AN infrastructure option which would deliver water from the Lower Broken Creek to the Murray River was an option the Victorian Government must seriously consider before changing the inter-valley trade rules.
Member for Mildura Ali Cupper said the option – which was canvassed by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP)– has support within the Sunraysia irrigator community.
The Changes to the Goulburn to Murray trade rule consultation paper put forward the Lower Broken Creek option as a possible water delivery method.
In part, it reads:
The Lower Broken Creek can be used by diverting water from Goulburn Weir into the East Goulburn Main Channel.
The Lower Broken Creek runs into the Murray River downstream of the Barmah Choke. Depending on usage in the Shepparton Irrigation Area and the Lower Broken Creek, about 150-300 ML/day can be delivered.
This pathway allows some water to be delivered through the Goulburn IVT account via channels without impacting environmental assets and values in the Goulburn and Campaspe rivers.
Ms Cupper, who in Victorian Parliament last week requested Water Minister Lisa Neville visit the Mildura electorate to meet industry representatives about the trade rule change proposal, believes the Lower Broken Creek option has merit.
“Water needs to be made available to our irrigators with as few restrictions and restraints as possible and the Lower Broken Creek option is certainly a way to achieve this,” she said.
Ms Cupper has urged the government to delay any decision on changing the trade rule for 12 months to ensure all options are properly canvassed before a final decision made.
“We have to ensure water can be delivered to our irrigators at times of demand and at a price they can afford, while also having consideration to the needs of the environment,” she said.
“The Lower Broken Creek option would take pressure off the Goulburn River to deliver large amounts of water during peak times of spring and summer – which is having detrimental environmental impacts.”
