R[0]="1618"; T[0]="Interim Report on the Lake Mokoan"; A[0]="By ... Editor"; Dn[0]="20030319"; Dt[0]="Wednesday 19 March 2003"; Acats[0]="a40a65"; B1[0]="      The Interim Report on the Lake Mokoan Study has been completed and released to the public for comment, the Minister for Environment "; B2[0]="and Water, John Thwaites, said today... "; B3[0]=" "; B4[0]=" "; B5[0]=" "; S1[0]="      The Interim Report on the Lake Mokoan Study has been completed and released to the public for comment, the Minister for Environment "; S2[0]=" and Water, John Thwaites, said today.
      Mr Thwaites said it was widely acknowledged that Lake Mokoan, a man-made lake near Benalla, has "; S3[0]=" many problems, including high water losses from evaporation, poor water quality and high costs.
      'The lake is a potential source of water "; S4[0]=" savings of up to 42,000 ML each year, which is about the equivalent of Geelong's water supply or twenty times Benalla's water supply,' Mr Thwaites "; S5[0]=" said.
      The Government has commissioned a study of several options for Lake Mokoan, and no decision will be made on the future "; S6[0]=" of the lake until this study is complete in about June this year.
      Mr Thwaites stressed that whatever the outcome for Lake "; S7[0]=" Mokoan, there would be no reduction in the security of supply to water entitlements supplied from the Broken River system.
      The Interim "; S8[0]=" Report outlines the options for the future of Lake Mokoan, on which the public has six weeks to provide feedback.
      'A rigorous "; S9[0]=" process has been put in place to consult with the broad range of affected stakeholders, and the release of this Interim Report on the study "; S10[0]=" is a key part of the consultation process,' Mr Thwaites said.
      The development of the report has been overseen by a reference "; S11[0]=" committee and involved widespread community consultation.
      Mr Thwaites praised the committee for its efforts in engaging all stakeholders.
      A "; S12[0]=" copy of the report is available from today on the website, www.lakemokoan.com.
      Printed copies can be viewed at the Benalla Rural City "; S13[0]=" Council offices, the Benalla Library, Department of Primary Industry at Benalla and Goulburn-Murray Water offices at Tatura.
      A draft of the final "; S14[0]=" report of the study will also be available for public comment mid-year, before the Final Report and the community feedback on it are presented to "; S15[0]=" Mr Thwaites for consideration.
      'We have an opportunity through this important study, and the government funds available for water savings, to tackle "; S16[0]=" the problems of Lake Mokoan and thereby reap benefits for the local as well as the wider community,' Mr Thwaites said... "; R[1]="1617"; T[1]="Waterways suffering from fires & drought"; A[1]="By ... Editor"; Dn[1]="20030319"; Dt[1]="Wednesday 19 March 2003"; Acats[1]="a40a65"; B1[1]="      The health of Victoria s rivers and lakes is still deteriorating following protracted drought in some areas and rainfall on bushfire-ravaged country "; B2[1]="in others... "; B3[1]=" "; B4[1]=" "; B5[1]=" "; S1[1]="      The health of Victoria's rivers and lakes is still deteriorating following protracted drought in some areas and rainfall on bushfire-ravaged country in "; S2[1]=" others.
      EPA Victoria (formerly the Environment Protection Authority) has warned that will fish will die when ash flows into rivers after heavy "; S3[1]=" rain, depleting oxygen levels.
      And prolonged drought will raise the threat to drinking water from toxic blue-green algae and increased salinity "; S4[1]=" as dam levels plummet.
      'In some areas flows in unregulated streams and lakes continue to reach record lows, whilst in others, "; S5[1]=" rainfall on bushfire-affected areas is causing the contamination of water with silt and ash,' EPA's director of environmental science Dennis Monahan said.
      "; S6[1]=" Recent heavy rain on burnt bushland in the Buckland Valley in Victoria's north-east, has sent a slug of water contaminated with ash and silt "; S7[1]=" into the Buckland and Ovens rivers, killing fish and aquatic life.
      Co-operative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology CEO Gary Jones said "; S8[1]=" bushfires razed vegetation growing on the banks of rivers and streams which normally filtered sediment.
      'All the ash and mud and "; S9[1]=" filth washes into the streams (after rain) and the deposits smother fish, shrimp and bugs,' Professor Jones said.
      'It's a bit "; S10[1]=" like the Pompeii of the bug and fish world when that happens,' he said referring to the ancient Roman empire city that was buried when "; S11[1]=" the volcano Mt Vesuvius erupted.
      Mr Monahan said little could be done to prevent the environmental devastation.
      "; S12[1]=" 'It is an unfortunate fact that things will probably get worse before they get better.' He said last November's Murray cod kill in Victoria's "; S13[1]=" Broken Creek system - one of the worst in decades - was an example of what could happen when drought affected waterways.
      "; S14[1]=" 'Whilst the outlook remains a little bleak, I urge the public to continue to report fish kills and other pollution events to the EPA "; S15[1]=" to ensure that we can effectively monitor and address these issues as they arise,' Mr Monahan said... "; R[2]="1601"; T[2]="World s Farmers face battles over Water"; A[2]="By ... Editor"; Dn[2]="20030314"; Dt[2]="Friday 14 March 2003"; Acats[2]="a40"; B1[2]="      A new study by the U.N.
      Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says farmers in developing countries will face increasing "; B2[2]="competition for scare freshwater resources from industry and domestic users, and will need to produce more crops per liter of water and conserve precious water "; B3[2]="resources... "; B4[2]=" "; B5[2]=" "; S1[2]="      A new study by the U.N.
      Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says farmers in developing countries will face increasing "; S2[2]=" competition for scare freshwater resources from industry and domestic users, and will need to produce more crops per liter of water and conserve precious water "; S3[2]=" resources.
      According to a March 12 press release, the FAO report -- published on the eve of the World Water Forum to "; S4[2]=" be held March 16-23 in Kyoto, Japan -- says one in five developing countries will face water shortages by 2030, and agriculture is by far "; S5[2]=" the biggest water user, accounting for about 70 percent of all water withdrawals.
      'If we want to avoid a future food crisis, "; S6[2]=" we need more investments to achieve productivity gains in agriculture in developing countries using existing and new technologies,' the report says.
      "; S7[2]=" It adds that if agriculture can increase water productivity, the pressure on precious water resources can be reduced and water can be released to other "; S8[2]=" sectors.
      The report says irrigation technology needs to be upgraded and irrigation institutions need to become more service oriented.
      "; S9[2]=" In addition, it says water-saving technologies should be promoted.
      Drip irrigation, for example, which puts water exactly where it is "; S10[2]=" needed, is more efficient than flooding fields and using sprinklers.
      The report expresses the hope that the World Water Forum will move "; S11[2]=" the discussion on agriculture and water management up on the political and development agenda.
      The forum will include representatives from more "; S12[2]=" than 100 countries who will discuss actions being taken to solve key global water problems.
      Following is an extract from the press "; S13[2]=" release: No global water crisis but many developing countries will face water scarcity.
      - # Agriculture has to produce more food "; S14[2]=" per litre of water # Irrigation sector needs to be modernized # More investment needed Rome # Agriculture in developing countries will "; S15[2]=" need to produce more crop per litre of water, promote equitable access to water and conserve precious water resources.
      At the same "; S16[2]=" time, farmers in developing countries will face increasing competition for scarce freshwater resources from industry and domestic users, FAO said in a new study (Unlocking "; S17[2]=" the Water Potential of Agriculture) published on the eve of the World Water Forum in Kyoto (16-23 March 2003).
      'While there is "; S18[2]=" no global water crisis, the serious water and food security problems in some developing countries and regions need to be urgently addressed,' FAO said.
  "; S19[2]="     'If we want to avoid a future food crisis, we need more investments to achieve productivity gains in agriculture in developing countries using "; S20[2]=" existing and new technologies.
      Political will is needed to create the enabling environment for increasing water productivity.
      ' "; S21[2]=" One in five developing countries will face water shortages by 2030.
      The Near East, North Africa and parts of Asia are "; S22[2]=" subject to water scarcity and stress.
      Agriculture is by far the biggest water user, accounting for some 70 percent of all water "; S23[2]=" withdrawals (industry: 20%, domestic: 10%).
      While the daily drinking water needs of humans are very small -- four litres per person "; S24[2]=" -- the water required to produce a person's daily food is much higher: it varies between 2000 and 5000 litres.
      'Unfortunately, the "; S25[2]=" international debate on water problems tends to overlook the important role of agriculture, the biggest water user,' said Kenji Yoshinaga, Director of the FAO Land "; S26[2]=" and Water Development Division.
      Improving water efficiency 'If a farmer in an arid developing country improves water efficiency on average by 1%, "; S27[2]=" he or she will gain around 200,000 litres of freshwater per hectare and year.
      This amount of water would be sufficient "; S28[2]=" to provide drinking water for more than 150 people,' Yoshinaga said.
      'If agriculture manages to increase water productivity, the pressure on precious "; S29[2]=" water resources can be reduced and water can be released to other sectors.
      It is our hope that the World Water "; S30[2]=" Forum in Kyoto will move the discussion on agriculture and water management up on the political and development agenda.
      ' Growing needs "; R[3]="1573"; T[3]="Meander Dam - The Next Steps"; A[3]="By ... Editor"; Dn[3]="20030310"; Dt[3]="Monday 10 March 2003"; Acats[3]="a02a40a69"; B1[3]="      The Minister for Primary Industries Water and Environment, Bryan Green, said today that good progress is being made on the Tasmanian Government "; B2[3]="s commitment to see the Meander Dam project proceed... "; B3[3]=" "; B4[3]=" "; B5[3]=" "; S1[3]="      The Minister for Primary Industries Water and Environment, Bryan Green, said today that good progress is being made on the Tasmanian Government's "; S2[3]=" commitment to see the Meander Dam project proceed.
      Mr Green said the Government's focus was on preparing the comprehensive information package required "; S3[3]=" by the Commonwealth under provisions of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
      'The Commonwealth effectively has the final say on whether "; S4[3]=" the dam proceeds and we are working to ensure that we provide all the information required to meet the Commonwealth's needs.
      'The "; S5[3]=" State will also be providing the Commonwealth with a comprehensive response to all the issues raised by the Resource Management and Planning Appeal Tribunal.' Mr "; S6[3]=" Green said as well as the in-depth discussions with Canberra, the State Government is finalising enabling legislation to create the pathway for the $30 million "; S7[3]=" project to proceed.
      'The detailed discussions between the State and the Commonwealth will influence the final form of the enabling legislation.
  "; S8[3]="     'Once those issues have been worked through the legislation will be introduced to Parliament,' Mr Green said.
      'The people of "; S9[3]=" Tasmania and particularly those who live and work in the Meander Valley have been waiting some decades for the dam.
      'That's why "; S10[3]=" I have consulted with all key stakeholders to make them aware of the timetable.
      'The Tasmanian Government is committed to seeing this "; S11[3]=" project go ahead and will be ensuring that the Commonwealth decision is made on a comprehensive package of information.'.. "; R[4]="1558"; T[4]="Water crisis deepens"; A[4]="By ... Editor"; Dn[4]="20030307"; Dt[4]="Friday 7 March 2003"; Acats[4]="a40"; B1[4]="      Australians take water for granted and should be forced to consider paying more for it and the goods it produces, experts warned "; B2[4]="yesterday after the release of the most comprehensive report ever produced on the global water crisis... "; B3[4]=" "; B4[4]=" "; B5[4]=" "; S1[4]="      Australians take water for granted and should be forced to consider paying more for it and the goods it produces, experts warned "; S2[4]=" yesterday after the release of the most comprehensive report ever produced on the global water crisis.
      When the well's dry, we know "; S3[4]=" the worth of water.
      - Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), Poor Richard's Almanac, 1746 The 600-page United Nations' report, released yesterday in Japan, paints "; S4[4]=" a bleak picture saying already depleted water stocks are rapidly disappearing - threatening health, the environment and political stability.
      It predicts that "; S5[4]=" as many as 7 billion people in 60 countries could face water shortages by 2050.
      It also says the average supply of "; S6[4]=" water per person worldwide will have dropped by a third within the next 20 years.
      'Of all the social and natural crises "; S7[4]=" we humans face, the water crisis is the one that lies at the heart of our survival and that of our planet,' the director-general of "; S8[4]=" the UN's Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, Koichiro Matsuura, said.
      The Wentworth Group of scientists and economists has told the Federal Government "; S9[4]=" it needs to take control of Australia's water system - and has suggested a water levy on food production, which would raise grocery prices.
  "; S10[4]="     A Wentworth Group member, Dr Peter Cullen, said significant water savings could be made by making wasteful irrigation systems more efficient.
    "; S11[4]="   'We still use water very inefficiently [in agriculture] ...
      we could be using half as much water as we do,' Dr "; S12[4]=" Cullen said.
      Rick Farley, a former head of the National Farmers Federation, has said it takes 7500 litres of water to produce "; S13[4]=" $1 worth of rice in the husk and 1600 litres to produce $1 worth of seed cotton.
      The UN report - "; S14[4]=" which took 23 UN agencies more than two years to complete - laid the blame on governments, saying they lacked the will to put water "; S15[4]=" savings measures into place, attacking their 'inertia'.
      But Professor Gary Jones, the head of the Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology in Canberra, "; S16[4]=" said it was 'not constructive' to expect governments to force change.
      'The solution lies as much in the hands of citizens and "; S17[4]=" irrigators and big business,' Professor Jones said.
      'Groups like the irrigators have the power to break the current deadlock on water reform "; S18[4]=" by taking action themselves and making a gesture such as returning water [to the river system].' Professor Jones said people had still not grasped the "; S19[4]=" message that water was a precious resource in a country where bushfires and droughts meant restrictions were often imposed.
      'When the drought "; S20[4]=" breaks, people forget about it,' he said.
      Australia ranks 20th on the UN report's list of international water quality and 40th on "; S21[4]=" the amount of water available per person.
      The report said countries needed better nationally focused institutions to manage water use.
    "; S22[4]="   Diverting public water for the use of private companies or individuals needed to stop and the effect of water use on whole freshwater systems "; S23[4]=" considered.
      The report comes ahead of a major international conference in Japan later this month on the management of fresh water.
  "; S24[4]="     A spokeswoman for the federal Minister for the Environment, David Kemp, said Australia was sending a delegation to showcase Australia's 'world leadership on "; S25[4]=" water-management issues'.
