Murray-Darling Basin Authority recommends cutting the water recovery target

70 BILLION litres will be taken out of the Murray Darling Basin Plan under a proposal that has been put to the Federal Government.

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SEVENTY billion litres would be taken out of the Murray Darling Basin Plan under a proposal put to the Federal Government.

The upstream states have been calling for the reduction in the water recovery target, saying it would hurt irrigators and businesses. But environmentalists say if it leads to any reduction in water flows to South Australia, it could affect birds, plants, the Coorong and the Murray Mouth.

The Murray Darling Basin Authority has recommended a 70-gigalitre cut to targets, saying that environmental outcomes can be achieved with less water.

One measure under consideration is to infect the carp in the Murray with herpes, to clear them out and allow native wildlife to flourish.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce with ‘Carpinator’ Matt Barwick, and a carp. Picture: Supplied

A review of water in the northern basin led to the proposal to reduce the amount that area returns to the river system from 390 gigalitres to 320, along with “minor practical improvements to enable ­effective and consistent imple­mentation of the Basin Plan”. The original plan aimed for 3200 gigalitres overall. It is likely 450 gigalitres will be cut from that, and there could be further reductions.

The authority says the amendments are based on four years “of extensive and comprehensive research, analysis and consultation, with hundreds of community members as well as environmental, Aboriginal and Torres Strait ­Islander, industry and community stakeholders”.

When the plan went out for consultation, water policy expert Professor Mike Young, from the University of Adelaide, said the amendments would have “very serious implications for the entire River Murray system, from top to bottom”.

Federal Assistant Water Minister Anne Ruston has 12 weeks to consider the amendments. She told The Advertiser yesterday that the reduction would have little impact on SA.

“The review suggested there are a number of actions that can be taken that would enable some of the environmental outcomes to be achieved with lower physical water quantities than had previously been estimated,” the SA senator said.

State Water Minister Ian Hunter said the authority should not make recommendations “when the Commonwealth Government refuses to call a ministerial council”.

He said all water ministers had agreed any changes should have no negative impacts on the southern basin.