Paul Antonio shouldn't demand NSW to secure Toowoomba future

"Paul Antonio claims to want “grown-up discussions” concerning a proposal to dam and divert Clarence River catchment water across the border into Queensland."

"Clarence councillors found a long-term solution – and not by demanding another region supply us with water.". Picture: Nev Madsen

THE Mayor of Toowoomba, Paul Antonio, quoted in The Chronicle on September 10,   claims to want "grown-up discussions" concerning a proposal to dam and divert Clarence River catchment water across the NSW border into southern Queensland.

Yet strangely he has not notified the Clarence Valley Council of this proposal or enter into dialogue with this council which represents the majority of people and communities living within this river catchment area.

Cr. Antonio chooses to ignore both the NSW Water Management Act 2000 when touting this supposedly nation-building initiative and the fact that there is a legislated, carefully considered water sharing plan already in place - the "Water Sharing Plan for the Clarence River Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2016".

The water sharing plan was created after lengthy discussions. Stakeholders recognised that our rivers are markedly variable and there is significant competition for water (especially in dry times). So there had to be an evidence-based balance between the needs of users and the need for a sustainable environmental flow in this particular Clarence River tributary.

Because without a high quality environmental flow entering the Clarence River at the confluence of the Maryland and Clarence, the upper Clarence River would overtime become a degraded waterway.

Cr Antonio talks of building a large in-river dam and, as the proposed amount of water to be held back from entering the Clarence River under this scheme is equivalent to an est. 57% of the highly variable Maryland River's unallocated annual flow, it is hard to see how environmental flows below this proposed dam wall can be reliably maintained.

Especially given local farmers depend on existing domestic, stock and irrigation water entitlements in the Maryland-Rivertree region as they come to grips with changing rainfall patterns.

Clarence Valley Council knows what it is like to face an unsustainable call on water resources. At one point during the Millennium Drought the Orara River ran dry and at another the Nymboida Weir which supplied LGA urban drinking water could only do so for another two to four weeks if rain didn't fall.

Clarence councillors found a long-term solution - and not by demanding another region supply us with water.

Cr Antonio does not take into consideration that the Clarence River system already supplies the water needs of 128,198 residents in Clarence Valley and Coffs Harbour City local government areas and, that this river underpins two regional economies which together were worth an estimated $5.58 billion in 2018.

JUDITH M. MELVILLE, Yamba

Originally published as Paul Antonio shouldn't demand NSW to secure Toowoomba future