It seems that nothing sensible can be achieved with the Murray-Darling Basin water plan until the South Australia State Government comes to its senses about management of the Lower Lakes. Jay Weatherall rabbits on about the idealistic "Healthy River" model and how MORE than 2750 GL of environmental flows are needed to keep the river mouth open at all times. The whole idea is just eco-religious nonsense.
TV News shows the 1/2 dozen dairy farmers left around Lake Alexandra who rely on the freshwater of the lake for operation and they plead for more environmental flows!... what spin and bunkum. Lateral thinking is required. Completely ignored is the pipeline draw offs for Adelaide's water supply and the Morgan to Whyalla pipeline of 320 kms which allow water flows to sea after being USED by humans. Surely it is possible to build a pipeline of 50 kms or so to supply river water to farm operations around Lake Alexandra for use in DROUGHT TIMES if lake water levels were maintained by sea water derived from opening the barrages? Also, adjacent Lake Albert has always been isolated and more saline than the open ocean. And the very saline Coorong lies beyond the barrages so is not part of the MDBasin. In fact, the WHOLE Lower Lakes system should NOT be included in the Murray Darling Basin, but considered as a separate management region.
There is SO much BS produced by SA Government, and also vital data deliberately ignored, that its not funny. Presently the river water system is in normal to flood conditions and has been so for the past 2 years. There is NO need to further cut water supplies to the irrigaters. They should be storing as much flood water as possible free of charge. Allano
Showing posts with label SA water management priorities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SA water management priorities. Show all posts
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Priorities all wrong
Letter to Editor #10, "The Advertiser", (Adelaide), Wed 30th September, 2009
230 words; by Allan Taylor of Hove.
Winter rains have now almost filled our Adelaide Hills nine reservoirs.
The city water supply is roughly 60% Adelaide Hills catchment and 40% pumped from the River Murray.
Premier Mike Rann has arrogantly ignored all opposition to the proposed Port Stanvac 100 Gigalitre desalination plant, said to now cost 1.8 billion dollars with an estimated annual running cost of 75 million. It seems SA is committed to this huge unnecessary expenditure.
Greens MP Mark Parnell has done an excellent job explaining to Government that the sensible way ahead is to further develop storm water recycling and aquifer supply. The real problem is the horrendous waste of potable water being used for non-potable use, such as watering the garden, domestic washing and flushing toilets etc. Probably 90% of expensive desalinated water will not actually be used for drinking and so is wasted.
To put this in perspective, Mexico City with a population of 20 million and rainfall 700mm/year gets its water supply from aquifers in the Mexico Basin. No desalination plant is needed there.
This is mismanagement on an enormous scale. Combine this with the proposed Railyards Hospital (another 1.7 billion dollars) which is unwanted by the doctors who prefer extension of the existing hospital, plus the miserable refusal to replace the Magill Youth Training Center ( a back flip now on this) and it is clear the Government has got its priorities wrong.
230 words; by Allan Taylor of Hove.
Winter rains have now almost filled our Adelaide Hills nine reservoirs.
The city water supply is roughly 60% Adelaide Hills catchment and 40% pumped from the River Murray.
Premier Mike Rann has arrogantly ignored all opposition to the proposed Port Stanvac 100 Gigalitre desalination plant, said to now cost 1.8 billion dollars with an estimated annual running cost of 75 million. It seems SA is committed to this huge unnecessary expenditure.
Greens MP Mark Parnell has done an excellent job explaining to Government that the sensible way ahead is to further develop storm water recycling and aquifer supply. The real problem is the horrendous waste of potable water being used for non-potable use, such as watering the garden, domestic washing and flushing toilets etc. Probably 90% of expensive desalinated water will not actually be used for drinking and so is wasted.
To put this in perspective, Mexico City with a population of 20 million and rainfall 700mm/year gets its water supply from aquifers in the Mexico Basin. No desalination plant is needed there.
This is mismanagement on an enormous scale. Combine this with the proposed Railyards Hospital (another 1.7 billion dollars) which is unwanted by the doctors who prefer extension of the existing hospital, plus the miserable refusal to replace the Magill Youth Training Center ( a back flip now on this) and it is clear the Government has got its priorities wrong.
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