      The Opposition's environment spokesman, Kelvin Thomson, called on the Government to draw up a national water plan, saying it was "; S26[4]=" a fundamental resource issue... "; R[5]="1517"; T[5]="Dredging operation baffles tour bosses"; A[5]="By ... Editor"; Dn[5]="20030227"; Dt[5]="Thursday 27 February 2003"; Acats[5]="a40a42a91"; B1[5]="      Coorong tourism operators say the $2 million dredging of the Murray Mouth is pointless.... "; B2[5]=" "; B3[5]=" "; B4[5]=" "; B5[5]=" "; S1[5]="      Coorong tourism operators say the $2 million dredging of the Murray Mouth is pointless.
      Jack Miller, who runs Coorong "; S2[5]=" Explorer Cruises, says the dredge cutting a channel into the Coorong is going the wrong way.
      Jock Veenstra, who operates Spirit of "; S3[5]=" the Coorong and Goolwa Cruises, believes the answer to the Mouth's woes is not to try to move the choking sands at all.
    "; S4[5]="   Mr Miller said he was at a loss as to why the dredging strategy, which ignored a natural channel that ran deeply to within "; S5[5]=" 150m of the Mouth.
      'I can't help but feel it would have been the quickest thing (to link the natural channel to "; S6[5]=" the Mouth) that could have been done two months ago,' Mr Miller said.
      'If they could have opened that up straight away "; S7[5]=" and got some water in there, it would have freshened the Coorong up straight away,' he said.
      The two operators said they "; S8[5]=" had not been consulted about the dredging, despite Mr Veenstra operating in the area for 38 years.
      'They have tackled it scientifically "; S9[5]=" and have put a lot of resources into the plan,' Mr Veenstra said.
      'But, at the end of the day, it's not "; S10[5]=" working.
      They are trying to mess around with nature and it doesn't matter where they put the channels, it won't work.' Mr "; S11[5]=" Veenstra said the Government was obligated to try something but the channel on the Goolwa side had already silted up.
      'What they "; S12[5]=" should be doing is going down to Salt Creek, put a high volume pump in there and pump sea water over the sand hills and "; S13[5]=" into the Coorong,' he said.
      'That would freshen up the Coorong and create some flow out of the mouth.' Dredging project manager "; S14[5]=" Brenton Erdmann said there had been silting of the Goolwa channel but the dredging had always been viewed as a temporary measure.
      "; S15[5]=" He said the aim had been to keep the Mouth open and protect the ecology of the Coorong and it was anticipated that, when completed "; S16[5]=" at the end of this year, it would: LOWER the elevated levels in the Coorong.
      CREATE a tidal signature, which is currently "; S17[5]=" non-existent, in the Coorong.
      HAVE a channel that was sustainable.
      'In the longer term, we need to look at "; S18[5]=" all options in terms of the Mouth,' Mr Erdmann said.
      'Pumping water into the Coorong in theory is okay, but the practicality "; S19[5]=" of it has to be considered.
      'You would need to pump the equivalent of 2000 Olympic-sized pools in a day.
    "; S20[5]="   The size of the pumps to do that is staggering.' He said the silting of the channels was not unexpected: 'It would be nice "; S21[5]=" to think that we could dig a channel that would stay open, but we're dealing with a natural environment, not a man-made thing.' 'The whole "; S22[5]=" (project) is about adaptive management,' he said.
      'We're breaking new ground in everything we do with this project.
      But "; S23[5]=" there's nothing happening that wasn't in one of the scenarios we looked at.'.. "; R[6]="1422"; T[6]="Soft option on WA s water saving plans"; A[6]="By ... Editor"; Dn[6]="20030212"; Dt[6]="Wednesday 12 February 2003"; Acats[6]="a40a67"; B1[6]="      Fears of a public backlash prompted the State Government to reject the Water Corporation s most effective water-saving strategies in favour of "; B2[6]="an option which would conserve the least... "; B3[6]=" "; B4[6]=" "; B5[6]=" "; S1[6]="      Fears of a public backlash prompted the State Government to reject the Water Corporation's most effective water-saving strategies in favour of an "; S2[6]=" option which would conserve the least.
      The Government's master plan, announced this week, limits potential water savings to a fraction of what "; S3[6]=" could have been achieved under two options rejected by Cabinet.
      Only 1.1 gigalitres to 3 gigalitres of water a year will be "; S4[6]=" conserved under the plan approved by the Government, compared to up to 17 gigalitres - about 28,000 Olympic swimming pools - which would have been "; S5[6]=" saved under more radical options which spread price increases across the board.
      The West Australian understands that the Government adopted the softest "; S6[6]=" of three options favoured by the corporation.
      The chosen plan did not satisfy the Government's brief but was given the go-ahead because "; S7[6]=" of the effect of the alternatives on pensioners, tenants and big families.
      The boldest plan would have virtually doubled the cost of "; S8[6]=" the first 150kl used by households from 40.3¢ a kilolitre to 80¢ a kilolitre but reduced fixed charges by $52 to $66.
      "; S9[6]=" Anyone using more than 131kl - less than the average used by a two-person household - would have ended up with bigger bills.
    "; S10[6]="   According to corporation calculations, between 8.9 gigalitres and 17 gigalitres would have been saved each year as a result.
      The corporation's "; S11[6]=" brief from the Government late last year was to come up with a plan which encouraged water conservation, did not penalise users for the first "; S12[6]=" 150kl, reduced fixed charges and increased the variable component of the water pricing structures.
      Only one of the corporation's three strategies satisfied "; S13[6]=" all the criteria, an option which would have hit anyone who used more than 211kl a year and seen price increases for 68 per cent "; S14[6]=" of water use.
      It would have also saved between seven gigalitres and 7.6 gigalitres a year.
      Premier Geoff Gallop's "; S15[6]=" master plan is built around the corporation's softest option.
      The plan restricts price increases to the top 16 per cent of household "; S16[6]=" water users.
      About 65,000 home owners will see their bills increase between $30 and $80 a year while the 10,000 biggest users "; S17[6]=" will pay even more.
      Critics have said the plan would have little impact on the water crisis and ignored the biggest water "; S18[6]=" users - agriculture and industry.
      The Water Corporation refused yesterday to release a list of the biggest water users and the price "; S19[6]=" they pay, citing commercial confidentiality... "; R[7]="1421"; T[7]="$5m to test Pratt s water plan"; A[7]="By ... Editor"; Dn[7]="20030212"; Dt[7]="Wednesday 12 February 2003"; Acats[7]="a40a91"; B1[7]="      Billionaire businessman Richard Pratt s proposal to cover irrigation channels as a water-saving measure has received $5million in federal and state funding.... "; B2[7]=" "; B3[7]=" "; B4[7]=" "; B5[7]=" "; S1[7]="      Billionaire businessman Richard Pratt's proposal to cover irrigation channels as a water-saving measure has received $5million in federal and state funding.
  "; S2[7]="     The feasibility study, which began last month, will take place in the Murrumbidgee Valley over the next 12 to 18 months and will "; S3[7]=" be run by Pratt Water, a division of Mr Pratt's Visy Industries.
      The scheme aims to save up to 50 per cent "; S4[7]=" of water by replacing 7000 kilometres of irrigation canals and earth drains in the area with pipes to reduce evaporation, seepage and contamination.
    "; S5[7]="   Saving the lost water could reduce environmental degradation by helping to restore river flows, as well as rejuvenate regional communities, a report on the "; S6[7]=" feasibility study says.
      Peter Cullen, the winner of the Prime Minister's environmental prize in 2001, and a member of the Wentworth Group "; S7[7]=" of scientists, said the study was an important part of reassessing water use in Australia.
      'A key part of going forward is "; S8[7]=" improving efficiency in delivering water to farmers,' Professor Cullen said.
      'If farmers could become 50 per cent more [water] efficient that would "; S9[7]=" sort out many of our environmental problems.' He warned that schemes to better deliver water were not a 'panacea for everything'.
      'We "; S10[7]=" are very inefficient with the way we slop water on paddocks and on roads,' he said.
      Some environmentalists have doubts about the "; S11[7]=" plan and believe that the water should be used for river flows rather than on water-intensive irrigation.
      Tim Fisher, of the Australian "; S12[7]=" Conservation Foundation, said it was a 'useful research project but we shouldn't jump to conclusions about water savings'... "; R[8]="1408"; T[8]="Border Rivers irrigators leaders in water use efficiency"; A[8]="By ... Editor"; Dn[8]="20030210"; Dt[8]="Monday 10 February 2003"; Acats[8]="a40a42a91"; B1[8]="      A Department of Primary Industries irrigated lucerne specialist believes Border Rivers lucerne growers are leading the push towards more efficient use of "; B2[8]="irrigation water... "; B3[8]=" "; B4[8]=" "; B5[8]=" "; S1[8]="      A Department of Primary Industries irrigated lucerne specialist believes Border Rivers lucerne growers are leading the push towards more efficient use of "; S2[8]=" irrigation water.
      DPI extension officer Ken Bullen, Gatton Research Station, said lucerne growers in the Border Rivers region were enthusiastically participating in "; S3[8]=" activities held as part of the State Government's Water For Profit project.
      'We've had excellent interest and support for recent irrigation efficiency "; S4[8]=" workshops from the members of the region's new lucerne hay marketing cooperative, Three-Rivers Lucerne in Inglewood,' he said.
      'Workshops covering centre-pivot irrigators "; S5[8]=" and do-it-yourself irrigation system testing in Texas and Inglewood have been well attended,' he added.
      According to prominent lucerne irrigators Rick and "; S6[8]=" Nonnie McDougall, Merrilands, Inglewood, water use efficiency is the key to the whole 'Water for Profit' project.
      'We congratulate the Queensland Government "; S7[8]=" for funding such a worthwhile project as the Rural Water Use Efficiency -Water for Profit project.
      'In these days of drought, over-allocation "; S8[8]=" of water resources and the escalating cost of irrigation water, the efficient use of scarce water resources is one of the most crucial issues facing "; S9[8]=" any irrigation business,' Mr McDougall said.
      He said by participating in water use efficiency study tours, field days, workshops and viewing demonstration "; S10[8]=" sites local producers would continue to make valuable gains in the management of water in the region.
      Mr Bullen said a system "; S11[8]=" checking kit for the use of lucerne growers in the Border Rivers district would lead to further water use efficiency gains.
      The "; S12[8]=" kit, with instructions for its use, was available through the Three Rivers Lucerne office in Inglewood and could be borrowed by contacting Gary or Doug "; S13[8]=" McDougall, Ph.
      07 46 521008.
      Mr Bullen said non-members of the co-operative who wanted irrigation systems checked for efficiency "; S14[8]=" could arrange this by contacting him at Gatton DPI, Ph.
      54 662 222, or Scott Wallace, DPI Toowoomba, 46 881 371... "; R[9]="1394"; T[9]="Farmers rejoice at Meander dam victory"; A[9]="By ... Editor"; Dn[9]="20030206"; Dt[9]="Thursday 6 February 2003"; Acats[9]="a40a69"; B1[9]="      Farmers and residents of the Meander Valley gathered yesterday to celebrate the continuation of the $30 million Meander dam project.... "; B2[9]=" "; B3[9]=" "; B4[9]=" "; B5[9]=" "; S1[9]="      Farmers and residents of the Meander Valley gathered yesterday to celebrate the continuation of the $30 million Meander dam project.
    "; S2[9]="   Well over 200 people massed on the banks of the Meander River at Deloraine to welcome Primary Industries, Water and Environment Minister Bryan Green.
"; S3[9]="       The crowd clapped and cheered enthusiastically as he outlined the State Government's decision to introduce enabling legislation when Parliament resumes next month, "; S4[9]=" overriding the independent Resource Management and Planning Appeal Tribunal's decision to stop the 43,000-megalitre dam on environmental and economic grounds.
      'People say "; S5[9]=" we ignored the umpire's decision, but there is always a third umpire these days and the third umpire is the State Parliament,' Mr Green told "; S6[9]=" the crowd.
      The announcement was attacked by the proposal's opponents, the Greens and the Tasmanian Conservation Trust, which labelled it an appalling "; S7[9]=" decision made by a dictatorial Government.
      Greens leader Peg Putt said: 'Labor's been trying to out-redneck the Liberals for some years now, "; S8[9]=" and this is just a further plank in that process.
      'It may earn them some quick populism but as it starts to "; S9[9]=" tear down our clean green image in agriculture, I think many people are going to regret the day.' Ms Putt said the Government was ditching "; S10[9]=" a system widely recognised for its independence and impartiality, but conceded there was nothing the Greens could do legally to stop it.
      "; S11[9]=" 'If a government has no respect for the legal processes of the state and feels that they have the numbers to simply override them whenever "; S12[9]=" they don't like what happens, then until people such as the house of review actually wake up and rein them in, there is nothing to "; S13[9]=" stop them,' she said.
      The Planning Institute of Australia lined up with the Greens.
      'The Government's willingness to ride "; S14[9]=" roughshod over due process when it doesn't get the decision it likes sends a very poor message to developers and the general community,' the institute's "; S15[9]=" Tasmanian president Brian Risby said.
      'It seems we have gone back to the days of one rule for the powerful and one "; S16[9]=" for everyone else.' Mr Green said the Government remained fully transparent on the project despite the tribunal being unable to comment after a decision has "; S17[9]=" been handed down, and the Solicitor-General's legal advice on the tribunal's decision not being available to the public.
      'This is legal advice "; S18[9]=" to the State Government to enable us to make a decision and there are a range of options in there that are privy to Cabinet, "; S19[9]=" it is as simple as that,' Mr Green said.
      He said the State Government would now be working closely with the Federal "; S20[9]=" Government to ensure the proposal continued.
      Tasmanian Liberal senator Guy Barnett said the Liberal Senate team wanted to know precisely what legislation "; S21[9]=" was being planned to override the tribunal and what precedents this would set... "; R[10]="1374"; T[10]="New Guidelines for Water-carting in Victoria"; A[10]="By ... Editor"; Dn[10]="20030130"; Dt[10]="Thursday 30 January 2003"; Acats[10]="a40a65"; B1[10]="      Water-carting businesses are being advised to clean their tanks at least every three months and ensure that drinking water is not transported "; B2[10]="in tankers which have previously contained reclaimed water, under new guidelines released by the Health Minister, Bronwyn Pike... "; B3[10]=" "; B4[10]=" "; B5[10]=" "; S1[10]="      Water-carting businesses are being advised to clean their tanks at least every three months and ensure that drinking water is not transported "; S2[10]=" in tankers which have previously contained reclaimed water, under new guidelines released by the Health Minister, Bronwyn Pike.
