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All Current and Past Media Releases
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Media Release - Department of Water and Energy Date: 1 May 2009 SOUTHERN BASIN WATER ALLOCATIONS REMAIN UNCHANGED Deputy Director General, Department of Water and Energy, David Harriss today said the water allocations in both the Murray and Murrumbidgee valleys would remain unchanged.
“The recent rain across the southern valleys has been a real boost for morale and may be the beginning of the autumn break we have all been waiting for,” he said.
Mr Harriss said that while the rain has been most welcome and has started to wet up the catchment, the situation for the 2009/10 year in the Murray and Murrumbidgee valleys remains very concerning.
“There is sufficient water available in both valleys to ensure that critical human needs can be met in 2009/10, and we are setting aside any further inflows to ensure that we can meet conveyance losses,
“Licence holders need to be aware that at this stage not all carryover will be deliverable on 1 July, but if the rainfall continues there is a high probability that it will be deliverable early in the irrigation season,
“The delivery of carryover is a priority for NSW and we will continue to work cooperatively with the other basin States to ensure that it is delivered as soon as possible,” he said.
Mr Harriss said that the Menindee Lakes contain much less water now than at this time last year being at 13 per cent of capacity compared to 33 per cent at this time last year.
“But even at this level, it will assure Broken Hill’s water supply for at least 21 months and allow delivery of high security allocations and carryover in 2009/10.”
Licence holders are reminded that applications for all trades in NSW will close on 31 May 2009. Licence holders should also be aware that they will be limited to 95 per cent of entitlement in the Murrumbidgee and 100 per cent of entitlement in the Murray. This includes carryover and allocation.
A full assessment will be carried out mid month with details available in the Murray and Murrumbidgee critical water planning communiqués, available on the 15 May from the Department’s website: www.dwe.nsw.gov.au.
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