The Dwindling River:The Debate over The Murray-Darling Basin

Murray-Darling Basics A river system that covers 1,061,496 square kilometers.

Flows through the states of: * Queensland New South Wales Victoria South Australia

Major river systems include:* Darling River

* Murrumbigee River

* Lachlan River

* Billabong Creek

* Murray River

• Approximately 3.2 million people use the river for drinking water.

• Agriculture:– 41% of Australia’s agriculture for irrigation.– $4.8 billion in Australia’s agricultural output.

The Murray-Darling Basin gets less rainfall that other parts of the continent.

Why farmers are being blamed…

The vast majority of the water used from the Murray-Darling Basin is used in agriculture.

This would be a big reason why farmers are being blamed for the lower levels in the river.

3.20 Water Consumption in the Murray-Darling Basin - 2004-05

However, the amount of water for irrigation is less than half of that used in 2005-2006. Water for irrigation is

going less.3.22 PASTURES AND CROPS IRRIGATED, MURRAY-DARLING BASIN

2005-06 2006-07 2007-08

GL GL GL

Pasture, cereal and other crops used for grazing 2 022.2 1 133.6 656.8 Pasture, cereal and other crops used for hay 648.8 468.8 340.6 Rice 1 251.9 239.4 26.7 Cereals for grain and seed (excluding rice) 623.7 571.8 805.3 Cotton 1 574.4 818.8 282.6 Sugar cane - - - Pastures for seed 25.2 74.0 n/a Other broadacre crops 117.7 61.0 85.3 Fruit and nuts 412.7 417.1 356.1 Vegetables for human consumption and seed 152.0 124.9 124.0 Nurseries, cut flowers and cultivated turf 12.2 12.7 9.4 Grapes 514.8 533.9 433.9

Other pastures and crops not elsewhere classified 14.3 2.3 21.1

Total volume applied 7 369.8 4 458.3 3 141.7

- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells) Source: ABS Water Use on Australian Farms, 2007-08 (4618.0); ABS Experimental Estimates of Gross Value of Irrigated Agriculture Production, 2000-01 to 2006-07 (4610.0.55.008). Note: Components may not add to volume total due to rounding.

The Australian Governments Response

Three things: * Set scientifically sustainable limits on water usage.

* Buy water entitlements for rivers and wetlands.

* Extensive investment on more efficient irrigation.

Believed benefits: * More regional income for local communities.

* broader social well being.

* Improved drinking water.

* Lower cost to commercial industry.

* Would expand tourism.

However….. No one knows who is in charge of these projects. The federal government does not want to give up some of its power.

Some of the states are sort of leery about giving up some of there power to the federal government.

The local communities are sort of being shut out of any decision making on the issue.

Scientists and Farmers Similarities:

* Have lots of resources.

* Have lots of technology.

* Both want to produce more sustainably.

Problems:

* Lack of dialogue between the two sides.

* Mistrust between the two sides.

*Farmers issues: - Consider themselves the frontline of environmentalists.

- They work the fields and use the research to better their production.

- Wish to have a role in the peer review process.

- Feel disrespected because their experiences are not even considered.

- Feel scapegoated for the whole issue.

*Scientists issues:

- Scientific opinions are like legal opinions; for sale.

- Devalued science due to the prostituting of the ideas.

- Scientists are becoming activists and this is causing more distrust.

Disbelief:

* Urban vs. Rural:

- Urbanites believe the climate change theories.

- Ruralites believe that this is part of a cycle and that there is not as much to worry about.

* Surveys:

- One in five did not consider climate change a big problem.

- 37% of those surveyed did not think human produced greenhouse gasses were responsible for global climate change.

- 31% do believe human produced greenhouse gasses are to blame for global climate change.

And finally, the politicians….

The local politicians in the area are not much help. The will seem to flip-flop to whichever side will

get them the most votes. If they are in an urban setting, they lean more scientific. If they are in a rural setting,

they lean more farm oriented.

Conclusions- The only thing that is agreed upon is that there is an

issue with the Murray-Darling Basin.

Governments:

* Do not work together very well.

* Will not include local communities.

* Local politicians do not really take a side.

Scientists:

* Have solid scientific research.

* Science is up for sale.

* Scapegoating of the farmers.

* Seen as activists more than able to help.

Farmers:

* Feel left out of scientific process.

* Tired of being blamed.

* Have the experience on the ground to make changes.

The main problem is a lack of communication between the farmers and the scientists. Once they can sit down

and talk, they can work together to find a solution.