Returning Water to the Snowy

29 August 2002

The first of the promised water returns to the Snowy were released yesterday.

In a joint announcement yesterday, Dick Thompson, Chairman of Murrumbidgee Irrigation said, "in the current climate of water shortages it can be difficult to comprehend the rationale behind releasing environmental flows, however the water released yesterday has not come from irrigator allocations and will not impact farmers' supplies."

Water released into the Snowy yesterday has been made possible through future water savings endorsed by Murrumbidgee Irrigation, Ricegrowers' Association of Australia, Murrumbidgee Horticulture Council and backed by the local community. Three years ago water industry participants came together with the community to develop a water saving proposal that would address the needs of our high country rivers without allowing further negative impacts to fall upon irrigators.

"The Government has agreed to fund on-farm and off-farm infrastructure developments that increase water use efficiency. This funding will be used by irrigators to improve systems on their farms. In return for infrastructure funding irrigators have been asked to return water savings to the rivers including the Snowy and Murray," said Mr Thompson "the water from efficiency savings already made and those targeted for the next few years will backup the water being released into the Snowy when the deals are done."

It is imperative that the whole community get together and get the funding for water efficiency savings on the ground as soon as possible, and get the water, released yesterday, replaced with real savings.

"We are all experiencing the hardship that comes with drought, and there is no doubt the immediate future for irrigation farmers is uncertain during these times. The water released yesterday has no impact on irrigator allocations." said Mr Thompson.

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For further information contact: Dick Thompson, Chairman Murrumbidgee Irrigation, phone: 6953 0100