      Ms Pike said as "; S3[10]=" drought conditions across the State had led to an increase in the amount of water being transported it was important to ensure deliveries of drinking "; S4[10]=" water are both safe and suitable for consumption.
      'The big dry affecting much of Australia has seen a boom in water transport, "; S5[10]=" along with customer concern about whether their delivery is drinkable,' Ms Pike said.
      'These guidelines will help water carters meet their legal "; S6[10]=" obligations, reassure customers and assist local council environmental health regulators.
      Victorians are entitled to reassurance that the water they purchase is safe "; S7[10]=" for drinking.' Chief Health Officer Dr Robert Hall has endorsed the Guidelines for Potable (Drinking) Water Transport in Victoria, available at the Food Safety Victoria "; S8[10]=" hotline on 1300 364 352.
      Under the guidelines: · Water transport vehicles must be cleaned out at least every three months; "; S9[10]=" · Water transport vehicles must not be used for carting reclaimed water, toxic or hazardous chemicals, non-food liquids, and human or animal wastes; · All "; S10[10]=" fittings must be cleaned monthly in a solution containing at least 5 mg per litre of chlorine; · All pipes and equipment must be secured "; S11[10]=" and stored in such a way as to prevent contamination during transit and delivery; and · Adequate records must be kept, detailing transport dates and "; S12[10]=" times, location of water source, delivery address and amount of water delivered.
      Dr Hall said people dissatisfied with their water carter's response "; S13[10]=" should contact their local council.
      Which will have received a copy of the guidelines.
      Ms Pike said sellers and "; S14[10]=" transporters of drinking water have a legal obligation and a duty of care to ensure that it is protected from contamination during loading, transportation and "; S15[10]=" delivery.
      'Council environmental health officers have the right to inspect these cartage vehicles at any time, take a water sample and demand "; S16[10]=" evidence that the water is both safe and suitable,' Ms Pike said... "; R[11]="1370"; T[11]="25 per cent of waterways choked with sand"; A[11]="By ... Editor"; Dn[11]="20030130"; Dt[11]="Thursday 30 January 2003"; Acats[11]="a40a42a91"; B1[11]="      As if the nation s rivers weren t already plagued with problems, CSIRO has discovered more bad news: a quarter of rivers "; B2[11]="in southern Australia, including Victoria, are choked with sand... "; B3[11]=" "; B4[11]=" "; B5[11]=" "; S1[11]="      As if the nation's rivers weren't already plagued with problems, CSIRO has discovered more bad news: a quarter of rivers in southern "; S2[11]=" Australia, including Victoria, are choked with sand.
      About 30,000 kilometres of rivers, or six times the distance from Sydney to Perth, are "; S3[11]=" sand-affected - a problem so large it has surprised scientists from the CSIRO Land and Water division.
      The sand, which is mainly "; S4[11]=" erosion from degraded river banks and gullies, flattens the riverbed, destroying deep pools and rocky bars - the homes of native fish and river bugs.
"; S5[11]="       European carp are not bothered by the changes, but native fish are more susceptible to predators, have less food, cannot migrate "; S6[11]=" to breeding grounds and cannot tolerate the warmer, shallower water.
      In drought, this often means fish deaths.
      'There "; S7[11]=" is really nowhere for the fish to go,' said the CSIRO's Ian Prosser.
      Sand-choked rivers can destroy recreational fishing, promote flooding, threaten "; S8[11]=" bridges and make irrigation and pumping more difficult.
      Many of Victoria's main river systems are sand-affected.
      In the west, "; S9[11]=" the Glenelg River carries six million cubic metres of sand, at times eight metres deep.
      River experts have recommended it be dug "; S10[11]=" out of the river and sold for building material.
      Other affected rivers include the Loddon, Campaspe, Latrobe, Tambo, Cann, Avon and "; S11[11]=" Yarra.
      Scientists who study this erosion refer to 'sand slugs': masses of slow-moving sand that make their way down a river system.
"; S12[11]="       Associate professor Ian Rutherfurd, a river specialist from the University of Melbourne, said Victoria's sand slugs came from erosion gullies, granite in "; S13[11]=" catchments and gold mining in the 1800s.
      'From the gold mining 150 years ago, we have this slow-moving wave of sand coming "; S14[11]=" down the rivers,' he said.
      'Sometimes it takes centuries to move through, but over time the rivers heal and recover.' A sand "; S15[11]=" slug that has travelled down the Tambo River was almost at the Gippsland Lakes and would threaten the breeding habitat of bass fish, Professor Rutherfurd "; S16[11]=" said.
      Erosion caused by heavy rain after large fires also promoted sand slugs.
      The Yarra still had sand "; S17[11]=" slugs from the 1939 fires and rain after the current fires could see erosion across Victoria.
      But there is good news.
"; S18[11]="       The CSIRO research has mapped not only where the sand is in the river systems, but where it comes from.
    "; S19[11]="   Dr Prosser said this would allow for more site-specific work on stabilising degraded areas.
      Solutions to sand-clogged rivers include planting trees "; S20[11]=" on river banks, stabilising the sand with timber structures (as is done in the Snowy River), fencing off banks and removing livestock, removing the sand "; S21[11]=" for commercial sale or simply leaving it for 50 years or more until the river tracks another course.
      Associate Professor Rutherfurd, from "; S22[11]=" the school of anthropology, geography and environment studies, said water authorities were assessing the economics of extracting sand from rivers... "; R[12]="1362"; T[12]="Blue-green algae outbreak hits Murray River"; A[12]="By ... Editor"; Dn[12]="20030129"; Dt[12]="Wednesday 29 January 2003"; Acats[12]="a40a42a91"; B1[12]="      Induced by low flows, Murray River had been hit with unprecedented levels of toxic blue-green algae as the drought continued to ravage "; B2[12]="the nation s main river system, experts said... "; B3[12]=" "; B4[12]=" "; B5[12]=" "; S1[12]="      Induced by low flows, Murray River had been hit with unprecedented levels of toxic blue-green algae as the drought continued to ravage "; S2[12]=" the nation's main river system, experts said.
      Without major inputs from water storages and dams along the system, the Murray would have "; S3[12]=" stopped flowing by now half way between its source and the sea at Swan Hill, they said.
      Already parts of the "; S4[12]=" Murray's biggest tributary the Darling River had stopped flowing, with blue-green algae back to high levels in many parts of that river.
      "; S5[12]=" Alerts for blue-green algae have been common for the Murray River closer to its mouth in South Australia.
      But now "; S6[12]=" for the first time they have been issued for vast sections at Tocumwal, the nearby Edward and Wakool tributary rivers, The Hume Dam, and as "; S7[12]=" far upstream as Albury-Wodonga and Lake Mulwala.
      Chairman of the Murray Regional Algal Coordinating Committee, Alastair Buchan, said the combination of "; S8[12]=" the drought, high temperatures and low dam levels had contributed to unusually high levels of the algae.
      'It's the first time "; S9[12]=" that we've had to issue blue-green alerts this far up the river,' he told AAP.
      'This is the second time in "; S10[12]=" a decade that we've had a high alert in Hume Dam, but the last time we had much higher levels of water in it.' "; S11[12]=" High alert levels of blue-green algae make the water unusable for stock and unsafe for drinking and swimming.
      Towns which take "; S12[12]=" their drinking water from the Murray, such as Albury-Wodonga, Corowa and Yarrawonga, are able to treat it for use.
      Mr Buchan "; S13[12]=" said blue-green algae scum was unlikely to form on the surface of the river, but the algae was abundant in the water.
      "; S14[12]=" Blue-green algae had also been detected at alert levels in the Macquarie and Namoi rivers, and in the Copeton Dam at Inverell, the Keepit "; S15[12]=" Dam at Gunnedah and the Split Rock Dam at Manilla, all in NSW.
      Hume Dam, the second largest dam on the "; S16[12]=" Murray, is at just five per cent of capacity.
      Other major storages for the Murray-Darling system are also at record lows, "; S17[12]=" with NSW dams Burrinjuck at 16 per cent of capacity and Blowering at four per cent, while Victoria's Eildon dam is at 15 per cent.
"; S18[12]="       The Murray-Darling Basin Commission said without storages such as Hume and Burrinjuck, the Murray River would already have stopped flowing.
  "; S19[12]="     Meanwhile, another rural town has run out of water because of the drought.
      Residents of the western Queensland "; S20[12]=" town of Stonehenge now have to rely on a road train that will deliver 60,000 litres of water daily... "; R[13]="1354"; T[13]="Centenary celebrations for Kalgoorlie Pipeline"; A[13]="By ... Editor"; Dn[13]="20030123"; Dt[13]="Thursday 23 January 2003"; Acats[13]="a40a48a67"; B1[13]="      Known colloquially as the Kalgoorlie Pipeline, the engineering marvel which has brought water to the parched Goldfields and farming country came under "; B2[13]="the spotlight yesterday during centenary celebrations of its opening... "; B3[13]=" "; B4[13]=" "; B5[13]=" "; S1[13]="      Known colloquially as the Kalgoorlie Pipeline, the engineering marvel which has brought water to the parched Goldfields and farming country came under "; S2[13]=" the spotlight yesterday during centenary celebrations of its opening.
      Descendants of former premier Sir John Forrest and the pipeline's chief engineer, Charles "; S3[13]=" Yelverton O'Connor, joined young and old at Mundaring Weir to commemorate the opening of the pipeline 100 years ago.
      Bryan Negus, a "; S4[13]=" great-great-grand-nephew of Forrest, said such a huge public works program would never get off the ground today.
      'If Geoff Gallop was to "; S5[13]=" say 'I want to start a project and I am going to mortgage the whole State budget two times over to do this', he would "; S6[13]=" be laughed at,' he said.
      When Forrest decided to build the pipeline in the 1890s, more than 40 per cent of the "; S7[13]=" State's population was living in the Goldfields under appalling conditions because of the scarcity of water.
      Yesterday's event was a highlight in "; S8[13]=" the National Trust's $20 million Golden Pipeline project, which celebrates the heritage values of the water supply scheme.
      A bottle of water "; S9[13]=" from Mundaring Weir was presented to the Veteran Car Club yesterday.
      The club will travel to Kalgoorlie to present the water for "; S10[13]=" more centenary celebrations tomorrow.
      Acting Premier Eric Ripper will take part in centenary celebrations in Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie tomorrow... "; R[14]="1325"; T[14]="Snowy River Rainforest to be Restored"; A[14]="By ... Editor"; Dn[14]="20030116"; Dt[14]="Thursday 16 January 2003"; Acats[14]="a39a40a42"; B1[14]="      The Bracks Government would commit $760,000 over four years to restore rainforest and rebuild the ecosystem along the lower Snowy River, the "; B2[14]="Acting Premier, John Thwaites, announced today... "; B3[14]=" "; B4[14]=" "; B5[14]=" "; S1[14]="      The Bracks Government would commit $760,000 over four years to restore rainforest and rebuild the ecosystem along the lower Snowy River, the "; S2[14]=" Acting Premier, John Thwaites, announced today.
      'Reconstructing warm temperate rainforest is an important part of our overall vision to restore the health "; S3[14]=" and ecology of the Snowy River,' Mr Thwaites said.
      'The Bracks Government will provide $760,000 over four years to establish 38 hectares "; S4[14]=" of self-sustaining rainforest, riparian shrub and semi-aquatic vegetation between Jarramond and Bream Point.' Mr Thwaites said the Rainforest and Riparian Vegetation Restoration Program would be "; S5[14]=" undertaken in partnership with the East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (CMA), using local expertise and knowledge.
      Prior to European settlement, the riparian "; S6[14]=" zone along the lower Snowy River was vegetated with warm temperate rainforest, rich in biodiversity and a unique part of the Australian landscape.
    "; S7[14]="   This habitat is now severely degraded, with few rainforest remnants remaining and several vegetation species listed as rare or threatened.
      'The "; S8[14]=" aim is to establish 26 sites that will be resistant to weed invasion and capable of self-restoration,' Mr Thwaites said.
      'This program "; S9[14]=" will reduce the risk of the river changing course, keep flood debris away from farms, improve water quality by trapping nutrients and increasing oxygen levels, "; S10[14]=" and boost recreational fish stocks.' Mr Thwaites said the local economy would also benefit, with nurseries being employed to grow 200,000 rainforest trees, shrubs, vines "; S11[14]=" and ferns.
      'This project will help build up invaluable knowledge on how best to restore a self-sustaining rainforest ecosystem.' Funds for the "; S12[14]=" project come from the Bracks Government's commitment of $40 million for studies and environmental works along the Snowy River.
      This is in "; S13[14]=" addition to $150 million allocated by the Government to restore Snowy environmental flows... "; R[15]="1308"; T[15]="Drought drives home the message on water scarcity and quality"; A[15]="By ... Editor"; Dn[15]="20030113"; Dt[15]="Monday 13 January 2003"; Acats[15]="a40a42a91"; B1[15]="      As intensifying drought tests Australia’s water supplies to the limit, teams of scientists across the continent are battling to devise new ways "; B2[15]="to save ailing rivers, better allocate scarce resources and shield water quality... "; B3[15]=" "; B4[15]=" "; B5[15]=" "; S1[15]="      As intensifying drought tests Australia’s water supplies to the limit, teams of scientists across the continent are battling to devise new ways "; S2[15]=" to save ailing rivers, better allocate scarce resources and shield water quality.
      The drought is likely to bring the issue of national "; S3[15]=" water quality into sharp focus, warns Professor Don Bursill, CEO of the CRC for Water Quality and Treatment.
      Prolonged drought will raise "; S4[15]=" the threat to drinking water from toxic blue-green algae, increased salinity in some waters, may cause cases of smelly, foul-tasting or stained water as dam "; S5[15]=" levels sink, and could increase risks to human health in remote areas.
      “Drinking water suppliers are working hard this summer to make "; S6[15]=" sure our water is safe to drink,” says Prof.
      Bursill.
      The good news is that a new risk assessment "; S7[15]=" system being developed by the CRC will make it even easier for Australia’s drinking water suppliers to provide safe water.
      The 12-stage "; S8[15]=" risk assessment package, due to be adopted in 2003, is designed to help water managers identify and monitor all possible risks at every step in "; S9[15]=" the process from catchment to dam, pipeline, treatment plant, to consumer, Prof.
