Colin Grundy, with son Jack, 8, on the family's Mundoo Island property yesterday. Picture: Kelly Barnes Source: The Australian
THE Murray-Darling Basin Authority faces another confrontation with the states today, when it will release a revised blueprint for reforming the river system that slashes the volume of groundwater that can be used but makes no change to the amount of surface water to be reclaimed from farmers for the environment.
After 20 weeks of consultation following the release of the draft basin plan in November, it is understood the MDBA has not been convinced to change the total amount of water that will be diverted from agriculture to the environment from the 2750 gigalitres in the plan.
But the amount of water permitted to be extracted from underground aquifers, including by mining companies, will be reduced by almost 1200GL to 3184GL, and new salinity targets will be set for for the Coorong, the Lower Lakes and the Murray mouth in South Australia.
It is understood the authority could redirect more water to the lower reaches of the system if salinity levels were too high.
Murray mouth cattle and grain farmers Colin and Sally Grundy, who are angry their river water is too salty for irrigation, said they would be disappointed if the diversion limit were not changed from the recommendation.
The Australian
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