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■ The states are under no obligation under the plan to amend water sharing plans so as to close any gap in sustainable diversion limit (SDL) at the end of 2019. ■ A consistent start date of 2019 for meeting SDL reduction targets. ■ A greater emphasis on efficiency projects, rather than just ‘buyback’. ■ The inclusion of a mechanism which allows some adjustment of the final SDL. ■ A commitment to gather better science in the northern basin, which may result in an SDL adjustment. Floodplain harvesting policy In NSW Cotton Australia has been working very closely with the NSW Government to vastly improve the state’s floodplain harvesting licencing policy which had been prepared by the previous government. While the policy is yet to be finalised, early indications are that the government is prepared to make significant improvements particularly in the area of account management rules and the security of the licences. Despite the lack of a finalised policy, the NSW Office of Water (NOW) has commenced the roll-out of its sustaining the basin healthy floodplain project, which will result in the licencing of floodplain harvesting. The initial roll-out is in the Gwydir Valley, with the first stage being the call for expressions of interest from any irrigator who believes they may be entitled to a floodplain harvesting licence. NSW metering project The NSW Government under its Murray-Darling basin plan sustaining the basin program appears determined to proceed with its metering program, despite opposition from the northern NSW irrigator associations. In summary, NOW appears unwilling to consider any alternative approaches, and has basically adopted the approach – “Accept the program as it is, or install the meters at your own cost, and the sustaining the basin funding will be redirect to other efficiency projects, most likely in the south”. NSWIC Menindee Lakes policy At the July meeting of the NSW Irrigators Council (NSWIC) it was agreed to develop a position on Menindee Lakes, including preferred works and other actions, and a policy stance, within the context of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, on the sharing of any ‘savings’ between the north and the south. Menindee Lakes are a series of large, shallow, natural lakes adjacent to the Darling River in far south-west NSW. They were regulated during the 1960s, can hold approximately two million megalitres when full, and in an average year evaporate approximately 400Gl. Water in the lakes performs three main roles: ■ A town water supply role for both Menindee and Broken Hill; ■ A source of highly reliable, regulated high and general security water supply for irrigators on the lower Darling (including Tandou Farms); and, ■ An important water resource for the total southern basin, allowing supplies for South Australia to be delivered from Menindee rather than from the storages on the Murray and Murrumbidgee systems. For the Northern Basin, Menindee is important because when water supply levels fall below a critical point, access to supplementary water in the northern system is embargoed and under the basin plan significant amounts of water obtained in the northern basin will pass through Menindee. It has long been recognised that Menindee Lakes is an inefficient storage system, and there have been numerous proposals for both engineering works and management rule changes to make their operation more efficient. But Menindee is also a very complex system, and any change, be it engineering or rules, will have impacts on one or more user groups. Hence it has become a divisive issue at NSWIC. In attempting to develop the policy, NSWIC formed a reference group, which includes Cotton Australia, organised a visit to Menindee, which was attended by Cotton Australia, and has started the process of drafting a policy paper. The original timeframe envisaged the adoption of a policy at the recently held November meeting. For Cotton Australia the issue of Menindee is particularly sensitive, as any changes will impact on our northern, lower Darling, and southern growers in different ways. SunWater channel distribution schemes Since August Cotton Australia has been active supporting growers in St George, Emerald, and Theodore to assess whether there would be value in undertaking a full due diligence assessment of assuming local control/ownership of the Sunwater channel schemes. Along with local grower representatives, Cotton Australia participated in a State Government working group chaired by Leith Boully. That working group recommended to government at the end of October that a full due diligence process be entered into. No response has been received from government as yet, but if the government agrees to the report’s recommendations, then it is likely that interim boards will be established by the end of this calendar year to manage the process. Cotton Australia invited two NSW irrigators, Dick Thompson and Kel Baxter, who were heavily involved in the move to local management in NSW 15–20 years ago to come to Queensland and share their experiences. From feedback received, this visit was greatly appreciated by CA Queensland growers. 12 — The Australian Cottongrower December 2012–January 2013
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