Darling Basin extends well into Qld and has a number of Qld tributaries feeding into the Darling.
Four states are involved and constantly warring and passing the buck to each other.

And the river system continues to decline.

Originally Posted by bob10

Actually Cubbie Station is the guilty party up here. It used to be cattle, the Japanese bought it and turned to cotton. Some of the most water intensive farming on the planet. The amount of water allocated to Cubbie meant a reduction in flow to the south. How this was allowed to happen in one of the driest continents on Earth , well, you just have to shake your head. The Darling River is not in Qld, but the Culgoa empties into the Murray Darling catchment , AFAIK.

Cubbie Station in South Queensland, Australia’s major interstate water diversion issue.The station has significant water rights to flows along the Culgoa River, within the Murray-Darling basin. The topography of the area is defined by channels & floodplains of the upper reaches of the Darling & Barwon Rivers. Cotton was originally grown in the area from the late 1970s. In 1983, Cubbie Station was converted from grazing practices to cotton growing. The property consists of both agricultural & non-agricultural uses, with approx 22,000 hectares (54,000 acres) presently developed, with a further 11,000 hectares (27,000 acres) under development.


The station was created by amalgamating twelve floodplain properties to give Cubbie a total of fifty-one licences. The station’s water storage dams stretch for more than 28 kilometres (17 mi) along the Culgoa River, within the Murray-Darling basin. In an average year the station uses 200,000 megalitres (7,100×106 cu ft) of water, in a good year as much as 500,000 megalitres (18,000×106 cu ft).
The water is used to supply 130 square kilometres (50 sq mi) of irrigated cotton and other crops including wheat, which generates a net profit in the range of A$50 million to A$80 million a year.
The station is licensed to take 460,000 megalitres (16,000×106 cu ft), the equivalent of all irrigation entitlements downstream in north-western NSW. The property has the capacity to grow 200 square kilometres (77 sq mi) of cotton. In 2006, the dams on the property were filled to 1% capacity allowing for only 200 hectares (490 acres) of cotton planting. The station is often derided for its large water usage requirements in a time of extreme drought in Australia and damage to the Murray Darling river system.

The big thing is that Cubby has done nothing wrong, it's all within the rules and allocations but because they are more foreign owned and have the biggest water allocation they are a convenient whipping boy.

Unfortunately that takes the focus off the gross mismanagement of various govt's and their bodies.

Originally Posted by rick130

The big thing is that Cubby has done nothing wrong, it's all within the rules and allocations but because they are more foreign owned and have the biggest water allocation they are a convenient whipping boy.

Unfortunately that takes the focus off the gross mismanagement of various govt's and their bodies.

You'd better sit down, I agree entirely.