      Bursill says.
      The intensity of debate over "; S10[15]=" competing uses for Australia’s increasingly slender water supplies will escalate as the drought deepens, predicts Professor Rob Vertessy, Director of the CRC for Catchment Hydrology.
"; S11[15]="       “We’ve already seen angry reactions in some places where farmers didn’t get their full allocations, but still had to pay for them,” "; S12[15]=" he says.
      “The ambition of governments to revegetate the landscape with trees will only exacerbate the water shortage problem unless we trade "; S13[15]=" water out of irrigation areas.
      The volume of water likely to be lost following tree planting in the Murray Darling Basin over "; S14[15]=" the next twenty years is of a similar magnitude to that which we are trying to claw back for environmental flows in the Murray.
  "; S15[15]="     Tree planting will bring many environmental and economic benefits, but only if we factor their enhanced water usage into our catchment planning and "; S16[15]=" reduce allocation of river flows to users.” Balancing competing demands for water lies at the heart of the national water challenge, Prof.
      "; S17[15]=" Vertessy says.
      To help with the water resource planning challenge the CRC is developing modelling tools to assist in the implementation of "; S18[15]=" integrated catchment management.
      The CRC for Freshwater Ecology is developing a River Recovery Plan to help protect Australia’s inland rivers, creeks and "; S19[15]=" wetlands following the drought.
      “In a healthy Australian river, drought is part of the natural cycle.
      Drying out is "; S20[15]=" important to our wetlands and rivers.
      However, when they are stressed due to over-removal of water and have lost their natural resilience "; S21[15]=" it may be much harder for them to recover,” says CRC CEO Prof.
      Gary Jones.
      To avoid inflicting further "; S22[15]=" – possibly permanent – harm on the nation’s waterways, the CRC has three urgent pieces of advice: · Protect water holes and billabongs, which are "; S23[15]=" the refuges river life retreats to in dry times.
      Minimise water pumping from them · Don’t catch the big fish or kill "; S24[15]=" wildlife which retreat to deep waterholes.
      They are the breeders which will be needed to replenish the stock after the drought breaks.
"; S25[15]="       · Restrict livestock access to waterholes and wetlands, to avoid pollution and damaging plants and habitat.
      Prof.
    "; S26[15]="   Jones says the drought brings with it a major risk of toxic blue-green algal blooms like the 1000km event on the Darling River, and "; S27[15]=" fish kills as water levels fall and oxygen becomes depleted.
      “When the drought breaks, and there are big flows or floods, there "; S28[15]=" may also be a pulse of dirty, poor quality water – and drinking water managers need to be on alert to manage this,” he adds... "; R[16]="1299"; T[16]="Irrigation management for tree plantations growing over high watertables"; A[16]="By ... Editor"; Dn[16]="20030110"; Dt[16]="Friday 10 January 2003"; Acats[16]="a39a40a43"; B1[16]="      A recently completed RIRDC study (RIRDC Publication No 02/146 RIRDC Project No CSF-54A) describes results from a three-year study of growth, water "; B2[16]="fluxes and salinity, in young, flood-irrigated eucalypt plantations near Deniliquin, south-western NSW... "; B3[16]=" "; B4[16]=" "; B5[16]=" "; S1[16]="      A recently completed RIRDC study (RIRDC Publication No 02/146 RIRDC Project No CSF-54A) describes results from a three-year study of growth, water "; S2[16]=" fluxes and salinity, in young, flood-irrigated eucalypt plantations near Deniliquin, south-western NSW.
      In the low rainfall regions of the southern Murray-Darling Basin "; S3[16]=" (<600 mm) tree plantations may need to be irrigated to achieve commercial rates of growth for conventional forest products.
      Potential irrigation demand "; S4[16]=" is high (> 16 ML ha -1 y -1 for furrow irrigation) and is greater than most landholders or managers would be willing to apply "; S5[16]=" to tree crops.
      As the cost of fresh water for irrigation rises and supply becomes less certain, the volume of water applied "; S6[16]=" to plantations will be sub-optimal for growth.
      In the Deniliquin region a long history of irrigated agriculture has caused watertables to rise, "; S7[16]=" often to within three metres of the soil surface.
      One mitigation strategy is to plant an appropriate area with trees in the "; S8[16]=" expectation that they may use groundwater, and also need less irrigation than current agricultural crops.
      Water applied in irrigation can be lost "; S9[16]=" through direct evaporation, deep drainage (leaching from soil), and run-off.
      As the availability of water decreases, and its cost increases, developing irrigation "; S10[16]=" practices to minimise loss of applied water is therefore a priority.
      The main conclusion from the study is that extensive plantings of "; S11[16]=" spotted gum (Corymbia maculata) on prior stream beds in the Deniliquin region would: (i) Achieve good rates of plantation growth and production of wood for "; S12[16]=" a local industry, (ii) Use significant amounts of groundwater and potentially assist in controlling regional groundwater balances, and (iii) Require little irrigation, thus conserving fresh "; S13[16]=" water sources.
      Results showed that the most appropriate irrigation strategy will vary according to soil conditions.
      On shallow clayey "; S14[16]=" soils or where sub-soil properties impede root penetration, frequent irrigation in small volumes would maximise growth per megalitre of water applied while minimising losses of "; S15[16]=" the water applied during flood irrigation.
      About 50-70% was lost to direct evaporation, deep drainage and run-off, with 30-50% remaining in soil.
"; S16[16]="       In these soils, only a proportion of this water is available to tree roots due the relatively high tension by which it "; S17[16]=" is held.
      Thus, irrigation every 10-14 days in relatively small volumes of about 0.5 ML ha -1 is preferred.
      "; S18[16]=" Over a growing season (November- March) this would add about 4-6 ML ha -1 .
      Irrigation systems that increase the efficiency of "; S19[16]=" application could apply even less water and more frequently.
      In deep, sandy loam soils conducive to root development, less frequent irrigation (e.g.
"; S20[16]="       4 times y -1 ) in larger volumes (e.g.
      1.5 ML ha -1 ) would be appropriate.
    "; S21[16]="   The sandy loam texture of the soil holds water less tightly and a greater volume is stored due to the large rooting depth, making "; S22[16]=" more of the water applied available to trees.
      Groundwater uptake was substantial at Karawatha (deep, sandy loams) but minimal or moderate at "; S23[16]=" all other sites, and there was also an indication that C.
      maculata used more groundwater than E.
      grandis.
  "; S24[16]="     During the 1999-2000 growing season, groundwater use at Karawatha was 793 mm under C.
      maculata and 450 mm under E.
"; S25[16]="       grandis.
      These volumes represent 82% of total water used by C.
      maculata and 73% of that "; S26[16]=" used by E.
      grandis.
      Careful selection of sites and species, followed by appropriate irrigation strategies, are required if farm "; S27[16]=" forests in this region are to achieve reasonable growth and help control rising watertables.
      Factors to consider for site selection are: Proximity "; S28[16]=" to prior streams or localised sandy aquifers; Soil physical and chemical conditions; and Depth to and quality of the watertable.
      In the "; S29[16]=" Deniliquin region, a significant challenge remains to integrate the above information into a management strategy at a regional scale.
      An effective and "; S30[16]=" inexpensive method is needed to locate and map suitable sites in the region where trees can be grown to lower watertables and produce wood at "; R[17]="1294"; T[17]="Horticultural precinct to use recycled water at Werribee Plains"; A[17]="By ... Editor"; Dn[17]="20030110"; Dt[17]="Friday 10 January 2003"; Acats[17]="a40"; B1[17]="      A 400 hectare parcel of land will be made available at the Western Treatment Plant for a horticultural precinct using recycled water "; B2[17]="as part of the Bracks Government s Vision for Werribee Plains, the Acting Premier, John Thwaites, announced today... "; B3[17]=" "; B4[17]=" "; B5[17]=" "; S1[17]="      A 400 hectare parcel of land will be made available at the Western Treatment Plant for a horticultural precinct using recycled water "; S2[17]=" as part of the Bracks Government's Vision for Werribee Plains, the Acting Premier, John Thwaites, announced today.
      'As an exciting first stage "; S3[17]=" in this vision, Melbourne Water is calling for expressions of interest in developing the precinct to demonstrate sustainability and to promote recycled water as a "; S4[17]=" safe and secure water supply,' Mr Thwaites said.
      'About 400 hectares of land at Melbourne Water's Western Treatment Plant in Werribee will "; S5[17]=" be made available for the project.
      'The aim is for the horticulture precinct to model a commercial agribusiness that demonstrates the safe "; S6[17]=" and secure supply of recycled water for agricultural use.
      'Possible crops to be grown could include vegetables, fruits, nuts and flowers.
  "; S7[17]="     'It will also provide opportunities for research and development of new technology and demonstrate intensive horticultural development with a focus on sound environmental "; S8[17]=" outcomes.' Mr Thwaites said the development of the horticulture precinct was consistent with the Government's commitment to deliver sustainable development opportunities under the Vision for "; S9[17]=" the Werribee Plains region.
      'It will also help contribute to the Victorian Government's commitment to recycle 20 per cent of Melbourne's treated "; S10[17]=" effluent by 2010.' Mr Thwaites said additional opportunities for development within the region would be available at the Werribee Plains and the Western Treatment Plant "; S11[17]=" as part of a business plan due to be released in the first half of 2003.
      'The Bracks Government is keen to "; S12[17]=" promote these sorts of initiatives as we pursue both practical and creative ways of preserving and reusing our most precious resource water,' Mr Thwaites said.
"; S13[17]="       Companies and individuals taking part in the project will lease the land from Melbourne Water.
      For an "; S14[17]=" Expression of Interest application form for the horticulture precinct, call 131 722 or visit www.melbournewater.com.au.
      Expressions of Interest must be lodged in "; S15[17]=" Melbourne Water's Tender Box, Ground Floor, 100 Wellington Parade, East Melbourne, Victoria, 3002 by 1pm on 12 February, 2003... "; R[18]="1293"; T[18]="Victorian farmers must register their existing irrigation dams"; A[18]="By ... Editor"; Dn[18]="20030110"; Dt[18]="Friday 10 January 2003"; Acats[18]="a40a65"; B1[18]="      The Minister for Environment and Water, John Thwaites, today urged farmers to register their existing irrigation dams before the June 30 deadline.... "; B2[18]=" "; B3[18]=" "; B4[18]=" "; B5[18]=" "; S1[18]="      The Minister for Environment and Water, John Thwaites, today urged farmers to register their existing irrigation dams before the June 30 deadline.
"; S2[18]="       The dams must be registered under the Water (Irrigation Farm Dams) Act 2002, introduced to ensure water is conserved and shared fairly "; S3[18]=" across all sections of the community.
      'The new laws will not only protect the health of our waterways and ensure the reliability "; S4[18]=" of supply to existing users is not reduced, they will deliver greater certainty for farmers during droughts,' Mr Thwaites said.
      The Act, "; S5[18]=" which came into operation on 4 April last year, now requires property owners who wish to build new irrigation dams to apply for a licence "; S6[18]=" and pay a fee.
      However, farmers may by June 30 this year register existing dams used for irrigation before the Act commenced "; S7[18]=" free of charge.
      Farmers can use water from these existing dams without such a a licence.
      So far there "; S8[18]=" have been more than 700 enquiries from farmers on how to register their dams.
      'As a result of these enquiries, some practical "; S9[18]=" issues about how to determine the volume of water to be registered for a small number of dams have arisen,' Mr Thwaites said.
    "; S10[18]="   'The intention of the registration process has always been to recognise farmers with existing irrigation dams would be able to continue to use them "; S11[18]=" as they did before the changes were introduced.
      'After discussions with the Victorian Farmers Federation, the Government has agreed the best way "; S12[18]=" of determining the volume of water to be registered is by registering the full volume of the dam rather than trying to estimate the volume "; S13[18]=" of water used each year.' Mr Thwaites said if farmers could provide evidence they have used more than the capacity of the dam in the "; S14[18]=" past, this would be included in the registration.
      He said a Ministerial Order would be made to put these principles in place.
"; S15[18]="       The registration of existing dams only applies to dams that have actually been used for irrigation in the previous 10 years.
  "; S16[18]="     These new arrangements do not change farmers' rights to domestic and stock water.
      The legislation does not allow dams that "; S17[18]=" have never been used for irrigation to be registered.
      Mr Thwaites said the Government was committed to working with the VFF to "; S18[18]=" resolve any further anomalies arising in individual cases.
      The Water (Irrigation Farms Dams) Act 2002, which amended the Water Act 1989, requires "; S19[18]=" all water used for irrigation or commercial purposes to be licensed.
      Anyone proposing to construct a new dam for irrigation or commercial "; S20[18]=" purposes must obtain a licence whether or not the dam is on a waterway... "; R[19]="1284"; T[19]="Call to re-consider use of treated effluent to save water"; A[19]="By ... Editor"; Dn[19]="20030109"; Dt[19]="Thursday 9 January 2003"; Acats[19]="a17a18a40a42a65"; B1[19]="      Victorians would have to overcome their fears of eating food grown using treated effluent if the state was to cope with future "; B2[19]="water shortages, acting Premier John Thwaites said yesterday... "; B3[19]=" "; B4[19]=" "; B5[19]=" "; S1[19]="      Victorians would have to overcome their fears of eating food grown using treated effluent if the state was to cope with future "; S2[19]=" water shortages, acting Premier John Thwaites said yesterday.
      Mr Thwaites said although it was natural for people to be cautious about eating "; S3[19]=" food grown with treated effluent, the quality of recycled water had improved greatly in recent years to make it safe.
      His comments "; S4[19]=" came as residents in Geelong and the Barwon region became the first in Victoria to accept permanent water restrictions.
      A new bylaw "; S5[19]=" specific to Geelong and its surrounds bans the use of sprinklers between 10am and 5pm, outlaws the hosing down of driveways and makes trigger hoses "; S6[19]=" compulsory for car washing.
      Mr Thwaites said the government would consider similar bans in Melbourne, but only after community consultation.
    "; S7[19]="   Barwon Water chief executive officer Dennis Brockenshire said the bylaw was introduced after 18 months of community consultation showed water conservation as the most "; S8[19]=" important local issue.
      The bans are expected to save up to 400 megalitres of water a year.
      Speaking at "; S9[19]=" the Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Mr Thwaites called for expressions of interest from companies or farmers wanting to grow produce with treated water on 400 "; S10[19]=" hectares of land near Werribee.
      'This is a very practical approach.
