tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6237865919006017597.post8195634078294595584..comments2024-02-06T10:27:00.470+11:00Comments on [Farm-ily]: October 2, 2019CountryMumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761724941259576940noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6237865919006017597.post-73810828012183555202019-10-06T10:34:41.287+11:002019-10-06T10:34:41.287+11:00Oh, my....I won't say anything but my heart go...Oh, my....I won't say anything but my heart goes out to you. Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08015780995837712115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6237865919006017597.post-75362179460331273372019-10-05T02:22:15.332+10:002019-10-05T02:22:15.332+10:00I applaud your efforts to tell the whole story of ...I applaud your efforts to tell the whole story of your farm! Thank you for this informative look at water in your region. We are in the midst of a water controversy in our part of Kansas as well. Quivira National Wildlife Refuge near us has petitioned the state Water Office for additional stream flow. This will impact irrigators in our area. It may also include putting wells on some farm ground neighboring Quivira, that will be piped to the refuge (including ours). There are many implications. The Kansas Water Pack is currently petitioning the state water office to try and lessen the affects on farmers. My best to you and other farmers affected by this! Just one of the many other things we can't control!Kimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03030884632849692028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6237865919006017597.post-23414031928067165682019-10-03T18:47:56.029+10:002019-10-03T18:47:56.029+10:00Right. That's given me plenty to go on with bu...Right. That's given me plenty to go on with but I think you should know when the occasion arises there will be more questions. <br />Apologies for putting you on the spot about water, I'm a bit short on emotional intelligence some days.<br />AlphieAlphie Souphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17041492283753978975noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6237865919006017597.post-20073463313466188712019-10-03T17:32:30.783+10:002019-10-03T17:32:30.783+10:00Always happy to hear your thoughts Alphie.
So wh...Always happy to hear your thoughts Alphie. <br /><br />So who allocates the water? Water allocation is complicated; shared between 3 states with varying priorities depending on entitlements. Each state operates within their own water sharing plans... and different areas in each state have different water sharing plans. In our area we are all general security licence holders, which means we get allocated water last once all the other commitments have been met. <br /><br />Firstly the river needs a certain amount of water to run taking into account evaporation, losses, dilution flows & environmental flows. The stored water (currently at 46% of capacity) is shared between SA, NSW & VIC in order of priority - stock & domestic, towns, high security, conveyance & lastly general security holders. All of SA’s irrigation water is high security, currently on 87%, VIC Murray is on 38%, we in the NSW Murray are general security water holders and are on 0%. <br /><br />I'm not sure about your idea of a regular water information post. I really like your sentiment behind it... but water, or lack thereof, is such an emotive issue at the moment. I would find it emotionally hard to do, if that makes sense. I try very hard to focus on the positives for a very good reason... my sanity. Throwing the odd dose of the everyday reality, along with some facts… that I can do. <br /><br />So what can you do? Visit the Murray Darling Basin. Holiday in drought affected areas. Spend money in small rural towns, stay in their motels or caravan parks, talk to the locals. Buy Australian made produce. Be informed.<br />CountryMumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14761724941259576940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6237865919006017597.post-54647433287882114132019-10-03T13:36:24.059+10:002019-10-03T13:36:24.059+10:00Mmmm. Another complex and divisive situation which...Mmmm. Another complex and divisive situation which for me, only creates questions. I'm big on questions; without sufficient and hopefully accurate information how can I arrive at anything which might vaguely resemble an informed opinion.<br />And so to my first question/s:<br />Who allocates the water? As the Murray borders Vic and NSW are both states governed by the same authority/body? <br />I found the link to the MDBA report very interesting but a pain to read it on my phone. I'll persevere...<br />While the main puropse of your blog might be photography and a positive outlook,<br /> I'd like to suggest you might consider the occasional water information post - a Water Wednesday sort of thing.... I did have another idea but I this one is better :).<br />I certainly hope the sessions are well attended and something useful which is then executed comes out of these public meetings and submissions. This is vital for those communities immediately affected but it also impacts on all people living in eastern Australia. So, what can I do?<br />And because I never know when to leave well enough alone, (sigh) in your last comment the drought has exaggerated the problem and YOU are exasperated, most likely by the government's water management....<br />I'll just shut up now and go off to make enquiries about Bear's Castle, a Parisian afternoon tea and an advance care directive.