Questions remain on Lower Darling inflows

Earlier this month, NSW Office of Water deputy director general Gavin Hanlon estimated at least 100 gigalitres would reach Menindee, NSW, in the coming weeks.

“Flows will be restored to the parched Lower Darling River as soon as practicable, to provide urgent relief for landholders doing it tough,” he said.

“These flows will provide landholders with domestic and stock water supplies and will replenish the block banks downstream of Pooncarie to support permanent plantings.

“It is expected that the first water will begin to reach Menindee late this week, and that releases to the Lower Darling can safely commence by mid-July.”

But after a fortnightly critical water meeting with NSW Office of Water representatives on Monday, Lower Darling irrigator Rachel Strachan, Tulney Station, said they were still unsure as to how the government would handle the water releases.

“If they could stagger 100gL down to us over the next few months, it would be ideal for the river’s connectivity and will flush out poor quality water, but they have not given us any indication of how they are going to do that,” she said.

“The water quality left in the pool upstream is extremely saline, up to 3500ECs, so we are concerned it won’t get mixed properly before it ends up down here.

“Low quality water poses a threat to the native fish – they will have to be very careful to oxygenate the water as it comes down.

“It also poses a threat to our permanent plantings, because high ECs and pH levels will be detrimental to our trees and vines.

“Household water will also be of concern, so the Wentworth Shire Council will have to continue carting water to houses.

“We are not used to having such poor quality water here, and it just seems to be one problem after another that we’re addressing, which is emotionally and physically draining for farmers in this area.”

Local livestock producers were also facing lambing season, which Ms Strachan said would also need quality drinking water.

“There is 200,000 sheep in this area that will be lambing, which will double the numbers needing water,” she said.

Getting the river boundary back was also crucial.

“We haven’t had property boundaries since before Christmas,” Ms Strachan said. “That is a huge biosecurity issue.

“Imagine if the River Murray was allowed to dry up – the nightmare that would follow keeping livestock and people from wandering.

“Lamb prices continue to be high, so everyone is very protective of their flock.”

Fellow Lower Darling irrigator Alan Whyte, Jamesville Station, said they were also unsure as to how much of the 100gL was for Broken Hill’s town water supply or for the Lower Darling River.

“They estimate 100gL is coming down, but haven’t told us how much water has been extracted into on-farm storages up north, or a figure of how much will even make it to Menindee,” he said.

“It just seemed that the people from the department hadn’t thought through water quality issues, which we found disappointing.

“Thankfully the blockbank at the front of our place is holding about 1 metre of water. It’s not great water, but it is the least worst water on the Lower Darling.

“The cold weather has minimised the quality deteriorating, but there is no real run off in this region.

“There may be water coming down, and it may be here mid-July, but it’s still very much a work in progress.” 

Ms Strachan said the extensive waiting for answers was really taking its toll.

“Lower Darling irrigators have been embargoed from extracting water to put on anything, except permanent plantings, for 18 months,” she said. 

“We haven’t been able to go about our normal irrigation practices, general security has been on zero allocation for two years, this year’s opening allocation is only 20pc for our high security licences.

“Everyone is waiting on this information to make future business plans, so it is frustrating when they have full control of our water supply and haven’t sorted this out.

“And the government hasn’t offered any assistance to help any of the property owners around here.”

A NSW DPI Water spokesperson said it was too early to provide a final volume of how much water was expected to reach the Menindee Lakes.

But that the first of the inflows had started to enter Lake Wetherell, which is part of the Menindee Lakes system. 

“At least 35gL of the inflows will be set aside for release to the Lower Darling, sufficient to provide low flows in the Lower Darling well into spring and replenish the block banks below Pooncarie,” the spokesperson said. 

“Releases are likely to commence within the next two weeks.

“Water quality monitoring will be undertaken and information and advice will be provided to downstream landholders.​”

Mr Hanlon said the inflows would mean surface water supplies for the Broken Hill township could be extended for another year.

“Inflows over the coming weeks will be monitored carefully and managed conservatively by DPI Water to ensure that benefits are shared across all interests,” he said.