      This is the sort of thing we are "; S11[19]=" going to have to do into the future if we are going to save water,' he said.
      The project is expected to "; S12[19]=" prevent about 1200 megalitres of treated effluent being pumped into Port Phillip Bay each year from the Werribee plant, which produces 500 megalitres of effluent "; S13[19]=" a day.
      Vegetables, fruit, nuts and flowers could be grown on the land.
      The government has committed to "; S14[19]=" recycling 20 per cent of Melbourne's treated effluent by 2010.
      Melbourne Water managing director Brian Bayley said he believed the project would "; S15[19]=" encourage the use of recycled water for agricultural purposes in Victoria... "; R[20]="1274"; T[20]="Duck hunting season cancelled in Victoria"; A[20]="By ... Editor"; Dn[20]="20030107"; Dt[20]="Tuesday 7 January 2003"; Acats[20]="a31a40a65"; B1[20]="      The 2003 Victorian duck hunting season will be cancelled to preserve wild duck populations already under pressure from the drought.... "; B2[20]=" "; B3[20]=" "; B4[20]=" "; B5[20]=" "; S1[20]="      The 2003 Victorian duck hunting season will be cancelled to preserve wild duck populations already under pressure from the drought.
    "; S2[20]="   Acting Victorian Premier John Thwaites said today duck numbers were significantly down on last year and conditions were worse than those experienced before the "; S3[20]=" 1983 and 1995 duck hunting seasons were axed.
      'The number of waterbirds have been down for some years and if the "; S4[20]=" overall waterfowl population is significantly reduced by hunting in 2003, it may take some time for it to return to average levels,' he said.
  "; S5[20]="     Mr Thwaites said duck hunters would be able to receive a one-year extension on their gaming licences and those choosing not to "; S6[20]=" renew their licence this year would not be required to re-sit the Waterfowl Identification Test.
      Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) "; S7[20]=" fauna manager Robert Begg said the lack of water meant more birds were congregating in fewer places and numbers would be decimated if hunting was "; S8[20]=" allowed.
      Dr Begg said with drought conditions across eastern Australia, it was also expected that large numbers would migrate to the few "; S9[20]=" remaining coastal refuges in Victoria.
      'If we had hunting season this year, not only would they be shooting birds from Victoria "; S10[20]=" but potential breeding stock for the whole of Australia,' he said.
      Pacific black duck, Australian shoveler, grey teal and Australian shelducks "; S11[20]=" numbers were already low.
      The Victorian government's move to axe duck season follows the cancellation of the 2003 season in South "; S12[20]=" Australia.
      Duck hunting is already banned in NSW and Western Australia.
      Veteran anti-duck shooting campaigner Laurie Levy "; S13[20]=" said the Victorian government had no other alternative.
      'If shooters were surrounding what's left of the wetlands they would have virtually "; S14[20]=" wiped-out the whole wild duck population,' he said.
      Mr Levy said public opinion had seen a massive drop in the number "; S15[20]=" of duck shooters to about 2,000 last year compared to some 95,000 in 1986.
      Dr Begg said alternatives to closing duck "; S16[20]=" season over the last few years, including lower bag limits and banning certain areas, had not had a significant impact on reducing harvest levels.
  "; S17[20]="     'Last year the number of ducks killed was only one per cent below average despite the restrictions,' he said.
      "; S18[20]=" Mr Thwaites said the cancellation did not spell the end of duck shooting in Victoria and the season would continue to be assessed on "; S19[20]=" an annual basis.
      Field and Game Australia spokesman Graham Eames said the DSE data the government based its information on was "; S20[20]=" deceiving.
      'It's ludicrous to suggest all of Australia's ducks have congregated in Victoria,' he said.
      Mr Eames "; S21[20]=" said banning duck season would also have a detrimental effect on rural tourism, with many shooters travelling from Melbourne and interstate.
      "; S22[20]=" Hunters caught shooting ducks in Victoria this year face fines of up to $20,000.
      The 2003 season was due to start "; S23[20]=" on the third Saturday in March... "; R[21]="1273"; T[21]="Making the most of a trickle"; A[21]="By ... Editor"; Dn[21]="20030107"; Dt[21]="Tuesday 7 January 2003"; Acats[21]="a40"; B1[21]="      Irrigators can now make better use of trickle irrigation systems to water and fertilise their crops with the release of a new "; B2[21]="irrigation tool Wetup... "; B3[21]=" "; B4[21]=" "; B5[21]=" "; S1[21]="      Irrigators can now make better use of trickle irrigation systems to water and fertilise their crops with the release of a new "; S2[21]=" irrigation tool Wetup.
      “There has been a lot of pressure, particularly in the current water debate, for farmers to switch to trickle "; S3[21]=" irrigation.
      In the right conditions trickle irrigation systems are great, but they are not always viable, productive or even more efficient in "; S4[21]=" terms of water use,” said Chair of Land & Water Australia, Bobbie Brazil.
      “This research, and Wetup in particular, means that those "; S5[21]=" irrigators who invest in trickle systems, will be better placed to implement efficient and sustainable systems”, said Ms Brazil.
      Developed by CSIRO "; S6[21]=" and the CRC for Sustainable Sugar Production with funding from Land & Water Australia’s irrigation program, Wetup allows growers to program their trickle systems according "; S7[21]=" to local conditions.
      “Irrigators know there is huge variation in soils and crop water use.
      The challenge has been "; S8[21]=" to understand this variation and work with it rather than against it”, says CSIRO Land and Water researcher Dr Keith Bristow.
      “By "; S9[21]=" probing the soil and measuring soil water behaviour at different depths and in different soil types, we’ve identified the soil properties controlling wetting.
    "; S10[21]="   Going one step further, to make this information readily available to those who need it, we have developed a software tool Wetup to show "; S11[21]=" irrigators how variable wetting in soils can be”.
      “The result is a software package for irrigators, to help them understand how important "; S12[21]=" it is to customise the design of trickle systems for specific paddocks”, said Dr Bristow.
      Wetup, which is available for download at "; S13[21]=" http://www.clw.csiro.au/products/wetup/ will help irrigators understand more about their soil.
      The package is capable of illustrating wetting patterns for 29 individual soils, "; S14[21]=" covering a wide range of textures and soil hydraulic properties.
      “For trickle irrigation systems to deliver water and nutrients more efficiently, distance "; S15[21]=" between emitters and emitter flow rates must be matched to the soil’s wetting characteristics, and the amount and timing of water to be supplied to "; S16[21]=" the crop”, said Dr Peter Thorburn from CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems.
      “Broad soil texture ranges are usually the only information related to soil "; S17[21]=" wetting used in current trickle system designs.
      However, this information is inadequate.
      Soil structure, which is not represented by "; S18[21]=" these broad textural ranges, can dominate water movement, and site-specific information about soil structure and its impact on water flow is required.” The Wetup product "; S19[21]=" is the result of collaboration between CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems and CSIRO Land and Water , and the CRC for Sustainable Sugar Production .
    "; S20[21]="   The research was funded by Land & Water Australia’s National Program for Irrigation Research and Development ... "; R[22]="1268"; T[22]="Rain In Northern Tasmania Eases Irrigation Restrictions"; A[22]="By ... Editor"; Dn[22]="20030107"; Dt[22]="Tuesday 7 January 2003"; Acats[22]="a40a69"; B1[22]="      Rain in the north of the State over the past two days has allowed restrictions on irrigation to be lifted.... "; B2[22]=" "; B3[22]=" "; B4[22]=" "; B5[22]=" "; S1[22]="      Rain in the north of the State over the past two days has allowed restrictions on irrigation to be lifted.
    "; S2[22]="   The Principal Water Management Officer with the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment, Rob Phillips, said very good rain had been recorded "; S3[22]=" over the northern part of the State.
      There has been less rain in the South apart from some isolated heavy falls.
"; S4[22]="       Rain over the northern irrigation areas of the State has been of the order of 25 to 50mm and has eased "; S5[22]=" the irrigation demand on rivers and streams.
      Mr Phillips said all irrigation water restrictions have now been lifted for the Meander "; S6[22]=" River and its tributaries, Liffey River and tributaries, Western Creek and tributaries, Pipers River and tributaries, Brid River and tributaries and Great Forester River and "; S7[22]=" tributaries.
      Based on current streamflows and if there are no follow up rains, it is expected that there will not be "; S8[22]=" a need to have restrictions on any streams in the northern part of the State for the next 7 to 10 days.
      "; S9[22]=" Even though streamflows have improved, people with farm dams should still very carefully operate their outlet pipes from their dams to ensure that no "; S10[22]=" more water is taken into storage than they are legally entitled to.
      This will ensure that good streamflows are maintained.
  "; S11[22]="     Mr Phillips said the Department thanked all water users for their excellent co-operation during water restrictions... "; R[23]="1236"; T[23]="International Year of Freshwater 2003"; A[23]="By ... Editor"; Dn[23]="20021216"; Dt[23]="Monday 16 December 2002"; Acats[23]="a40"; B1[23]="      The International Year of Freshwater, 2003, was officially launched at a ceremony at the United Nations in New York on December 12.... "; B2[23]=" "; B3[23]=" "; B4[23]=" "; B5[23]=" "; S1[23]="      The International Year of Freshwater, 2003, was officially launched at a ceremony at the United Nations in New York on December 12.
"; S2[23]="       The aim of the year is to raise awareness of the importance of protecting and managing freshwater.
      The UN "; S3[23]=" General Assembly resolution proclaiming the Year was initiated by the Government of Tajikistan and supported by 148 other countries.
      In a message "; S4[23]=" to be issued at the ceremony, UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura says that 'water can be an agent of peace, rather than conflicts, and UNESCO is "; S5[23]=" looking at ways that will allow this century to be one of 'water peace' rather than 'water wars'.
      By developing principles and "; S6[23]=" methods to manage this resource efficiently and ethically, while respecting related ecosystems, we move a step closer to the goal of sustainable development.' One of "; S7[23]=" the main events of the International Year of Freshwater (IYFW) will be the 3rd World Water Forum, to take place in Kyoto (Japan), March 16-23.
"; S8[23]="       The Forum is timed to coincide with World Water Day, held on March 22 each year.
      At the Kyoto "; S9[23]=" meeting, the World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP), a collaboration between 23 UN agencies involved in freshwater and hosted by UNESCO, will present its World Water "; S10[23]=" Development Report.
      This is the first of a planned series of reports on the state of water stress in the world, due "; S11[23]=" to be published every three years.
      The Report identifies critical issues and problems as illustrated by in-depth case studies of selected, representative "; S12[23]=" river basins.
      One of the aims of the Year is to reassert the UN's Millennium Declaration Goal on Water, which pledged 'to "; S13[23]=" halve, by the year 2015, the proportion of the world's people unable to reach, or to afford, safe drinking water' and 'to stop the unsustainable "; S14[23]=" exploitation of water resources.' The goal, endorsed by the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg (South Africa) in August this year, also set "; S15[23]=" a new target of halving the proportion of people who do not have access to basic sanitation by 2015.
      It also recognized "; S16[23]=" the key role of water in agriculture, energy, health, biodiversity and ecosystems as well as in combating poverty.
      'The Year offers a "; S17[23]=" wonderful opportunity to raise awareness about water issues and to motivate people of all ages to get involved.
      Schools, the private sector, "; S18[23]=" youth and community associations - each has something to contribute,' says Alberto Tejada-Guibert, the UNESCO Coordinator for IYFW.
      Projections show that the "; S19[23]=" combined effects of population increase, global warming and mismanagement of existing water resources are likely to increase the number of countries experiencing severe water stress "; S20[23]=" during the next decades.
      To help offset conflict between nations over shared water resources and to promote peaceful negotiation, UNESCO's International Hydrological "; S21[23]=" Programme (IHP) has started a new project called From Potential Conflict to Cooperation Potential.
      Another programme, also led by IHP and entitled "; S22[23]=" Hydrology for the Environment, Life and Policy (HELP), is creating a new approach for the integrated management of catchments... "; R[24]="1229"; T[24]="EPA Warns Of PCB Danger"; A[24]="By ... Editor"; Dn[24]="20021213"; Dt[24]="Friday 13 December 2002"; Acats[24]="a03a40a42"; B1[24]="      EPA Victoria has advised companies to be aware of the dangers of collecting, transporting and treating waste oil following the successful prosecution "; B2[24]="of a Dandenong based company... "; B3[24]=" "; B4[24]=" "; B5[24]=" "; S1[24]="      EPA Victoria has advised companies to be aware of the dangers of collecting, transporting and treating waste oil following the "; S2[24]=" successful prosecution of a Dandenong based company.
      The company, Miatech Pty Ltd, unknowingly drained oil containing a toxic substance, polychlorinated biphenyls "; S3[24]=" (PCBs) from medical equipment and added it to their waste oil stream, subsequently contaminating a 12,000 litre tank of waste oil destined to "; S4[24]=" be used to make fuel oil.
      As a result, 12,000 litres of waste oil had to be disposed of as "; S5[24]=" a toxic waste instead of being recycled.
      As part of EPA requirements, the waste oil was tested and found to be "; S6[24]=" contaminated with PCBs.
      This process is part of the EPA's ongoing commitment to ensure oil treaters test the oil before it "; S7[24]=" reaches the stage of being burnt as fuel.
      Toxic PCBs were widely used as a coolant in the electrical industry "; S8[24]=" until the 1980s and their use has been progressively phased out.
      EPA South Metropolitan manager, Stuart McConnell, said the significant "; S9[24]=" environmental and health effects of PCBs were well established.
      'The effect of most concern is the potential for reproductive "; S10[24]=" effects on breeding adult animals, particularly in birds, as well as developmental effects on embryos - including mortality and failure to thrive,' he "; S11[24]=" said.
      'To ensure these compounds do not enter the waste oil stream the only method available is chemical analysis using "; S12[24]=" trained, qualified and experienced analysts.' Mr McConnell said 'people might initially think they were dealing with a fairly benign issue when draining "; S13[24]=" oil from used electrical equipment and were unaware of the potential problems.' 'People need to ensure the oil is clean.
      While "; S14[24]=" it may appear to be a relatively minor issue, the consequences both for the environment and other businesses that have grown to support "; S15[24]=" the sustainable recycling or reuse of waste oil for fuel are significant.
      One mistake can ruin thousands of litres of "; S16[24]=" fuel,' Mr McConnell said.