<br />All the best<br />AlphieAlphie Souphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17041492283753978975noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6237865919006017597.post-83385033425154893422019-10-03T12:22:21.734+10:002019-10-03T12:22:21.734+10:00It is a combination Helen. Yes, we are in drought ...It is a combination Helen. Yes, we are in drought like much of eastern Australia. Our 2nd year of zero water allocation is what really hurts though, which sadly has been caused by government’s water management more than anything else… but the drought has exasperated it. The Murray River is certainly not low. In fact the MDBA is flooding forests right now... in drought. That is certainly not a natural scenario and I would imagine would give nature the wrong cues.CountryMumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14761724941259576940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6237865919006017597.post-31810979603557951732019-10-03T12:06:26.209+10:002019-10-03T12:06:26.209+10:00Thanks Andrew, I don’t mind a rant at all. I don’t...Thanks Andrew, I don’t mind a rant at all. I don’t agree with you regarding rice in Australia though. You might be surprised to know that rice is actually native to Australia. And it is very suited to our drought & flooding rains climate as it is an annual crop so when there is water it is grown, when there is none it is not, unlike permanent plantings eg almonds that need water every year. Australian rice farmers are the most efficient producers in the world ie yield/mg of water used and the majority of rice is grown on family farms, not by corporations.<br /><br />The Coorong is very interesting. Historically Tilley Swamp drained into the Coorong. This was altered over time with the construction of the South East Drains commencing in 1940 and finished in 2011; the swamp and South East SA mostly now drains out to sea, bypassing the Coorong. Water historically flowed from the Coorong into Lake Alexandrina. The Barrages were built in the 1940’s and they dramatically changed Lake Alexandrina, a large estuary, into a freshwater lake. Since water no longer comes from Tilley Swamp for the Coorong, Lake Alexandrina now feeds the Coorong, remembering historically it was the other way around. And with no sea water now coming into Lake Alexandrina because of the barrages and the Basin Plan stating that it must be kept at 0.4m above sea level the only way to achieve this is by using fresh water from the Murray River. It's kind of like expecting the Yarra River to keep Port Philip Bay full of freshwater, which no doubt sounds ridiculous but that is what the barrages and the Murray Darling Basin Plan is doing. <br />CountryMumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14761724941259576940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6237865919006017597.post-73589167634174252962019-10-03T10:40:23.614+10:002019-10-03T10:40:23.614+10:00I had no idea that your situation wasn't just ...I had no idea that your situation wasn't just from drought. I assumed the Murray was low too. Unbelieveable!Helenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04051160693725705930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6237865919006017597.post-91971423192203115602019-10-03T09:20:56.933+10:002019-10-03T09:20:56.933+10:00That is very sad.That is very sad.Ruth Hieberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11260132564992492524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6237865919006017597.post-5468230123534381502019-10-03T09:02:58.637+10:002019-10-03T09:02:58.637+10:00Sad...Sad...Bill https://www.blogger.com/profile/04779863708462822356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6237865919006017597.post-2874087318055277102019-10-03T08:21:16.159+10:002019-10-03T08:21:16.159+10:00It rains, just not where it is most needed which m...It rains, just not where it is most needed which makes me sad...............<br />Jo-Anne's Ramblingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11418152399382818709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6237865919006017597.post-71122129638897285792019-10-03T04:52:53.651+10:002019-10-03T04:52:53.651+10:00What sad news though a superb photo. Hope you ge...What sad news though a superb photo. Hope you get some answers and the right ones. DianeRhodesiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00159888599601532530noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6237865919006017597.post-65174134033336283372019-10-03T04:52:24.751+10:002019-10-03T04:52:24.751+10:00Good luck. It is a very, very worrying time not h...Good luck. It is a very, very worrying time not helped by our politicians.Elephant's Childhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06650565833097914052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6237865919006017597.post-34371596325474019022019-10-02T21:10:43.737+10:002019-10-02T21:10:43.737+10:00Good luck with the sessions!Good luck with the sessions!Marie Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03882722634065183364noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6237865919006017597.post-64732465652755573592019-10-02T19:55:48.864+10:002019-10-02T19:55:48.864+10:00That's crazy and illogical! In the end, politi...That's crazy and illogical! In the end, politics rule and the biggest lobby groups dominate, wherever you are in the world.Anne Wheatonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16936340776230192967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6237865919006017597.post-89070636264865599762019-10-02T19:37:40.006+10:002019-10-02T19:37:40.006+10:00The MDBP has been a disaster. It should have kille...The MDBP has been a disaster. It should have killed off cotton and rice growing in the driest continent on earth, when so many other countries can do it so much better. While I don't have a great understanding of Victoria's water allocation to farmers, I don't know anything about the NSW water allocation. I think why don't you receive an allocation? I did think I understood the Coorong Estuary and that it needs the fresh water as part of its ecosystem, but maybe I don't. Politicians mouth nice words and spread around largess to help, but they don't seem to do anything in a correct and timely manner, thinking of all the water theft that went on. Environmental water flows are important and so is water for farmers. Not so for rich corporations who grow cotton and rice. Ah, sorry for the rant.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com