MEDIA RELEASE

2 June 2010

MRFF calls for balance in new Sustainable Diversion Limits

Food and fibre producers in the Macquarie Valley are seeking balance in the current deliberations on new Sustainable Diversion Limits (SDLs) to be set for water sources in the Murray Darling Basin.

While the new SDLs are unlikely to be known for another couple of months, what is known, is that extraction in the Macquarie Valley already sits at very low levels when compared with the long-term average annual flow in the Macquarie River.

Following a reform process that started in the valley in the 1980s and recent government environmental water purchases and infrastructure programs, the average annual extraction has dropped to below 20% and has obviously been a lot less than that in recent drought years. It is important to remember that this includes water extracted for town water supplies, stock and domestic use, high security industry, and seasonal food and fibre production. That is, water that plays a reasonable and vital role in the ongoing sustainability of our local communities.

"The reality is, despite popular opinion, less than 20% of water flowing in the Macquarie River is available for extractive uses. This is not just a factor of the current drought, but a reflection of changing Government policy and more recently
water entitlement purchase by Governments in the Macquarie Valley" says Susan Madden, Executive Officer of Macquarie River Food and Fibre.

This means that greater than 80% of average annual flows in the Macquarie River now go to the environment.

"The Macquarie River is the lifeblood of the communities that live along it, and we are calling for some common sense and balance in the necessary sharing arrangements that are made between the environmental, social and economic needs of the Basin."

ENDS

Contacts:
Chairman, Tony Wass, 0428 967 820
Executive Officer, Susan Madden, 0400 849 577