      The Environment Protection Act prohibits the sale or supply of PCBs and the EPA has worked with "; S17[24]=" NATA to develop more reliable methods to analyse for these compounds.
      The company, who pleaded guilty in the Dandenong Magistrates' "; S18[24]=" Court, was ordered to pay $1000 into the court fund, placed on a one year Adjourned Undertaking to be of good behaviour and ordered "; S19[24]=" to pay EPA Victoria's costs of $4100... "; R[25]="1220"; T[25]="Big new water project for Perth"; A[25]="By ... Editor"; Dn[25]="20021212"; Dt[25]="Thursday 12 December 2002"; Acats[25]="a40a67"; B1[25]="      A massive extension of the Yarragadee aquifer south of Bunbury, could be brought on line to deliver water to Perth within two "; B2[25]="years of approval... "; B3[25]=" "; B4[25]=" "; B5[25]=" "; S1[25]="      A massive extension of the Yarragadee aquifer south of Bunbury, could be brought on line to deliver water to Perth within two "; S2[25]=" years of approval.
      Water Corporation managing director Jim Gill said the $257 million project to provide 30 gigalitres a year or 10 "; S3[25]=" per cent of current consumption could be critical.
      A $6 million program of 60 test bores and aerial geophysical surveys had started "; S4[25]=" and results would be ready for a decision to start the project in October.
      'If the heavens open next winter in a "; S5[25]=" handsome way it would not be critical at all,' Dr Gill said.
      'But if the dry continues then it will become critical' "; S6[25]=" he told the West Australian.
      He said there was a high level of confidence that the South-West Yarragadee aquifer had a sustainable "; S7[25]=" yield of hundreds of gigalitres a year.
      First stage of the project would include a pipe to connect with the Stirling-Harvey scheme.
"; S8[25]="       The second stage, to raise production to 44 gigalitres a year, costing another $92 million, would include a duplicate pipe to Perth.
"; S9[25]="       Water would come from 11 production bores in the area around Nannup.
      The Water and Rivers Commission has started "; S10[25]=" a public consultation program.
      South-West manager Wayne Tingey said it was seeking input from the community and stakeholders over the next 12 "; S11[25]=" to 18 months.
      But Augusta-Margaret River shire president Nick Dorman has already objected on the grounds that it threatened the shire's two "; S12[25]=" greatest assets, pristine environment and agricultural potential.
      He said lowering of water tables in the Scott River area could expose acid sulfate "; S13[25]=" soils and cause severe environmental damage.
      Less water available for irrigation in the developing horticultural and dairy industries would also be a "; S14[25]=" major blow to the region.
      'Why send it up to Perth to water lawns when it can be used here for agricultural "; S15[25]=" production?' he said.
      Minister for Government Enterprises Nick Griffiths said although the total resource had not been defined, it was evident from "; S16[25]=" earlier investigations that it was 'substantial' and the project posed no risk of acidification.
      But Steve Appleyard of the Department of Environmental "; S17[25]=" Protection said acid sulfate pollution had occurred during mineral sand mining in the area.
      'It is an issue of genuine concern,' he "; S18[25]=" said... "; R[26]="1186"; T[26]="Major benefits from water re-use"; A[26]="By ... Editor"; Dn[26]="20021205"; Dt[26]="Thursday 5 December 2002"; Acats[26]="a29a40"; B1[26]="      QAF Meat Industries at Corowa - one of Australia s largest pork producers is reusing 1409 megalitres of effluent produced from 240,000 "; B2[26]="housed pigs and the waste from an abattoir which kills 900,000 pigs a year by spray it back over crops and making huge savings... "; B3[26]=" "; B4[26]=" "; B5[26]=" "; S1[26]="      QAF Meat Industries at Corowa - one of Australia's largest pork producers is reusing 1409 megalitres of effluent produced from 240,000 housed "; S2[26]=" pigs and the waste from an abattoir which kills 900,000 pigs a year by spray it back over crops and making huge savings.
    "; S3[26]="   QAF Meat Industries, formerly Bunge Meat Industries, has eight sites around NSW and Victoria with 55,000 sows which produce offspring to supply 20 per "; S4[26]=" cent of the Australian pork market.
      But all of those pigs, and the abattoir at the main Corowa site, produce thousands of "; S5[26]=" tonnes of effluent which is now being treated, and irrigated via pivot irrigation systems over more than 1000 hectares of crop being grown at the "; S6[26]=" site.
      The aim of the treatment process is to provide treated wastewater that is suitable for irrigation.
      The volume "; S7[26]=" of treated waste water available for irrigation in an average rainfall year is 1338 ML.
      The site annually uses 2370M1 of water "; S8[26]=" pumped from the Murray River and an on-farm bore for various uses, but it was found early on in the company's effluent reuse scheme that "; S9[26]=" it simply not good enough to just dilute the effluent produced on-site because elements within the effluent had a degrading effect on the soils.
  "; S10[26]="     After as much as 6700t of solids have been collected from the abattoir effluent, both the piggery and abattoir effluent receives biological treatment "; S11[26]=" which converts the organic matter to a stable and less offensive form.
      The treated effluent is irrigated over crops which have been "; S12[26]=" irrigated since 1996, with the total area under the effluent irrigation expected to rise to 1200ha under pivot irrigators - including two 600 metre (radius) "; S13[26]=" pivots which irrigate 1 10ha each.
      Care was needed to avoid salinity problems.
      Electrical conductivity was monitored, with any "; S14[26]=" rise in levels treated by reducing effluent application levels Gypsum was also applied when needed to maintain soil structure... "; R[27]="1170"; T[27]="Tamanian Water Workshop Looks For New Solutions"; A[27]="By ... Editor"; Dn[27]="20021128"; Dt[27]="Thursday 28 November 2002"; Acats[27]="a40a69"; B1[27]="      Identifying the best locations for the expansion of agricultural industries was the key to the next stage of the Water Development Plan "; B2[27]="in Tasmania, Primary Industries, Water and Environment Minister Bryan Green said today... "; B3[27]=" "; B4[27]=" "; B5[27]=" "; S1[27]="      Identifying the best locations for the expansion of agricultural industries was the key to the next stage of the Water Development Plan "; S2[27]=" in Tasmania, Primary Industries, Water and Environment Minister Bryan Green said today.
      Mr Green, speaking at a workshop to assess new "; S3[27]=" water development proposals from industry, landholders and community groups in stage two of the Water Development Plan, said it was important to recognise that water "; S4[27]=" development was not just about new storage sites.
      'In stage one of the Water Development Plan we identified areas where we could "; S5[27]=" assist in providing security of water supply to our agricultural industries by improving or providing better water storage capacity,' Mr Green said.
      "; S6[27]=" 'Obviously, however, we need to recognise that water development is not just about providing larger water storage capacities but also being smarter in our "; S7[27]=" decision making processes in not only how we use water but where we site our industries.' Mr Green said water development in the State "; S8[27]=" was a key factor in delivering the Government's goal of doubling the contribution primary production makes to the State's economy in the 10 years to "; S9[27]=" 2008.
      'The relationship is two-way, in that agriculture relies on a reliable water resource to enable expansion,' he said.
    "; S10[27]="   'We need to ensure that the decisions we make for expansion of our primary industries are made with a thorough understanding of the "; S11[27]=" water requirements for those industries in certain locations.
      'What we are talking about is providing agricultural solutions rather than simply water "; S12[27]=" storage solutions.' Mr Green said the workshop was considering a number of new proposals: 'There are new dam proposals including a number from "; S13[27]=" the North East; there are industry development proposals particularly for the dairy industry; there is a proposal to consider water use efficiency; and there is "; S14[27]=" a project to encourage water meter manufacture here in Tasmania,' he said.
      Mr Green said the response from the community in "; S15[27]=" providing more flexible solutions to water development in the State had been very positive with a wide range of expressions of interest received following its "; S16[27]=" advertisement in October.
      'The next stage is a more detailed analysis of the various projects at the workshop, where proponents will "; S17[27]=" have the opportunity to discuss their proposals in more detail.
      'From this, the Department will obviously be able to identify priority "; S18[27]=" projects which can then be looked at for further progression.'.. "; R[28]="1142"; T[28]="South Esk Water Package"; A[28]="By ... Editor"; Dn[28]="20021121"; Dt[28]="Thursday 21 November 2002"; Acats[28]="a40a69"; B1[28]="      Agreement has been reached on a package of measures to resolve long-standing water allocation issues particularly for irrigators in the South Esk "; B2[28]="basin... "; B3[28]=" "; B4[28]=" "; B5[28]=" "; S1[28]="      Agreement has been reached on a package of measures to resolve long-standing water allocation issues particularly for irrigators in the South Esk "; S2[28]=" basin.
      The key stakeholders, Hydro Tasmania, the Tasmanian Farmers & Graziers Association and the Department of Primary Industries, Water & Environment, finalised "; S3[28]=" the principles of the package last Friday.
      The Minister for Primary Industries, Water and Environment, Bryan Green, said the South Esk Basin "; S4[28]=" water package is a win-win situation.
      'Irrigators will get significant quantities of additional water while Hydro Tasmania gets more certainty for its "; S5[28]=" power generation as water use in the basin is formalised.' Mr Green said the South Esk basin is the largest water catchment in the State, "; S6[28]=" one of the driest and one of the most developed.
      Sharing water between Hydro Tasmania - which relies on the flows to "; S7[28]=" generate power at Trevallyn - irrigators, and the environment has been very difficult given the high demand by the various users and the limited supply "; S8[28]=" especially during summer.
      Hydro Tasmania's General Manager Generation, Mr Andrew Livingston, said he was extremely pleased agreement had been reached.
    "; S9[28]="   'Hydro Tasmania has been very willing to work with TFGA and DPIWE to investigate opportunities for optimising water use while providing us with greater "; S10[28]=" certainty about the amount of water actually being taken for irrigation in hydro generating districts,' he said.
      'Hydro Tasmania see this as "; S11[28]=" a significant step in creating a water trading market to ensure the optimum use of the precious water resource.' The parties have agreed on mechanisms "; S12[28]=" to also give greater certainty of water supply for existing irrigation businesses and to provide for the short to medium term development of new irrigation "; S13[28]=" proposals.
      The Acting President of TFGA, Brendon Thompson, said the South Esk Basin water package was great news for irrigators.
    "; S14[28]="   'The water package will provide access to around 300,000 megalitres of additional water including flood flows,' he said.
      'Even if only "; S15[28]=" half the additional water is easily captured it will more than double the amount currently available for irrigation in the Basin,' Mr Thompson said.
  "; S16[28]="     Mr Thompson said the finer details of the agreement were still to be worked on but these would be finalised in the next "; S17[28]=" few weeks.
      'The agreement will be in place in time for the many dam proponents currently waiting for water to proceed with "; S18[28]=" dams in the South Esk and Clyde River catchments to start construction this summer if they so wish.' Mr Thompson said that the TFGA welcomed "; S19[28]=" the commitment by the Minister and the Government to maintaining an on-going consultation process between the TFGA, the DPIWE, and Hydro Tasmania, with regard to "; S20[28]=" the allocation of water in Hydro catchments.
      'The TFGA believes it is fundamentally important for irrigators to continue to be closely involved "; S21[28]=" with regulators and Hydro Tasmania, in working out the best approach to the future allocation of water,' Mr Thompson said.
      Mr Green "; S22[28]=" said there were nearly 70 proponents waiting to proceed with dam construction proposals in the South Esk Basin, which would total around 25,000 megalitres of "; S23[28]=" capacity.
      This does not include the Meander Dam of 43,000 megalitres and other large dam proposals, which also depend on the agreement "; S24[28]=" to obtain water supplies.
      'The construction of these dams and the subsequent significant increase in irrigated production will greatly assist the Government's "; S25[28]=" aim of doubling the contribution that primary production makes to Tasmania's economy,' he said.
      The principles of the agreed water package: 1.
"; S26[28]="       Draw a line in the sand on historical water usage in the South Esk basin as at 30 June 2002, with the "; S27[28]=" usage to become low surety allocations on water licences (ie.
      a surety level one step below that for existing direct-take water allocations) "; S28[28]=" and be allocated free of charge where irrigators can demonstrate historical usage.
      2.
      Point 1 does not apply to "; S29[28]=" the Meander River where temporary rights will continue to be allocated annually free of charge until the Meander Dam is completed.
      Once "; S30[28]=" the dam is finished there will be no more temporary rights for irrigators who could reasonably get water from the dam.
      3.
"; R[29]="1141"; T[29]="Tasmanian Carp Control Program Succeeding"; A[29]="By ... Editor"; Dn[29]="20021121"; Dt[29]="Thursday 21 November 2002"; Acats[29]="a34a40a69"; B1[29]="      The Carp Management Program in Tasmania s Central Highlands has reduced the population of the pest fish in the famous trout fishery "; B2[29]="Lake Crescent to just a few dozen... "; B3[29]=" "; B4[29]=" "; B5[29]=" "; S1[29]="      The Carp Management Program in Tasmania's Central Highlands has reduced the population of the pest fish in the famous trout fishery Lake "; S2[29]=" Crescent to just a few dozen.
      The Minister for Primary Industries, Water and Environment, Bryan Green, said with continued commitment and favourable "; S3[29]=" environmental conditions, carp numbers should be further reduced and the 'trophy' water could be re-opened for fishing.
      'Unfortunately, despite extensive trout stockings "; S4[29]=" over previous years the predictions of low water levels and poor environmental conditions this summer won't allow Lake Crescent to open this season.
    "; S5[29]="   'Overall the Carp Management Program appears to have met its major objective in that carp have not been found outside Lakes Crescent and Sorell.
"; S6[29]="       'Extensive surveys have been conducted annually downstream of Lake Crescent and no carp have been found downstream to date, indicating that there "; S7[29]=" is every chance that they have not escaped from the lakes and that the containment methods are working.' The program is using surgically implanted radio "; S8[29]=" transmitters in adult male carp to show movement in the carp population making them easier to target.
      'The program has removed 7,656 "; S9[29]=" carp from Lake Crescent and 1,306 from Lake Sorell,' Mr Green said.
      'A population estimate undertaken in Lake Crescent suggests that fewer "; S10[29]=" than 50 untagged adult carp remain in Lake Crescent again showing the success of the Program.
      'The population in Lake Sorell cannot "; S11[29]=" be accurately determined at this stage, but trends in captures suggest that the adult population is very small.
      'Juvenile populations exist in "; S12[29]=" both lakes from spawning in 2000, but those spawnings were restricted and the number of juveniles appears low.
      'The level of activity "; S13[29]=" being shown by the radio transmitter fish at present indicates that they are preparing to spawn.
      'Staff have been deployed by the "; S14[29]=" Inland Fisheries Service to undertake daily monitoring in order to detect and remove spawning fish during this period.
      'I am confident with "; S15[29]=" the measures that are in place that we can continue to contain European carp to Lakes Crescent and Sorell,' Mr Green said... "; R[30]="1125"; T[30]="Murray mouth opened"; A[30]="By ... Editor"; Dn[30]="20021119"; Dt[30]="Tuesday 19 November 2002"; Acats[30]="a40"; B1[30]="      Water will flow from the Goolwa channel through the Murray Mouth this week for the first time in almost a year.... "; B2[30]=" "; B3[30]=" "; B4[30]=" "; B5[30]=" "; S1[30]="      Water will flow from the Goolwa channel through the Murray Mouth this week for the first time in almost a year.
  "; S2[30]="     This is the first milestone for the $2 million emergency operation to open the Mouth.
      There has been no flow "; S3[30]=" through the Mouth since December.
      Upstream, some of Australia's biggest dams will shrink to little more than puddles in coming months as "; S4[30]=" the drought hits the Murray-Darling river system's network of water storages.
      The Murray-Darling Basin Commission yesterday warned Lake Hume, Lake Victoria and "; S5[30]=" Lake Alexandrina would fall to their lowest levels on record.
      It also believed the Dartmouth reserve, the biggest dam on the Murray-Darling "; S6[30]=" system, would take four years to refill because of the impact of the drought.
      Water levels in the Lower Lakes of the "; S7[30]=" River Murray have fallen to just 35cm - the third lowest level on record.
      In 1983 water level in the Lower Lakes "; S8[30]=" fell to 33cm and in 1967 it dropped dramatically to 11cm.
      A dredge has been widening the Goolwa channel for five weeks "; S9[30]=" and diverting tonnes of sand through a pipeline to Sir Richard Peninsula.
      By Friday, the dredge will have re-established the channel to "; S10[30]=" the mouth on the Goolwa side, allowing an exchange of water.
      'It is a milestone for this operation,' project supervisor Brenton Erdmann "; S11[30]=" said yesterday.
      'This will allow a tidal flow into the channel.' The silted channel has been widened to about 20m and the "; S12[30]=" next step will be dredging the Tauwitchere channel, opening it to the stressed Coorong, an area of international significance.
      The dredge will "; S13[30]=" then further widen both channels in an attempt to keep them open.
      Mr Erdmann said sand was still accumulating in the Mouth "; S14[30]=" and additional water flow in the Murray would be the only long-term solution to keeping the mouth open.
      Meanwhile, South Australia is "; S15[30]=" facing a shortfall of 37 billion litres of water in its supply from the River Murray this year.
      The threat of the "; S16[30]=" shortfall comes as lack of water collected in Adelaide's storages means 90 per cent of the city's water will have to be sourced from the "; S17[30]=" Murray over summer.
      One of the options being considered by the Murray-Darling Basin Commission to offset this shortfall is a reduction in "; S18[30]=" SA's monthly water entitlement during the peak irrigation season.
      SA's Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation opposed water restrictions.
    "; S19[30]="   The department believes water can be sourced from the upstream storages for SA.
      The shortfall has been caused by drought conditions "; S20[30]=" in the Murray-Darling Basin that have cut flow and reduced the amount of the water in SA storages, Menindee Lakes and Lake Victoria.
    "; S21[30]="   While there is enough water in the system to supply SA's minimum entitlement, the majority of water stored is being held upstream at Dartmouth "; S22[30]=" Dam in Victoria.
      If too much water is released from the dam, it could result in flooding at narrow passages along the "; S23[30]=" River Murray... "; R[31]="1123"; T[31]="Victoria s $320m water plan"; A[31]="By ... Editor"; Dn[31]="20021119"; Dt[31]="Tuesday 19 November 2002"; Acats[31]="a40"; B1[31]="      The Victorian Government has promised to create a $320 million trust to protect water supplies and to offer $1000 training grants to "; B2[31]="help parents return to work... "; B3[31]=" "; B4[31]=" "; B5[31]=" "; S1[31]="      The Victorian Government has promised to create a $320 million trust to protect water supplies and to offer $1000 training grants to "; S2[31]=" help parents return to work.
      Officially launching the ALP state election campaign, Premier Steve Bracks also promised to rebuild the Royal Women's "; S3[31]=" Hospital at a cost of $190 million and spend $100 million improving roads in Melbourne's outer suburbs.
      Reinforcing what he described as "; S4[31]=" Labor's achievements in regional Victoria as well as health, education and community safety, Mr Bracks told the audience of supporters - including federal leader Simon "; S5[31]=" Crean in his first appearance on the state campaign trail - there was 'more to do'.
      He promised $1000 education grants to "; S6[31]=" parents who had been out of the workforce and raising a family for at least two years.
      The grants, which will be "; S7[31]=" available from July, 2003, are expected to be offered to about 10,000 parents to undertake TAFE or other educational courses.
      Liberal women's "; S8[31]=" affairs spokeswoman Leonie Burke described the $11 million, four-year package as 'great' but suggested its application could be broadened.
      Labor has also "; S9[31]=" pledged a 'world-class research hospital for women' by rebuilding the Royal Women's, at a cost of $190 million, alongside the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
    "; S10[31]="   Funds will come from unallocated reserves in the existing budget.
      On transport, the party has promised $100 million for arterial roads "; S11[31]=" in and around metropolitan growth corridors.
      This includes widening the Moorooduc Highway in Frankston, the Berwick-Cranbourne Road in Berwick and Forsyth Road "; S12[31]=" in Hoppers Crossing.
      Under the water plan, half the $320 million Victorian Water Trust funds will be spent on irrigation and environmental "; S13[31]=" initiatives, including $20 million to install sewerage in towns around the Gippsland Lakes in a bid to curb nutrient flows that lead to algal blooms "; S14[31]=" and other problems.
      In a $10 million package, $150 rebates will be offered to people who install rainwater tanks and grey-water tanks, "; S15[31]=" that enable relatively clean water to be used again.
      Country water supplies and small-town sewerage systems will get a $30 million boost.
"; S16[31]="       Pipes will be run through open irrigation channels across the state to stop seepage and evaporation of irrigation waters.
      "; S17[31]=" 'Together, these projects cover the majority of Victoria's 22,000-kilometre channel and pipeline system, delivering water savings of up to 200 billion litres a year and "; S18[31]=" with the potential to create up to 2000 long-term jobs across Victoria,' Mr Bracks told the launch in the marginal Liberal-held seat of Bentleigh.
  "; S19[31]="     The Greens welcomed the announcement on the water trust.
      Spokesman Marcus Ward said the plan was a 'big shift' in "; S20[31]=" Labor's environmental stance.
      He said the rebates on rainwater and grey-water tanks were not significant on their own, but would encourage a "; S21[31]=" change in perceptions about the importance of saving water.
      Liberal water spokesman Terry Mulder and National Party leader Peter Ryan agreed.
  "; S22[31]="     Mr Ryan said the rebates would improve understanding, among Melburnians in particular, about the scarcity of water.
      But he said "; S23[31]=" Labor's water savings figures did not seem to have a scientific basis... "; R[32]="1113"; T[32]="Darling River reduced to a trickle"; A[32]="By ... Editor"; Dn[32]="20021118"; Dt[32]="Monday 18 November 2002"; Acats[32]="a40"; B1[32]="      The Darling River, one of NSW s mightiest waterways, is slowly drying up as the drought reduces it to pools of stagnant "; B2[32]="water... "; B3[32]=" "; B4[32]=" "; B5[32]=" "; S1[32]="      The Darling River, one of NSW's mightiest waterways, is slowly drying up as the drought reduces it to pools of stagnant water.
"; S2[32]="       Flowing across inland NSW, the river forms a crucial component of the state's river system which runs from the Queensland border to "; S3[32]=" Victoria and was once an integral part of inland water travel.
      Yesterday the river stopped flowing at the Bourke weir, reaching its "; S4[32]=" lowest point in almost 20 years.
      Water is forming into isolated pools towards the south of Bourke in the river which is "; S5[32]=" crucial for inland town water supplies and farming communities.
      The river which flows into the Murray is used extensively for irrigation across "; S6[32]=" NSW and if rain does not come by summer, the town of Bourke which is under high water restrictions will have it's supply threatened by "; S7[32]=" algae.
      Fisherman Bill Good, 71, said yesterday the "; S8[32]=" river was in as bad a state as he could remember.
      'I was born here in the 1930's so I've seen a "; S9[32]=" few dry times, but not many worse than this,' Mr Good said.
      Australian poet Banjo Patterson wrote in Been There Before about "; S10[32]=" a bar room bet to 'pelt a stone' right over 'the river so brown, the Darling River at Walgett town.' 'He knew that the river "; S11[32]=" from bank to bank was fifty yards, and he smiled a smile As he trundled down, but his hopes they sank for there wasn't a "; S12[32]=" stone within fifty mile.' Across western NSW water supplies are at their lowest point in 40 years and last week the Darling River was down "; S13[32]=" to five megalitres a day of water flowing along it, or five Olympic swimming pools.
      Normally more than 100,000 megalitres will flow "; S14[32]=" over the Bourke Weir along the Darling and this year no cotton was planted as irrigation supplies were cut.
      David Harris, regional "; S15[32]=" director for the Land and Water Conservation Department, said the citrus industry which has successfully operated for several years at Bourke will see its water "; S16[32]=" allocation evaporate.
      With no water for cotton irrigation and only enough water to last until the end of January for the citrus "; S17[32]=" and grape industry, burgeoning vineyards and orchards in the area are also under threat.
      'The Darling stopped flowing at Wilcannia in early "; S18[32]=" October and all the way up to the QLD border it's all but stopped flowing,' Mr Harris said.
      'But it doesn't just "; S19[32]=" affect Bourke, the river is critical for the whole area and supplies the Murray.
      'The Murray is going through it's own problems, "; S20[32]=" we've had the lowest irrigation allocation since the 1980's.' Mr Harris said along the Murray's path as few as 15 rice farmers will see a "; S21[32]=" crop.
      Water is currently being supplied to the Murray from Lake Hume, which is at its lowest level for forty years, he "; S22[32]=" said.
      'Unfortunately one of the things that is likely to occur is water quality problems unless we get some flows,' Mr Harris "; S23[32]=" said.
      'We're working hard to to get through this summer and we're always hopeful of getting summer rainfall.
      'If "; S24[32]=" we don't get rain next year then I'm taking long service leave, it's quite desperate times.
      'I've got people running out of "; S25[32]=" water for their own homes.' Work is under way to secure the supply for the 22,000 residents of Broken Hill which would have expired by "; S26[32]=" Christmas as the Menindee Lakes further along the Darling River also dries up... "; R[33]="1110"; T[33]="Wastewater sludge goes to farms"; A[33]="By ... Editor"; Dn[33]="20021113"; Dt[33]="Wednesday 13 November 2002"; Acats[33]="a03a40a42"; B1[33]="      The Water Corporation has found a way to get rid of thousands of tonnes of sewage sludge from its Perth wastewater treatment "; B2[33]="plants: the sludge is given away to Wheatbelt farmers for use as crop fertiliser... "; B3[33]=" "; B4[33]=" "; B5[33]=" "; S1[33]="      The Water Corporation has found a way to get rid of thousands of tonnes of sewage sludge from its Perth wastewater treatment "; S2[33]=" plants: the sludge is given away to Wheatbelt farmers for use as crop fertiliser.
      The material is toxic, containing pesticides, heavy metals "; S3[33]=" such as cadmium and a variety of biological contaminants, including bacteria, viruses and fungal spores.
      Every year, around 35,000 tonnes of the "; S4[33]=" waste material is stockpiled on farms around Moora and spread over paddocks at the end of summer.
      This has been going on "; S5[33]=" since 1998, but it was not until February this year that environmental authorities developed a draft Code of Practice for use of the material, known "; S6[33]=" as biosolids.
      The code says chemicals contained in biosolids may move through soils and into the food chain, which could have health "; S7[33]=" and economic implications.
      It lists a range of safety measures to be taken by those handling the material.
      'The "; S8[33]=" frequency of applications to one site needs to be managed to prevent contaminant levels being built up to harmful levels,' the code says.
    "; S9[33]="   Health Department approvals have been given for all farmland applications so far and the Department of Environmental Protection has issued licences to farms taking "; S10[33]=" more than 1000 tonnes of sewage sludge a year.
      DEP's biosolids expert Garry Davies said the material did not have to meet "; S11[33]=" standards applying to normal fertilisers and mulches which limit the level of chemical contaminants.
      While soil mulches may not contain any more "; S12[33]=" than three milligrams per kilo of cadmium and 20mg/kg of arsenic, the guidelines for sewage sludge allow up to 20mg/kg of cadmium and 60mg/kg of "; S13[33]=" arsenic.
      Mr Davies said leaching of contaminants from the sludge could affect the quality of groundwater, but the guidelines would ensure no "; S14[33]=" environmental harm.
      'The DEP considers that reuse of waste materials is preferable to disposal,' Mr Davies said.
      Moora farmer "; S15[33]=" Jason Cocking said about 13,000 tonnes of sludge had been spread on his family's canola and mixed grains farm every year.
      'It "; S16[33]=" does us a real favour, saving on fertiliser costs,' he said.
      Environmentalists have expressed concerns over the practice.
      Conservation "; S17[33]=" Council of WA president Sue Graham-Taylor called for a temporary ban on the use of sewage sludge where crops are grown.
      'We "; S18[33]=" need to see some strict monitoring and some scientific research to establish what is happening to the chemicals and heavy metals when this is added "; S19[33]=" to soil and whether any contaminants are taken up by crops,' she said.
      Contaminated Sites Alliance spokesman Lee Bell said it was "; S20[33]=" outrageous that the use of sewage as a soil amendment had begun without a full scientific investigation of its possible effects.
      'It's "; S21[33]=" premature and it's playing with fire,' Mr Bell said.
      'Besides the chemicals, metals and pathogens, this stuff also contains endocrine system-disrupting pharmaceuticals.'.. "; R[34]="1088"; T[34]="Farmers win part of water rights battle"; A[34]="By ... Editor"; Dn[34]="20021106"; Dt[34]="Wednesday 6 November 2002"; Acats[34]="a40"; B1[34]="      Farmers have won part of the battle to have water rights recognised as property rights, but must now convince the states to "; B2[34]="back a federal compensation plan... "; B3[34]=" "; B4[34]=" "; B5[34]=" "; S1[34]="      Farmers have won part of the battle to have water rights recognised as property rights, but must now convince the states to "; S2[34]=" back a federal compensation plan.
      Federal cabinet has agreed to a package expected to eventually cost billions of dollars to compensate farmers "; S3[34]=" to save the environment.
      But the state and territory governments will also have to support it.
      The package would "; S4[34]=" see a farmer's right to water given the same legal status as property.
      The Queensland and NSW governments have both expressed serious "; S5[34]=" reservations about paying compensation themselves, arguing the federal government should be responsible.
      Cabinet's proposals will go to the Council of Australian Governments' "; S6[34]=" meeting planned for the end of the month.
      The decision came after some of Australia's most prominent scientists told cabinet up to "; S7[34]=" $20 billion had to be spent on saving the nation's waterways.
      The scientists' proposals included banning broadacre clearing of native vegetation and "; S8[34]=" massive spending on water infrastructure.
      Prime Minister John Howard refused to be drawn on how to finance the water rights package, but "; S9[34]=" said a water levy was not inevitable.
      Mr Howard said there was no single solution to the challenge of how to resolve "; S10[34]=" water conservation issues, but said one step he hoped to achieve was a common code throughout the country on water rights.
      But "; S11[34]=" the water property rights push faces opposition, with the Australian Conservation Foundation and the Australian Democrats both attacking the idea... "; R[35]="1078"; T[35]="Farmers welcome recognition of water rights"; A[35]="By ... Editor"; Dn[35]="20021106"; Dt[35]="Wednesday 6 November 2002"; Acats[35]="a40"; B1[35]="      Farmers have welcomed a move to compensate property owners for lost rights to water, but State Governments are not supportive.... "; B2[35]=" "; B3[35]=" "; B4[35]=" "; B5[35]=" "; S1[35]="      Farmers have welcomed a move to compensate property owners for lost rights to water, but State Governments are not supportive.
    "; S2[35]="   Federal Cabinet yesterday gave in-principle approval for a plan to give a farmer's right to water the same legal status as property - meaning "; S3[35]=" the farmer could be compensated if he lost access to water through government restrictions.
      Details of the plan are yet to be "; S4[35]=" worked out and it must still be approved by State governments which will bear most of the cost - estimated to be in the billions.
"; S5[35]="       Deputy Prime Minister and National Party leader John Anderson said that without water property rights, development in country areas would be stifled.
"; S6[35]="       'Stable and properly defined water property rights are critical to ensuring investment security, otherwise farmers aren't going to take the punt,' he "; S7[35]=" said.
      WA Pastoralists and Graziers' Association spokesman Craig Underwood said the farmers had a good case.
      'Farmers have contended "; S8[35]=" for some time that if they are expected to lose their rights to water as a public benefit they should be compensated by the community,' "; S9[35]=" he said.
      On Monday the Wentworth Group, an influential group of scientists, released proposals to change the way water is used in "; S10[35]=" Australia.
      The group estimates the cost of repairing the nation's waterways, including restoring irrigation water to rivers, at $20 billion.
    "; S11[35]="   CSIRO land and water division chief John Williams, a Wentworth Group member, said tough decisions had to be taken now otherwise much of rural "; S12[35]=" Australia would be lost.
      The group suggests either selling Telstra, issuing environment bonds or introducing an environmental levy.
      It "; S13[35]=" also wants the Government to consider paying farmers to plant trees or take vulnerable land out of production to restore the environment.
      "; S14[35]=" Mr Anderson said farmers should not be asked to bear the cost of restoring the environment.
      'Overwhelmingly what farmers have done is "; S15[35]=" what governments have licensed and encouraged them to do - go and produce wealth with natural resources,' he said.
      But it is "; S16[35]=" on the question of who would help the farmers with compensation when water rights are cut or withdrawn that the package will confront its greatest "; S17[35]=" hurdle.
      Mr Anderson has said the states have a 'moral responsibility' to compensate farmers for changes to their water rights, which he "; S18[35]=" considers to have the same legal standing as property rights.
      He has said the compensation should come from the payments the states "; S19[35]=" receive from Canberra for participating in National Competition Policy.
      He has threatened that the system might be recast to compel the states "; S20[35]=" to do so unless they agree.
      The NSW Minister for Land and Water Conservation, John Aquilina, rejected the connection between water compensation "; S21[35]=" and competition entitlements as 'nonsense'.
      'Those national competition funds are there not just for water, they're there for a whole range of "; S22[35]=" things,' he told ABC radio.
      'The water planning process began independent of any consideration from the National Competition Policy and it's only "; S23[35]=" now that the Commonwealth Government has realised that because it needs to come to the party with some share of funding that it has to "; S24[35]=" find some other bucket in order to find the funds at the expense of the states.' He was backed by the Queensland Resources Minister, Stephen "; S25[35]=" Robertson.
      The Prime Minister, John Howard, sounded an optimistic note, saying after the cabinet meeting that he was certain Canberra would get "; S26[35]=" the states' co-operation because it was 'in the whole nation's interest' and 'we need the personal involvement of not only the Prime Minister but also "; S27[35]=" the premiers of all the states'.
      Mr Howard played down talk of a water levy and rejected suggestions that Australia could be "; S28[35]=" 'drought-proofed' through government action.
      'What you can do is change practices over time and you can encourage people at an individual property "; S29[35]=" level to use water more prudently.
      But you have to do that in a way that doesn't arbitrarily take away people's property "; S30[35]=" rights.'.. "; R[36]="1064"; T[36]="Rebate offer on tanks aims to cut use of water"; A[36]="By ... Editor"; Dn[36]="20021101"; Dt[36]="Friday 1 November 2002"; Acats[36]="a40"; B1[36]="      Rebates of up to $500 will be offered by the State Government to people buying rainwater tanks as it intensifies efforts to "; B2[36]="reduce water consumption... "; B3[36]=" "; B4[36]=" "; B5[36]=" "; S1[36]="      Rebates of up to $500 will be offered by the State Government to people buying rainwater tanks as it intensifies efforts to "; S2[36]=" reduce water consumption.
      Nearly a third of the cost of a tank would be rebated when people bought rainwater tanks for their "; S3[36]=" home or business, the Minister for Energy, Kim Yeadon, said yesterday.
      Sydney Water estimates water bills can be cut by more than "; S4[36]=" a third if rainwater is used for outdoor purposes such as washing the car and watering the garden.
      If also used for "; S5[36]=" flushing toilets or in the laundry, people could halve the amount of water they need to buy.
      The Government is encouraging people "; S6[36]=" to use rainwater for toilets and washing machines by offering an extra $150 on top of the tank rebate.
      In order to "; S7[36]=" use rainwater indoors people will have to install a backflow device to prevent the rainwater contaminating the main supply, but Sydney Water will connect them "; S8[36]=" free of charge.
      The State Government will also change planning laws by the end of the year to waive development consent for "; S9[36]=" the installation of rainwater tanks.
      Strathfield Council last year became the first urban council in the country to make rainwater tanks compulsory "; S10[36]=" for new free-standing houses.
      The Mayor of Strathfield, Virginia Judge, said the policy was something the council had started to 'make people "; S11[36]=" think about water'.
      'It's a finite resource, and I think this is being brought home to people while we are in the "; S12[36]=" middle of a drought.' More than 100 tanks had been installed in the Strathfield Council area since last year, Ms Judge said.
      "; S13[36]=" She doubted people would feel upset that the rebate had come in after the council made its rainwater tank compulsory.
      'These people "; S14[36]=" wanted to do something and make a contribution so they became involved.
      They can feel proud that they did it first.' Under "; S15[36]=" the scheme, which begins next week, a $150 rebate will be paid for tanks with a capacity of between 2000 and 3999 litres.
    "; S16[36]="   The average cost of a rainwater tank of that size is about $700.
      The rebate jumps to $400 for tanks with "; S17[36]=" a 4,000 to 6999 litre capacity, which could bring the cost of a tank down to about $600.
      A $500 rebate will "; S18[36]=" be given for the largest capacity tanks of more than 7000 litres, which normally sell for about $1400.
      After next June the "; S19[36]=" Government will look at extending the scheme to other parts of the state... "; R[37]="1063"; T[37]="Rainwater tanks create chaos in Sydney"; A[37]="By ... Editor"; Dn[37]="20021101"; Dt[37]="Friday 1 November 2002"; Acats[37]="a40"; B1[37]="      The State Government s policy on promoting the use of rainwater tanks is in shambles, with a senior minister yesterday defying a "; B2[37]="health department circular urging people to avoid drinking rainwater... "; B3[37]=" "; B4[37]=" "; B5[37]=" "; S1[37]="      The State Government's policy on promoting the use of rainwater tanks is in shambles, with a senior minister yesterday defying a health "; S2[37]=" department circular urging people to avoid drinking rainwater.
      Bureaucrats in three government departments are giving conflicting advice on tanks.
      "; S3[37]=" Research shows widespread use of rainwater tanks could defer the need for a new dam in Sydney by another 40 years.
      The "; S4[37]=" health department issued a circular earlier this year telling people not to drink rainwater in areas where piped water was available.
      The "; S5[37]=" department is concerned that air pollution could contaminate rainwater and that city slickers may not properly maintain tanks.
      What's more, the State "; S6[37]=" Government's plumbing regulation committee issued guidelines in June that tank water should not be drunk.
      The Committee on Uniformity of Plumbing and "; S7[37]=" Drainage Regulation (CUPDR), which provides guidelines for plumbers, decreed that pipes from rainwater tanks should be labelled 'non-potable'... "; R[38]="1051"; T[38]="Denial that Victoria will buy irrigation water for the Snowy"; A[38]="By ... Editor"; Dn[38]="20021024"; Dt[38]="Thursday 24 October 2002"; Acats[38]="a40a65"; B1[38]="      The Bracks Government has absolutely no intention of buying irrigation water to increase environmental flows to the Murray and Snowy Rivers, the "; B2[38]="Minister for Environment and Conservation, Sherryl Garbutt, said today... "; B3[38]=" "; B4[38]=" "; B5[38]=" "; S1[38]="      The Bracks Government has absolutely no intention of buying irrigation water to increase environmental flows to the Murray and Snowy Rivers, the "; S2[38]=" Minister for Environment and Conservation, Sherryl Garbutt, said today.
      Ms Garbutt said that, despite incorrect claims by the National and Liberal Party "; S3[38]=" politicians to the contrary, the Bracks Government was fundamentally opposed tohas never supported the concept of simply buying water entitlements for environmental flows.
    "; S4[38]="   'The Victorian Government is not planning to buy irrigation water to improve environmental flows to send down the Snowy and Murray Rivers.
    "; S5[38]="   Full stop,' Ms Garbutt said.
      'Statements by the National Party Leader, Peter Ryan, and the Liberal water spokesman, Terry Mulder, are "; S6[38]=" part of a deliberate misinformation campaign designed to mislead Victorian farmers.
      'This is a beat-up by the Liberals and Nationals who's intent "; S7[38]=" is to create fear in the farming community.
      They should know better.' Ms Garbutt said the Bracks Governmentthat the Bracks Government would "; S8[38]=" under no circumstances purchase water entitlements on the water market in competition with, and to the disadvantage of, farmeers, especially in times of drought.had comprehensively "; S9[38]=" ruled out the purchase of water entitlements to ensure it does not compete with farmers, particularly in times of drought.
      'Under the "; S10[38]=" Snowy Agreements recently concluded between the Governments of Victoria, New South Wales and the Commonwealth, it was specifically agreed that irrigator entitlements would not be "; S11[38]=" adversely affected,' Ms Garbutt said.
      'The Agreements also make it clear that water efficiency projects in Southern NSW and Northern Victoria are "; S12[38]=" to be the primary source of water savings for Snowy and Murray environmental flows.' The Bracks Government's commitment to major water savings projects is a "; S13[38]=" clear signal to farmers that water supply infrastructure in Northern Victoria will be upgraded to improve the efficiency of water delivery.
      Ms "; S14[38]=" Garbutt said the Snowy Water Inquiry Outcomes Implementation Deed referred to in media reports today was not 'confidential', as was claimed.
      'The "; S15[38]=" document was provided to Liberal water spokesman Terry Mulder by my office at his request.' Ms Garbutt said the Deed did not say the Bracks "; S16[38]=" Government would purchase water entitlements from irrigators.
      It merely reiterates the fact that the three governments were technically able to purchase water "; S17[38]=" from irrigators - something that has been publicly known for at least two years.
      'Simply because the Commonwealth, Victorian and NSW governments "; S18[38]=" are able to do something, doesn't mean that Victoria is going to do it,' Ms Garbutt said.
      'We have no intention of "; S19[38]=" doing it.
      And we have been repeating that message for a very long time.
      I am amazed that this "; S20[38]=" could be considered news.' In a press release issued on October 6, 2000, Ms Garbutt stated clearly that 'the joint government enterprise will also have "; S21[38]=" the ability to enter into the water market to purchase the entitlements.' 'The fact that Peter Ryan and Terry Mulder are trying to peddle this "; S22[38]=" as some kind of earth-shattering revelation shows they are cynically trying to spread misinformation throughout the Victorian farming community.' Ms Garbutt also refuted claims that "; S23[38]=" the Deed said the Bracks Government 'would' buy water entitlements from willing farmers... "; R[39]="1041"; T[39]="New Water from old"; A[39]="By ... Editor"; Dn[39]="20021024"; Dt[39]="Thursday 24 October 2002"; Acats[39]="a40a65"; B1[39]="      Water recycling schemes that could lead to 1000 jobs and an economic benefit of $590 million over the next 20 years will "; B2[39]="be promoted using a new brand launched today, the Minister for Environment and Conservation, Sherryl Garbutt said today... "; B3[39]=" "; B4[39]=" "; B5[39]=" "; S1[39]="      Water recycling schemes that could lead to 1000 jobs and an economic benefit of $590 million over the next 20 years will "; S2[39]=" be promoted using a new brand launched today, the Minister for Environment and Conservation, Sherryl Garbutt said today.
      Ms Garbutt unveiled the "; S3[39]=" NEWater brand while opening a new recycled water pipeline between Sunbury and Melton and also launching a draft blueprint for water recycling in Melbourne.
  "; S4[39]="     She said NewWater would be used to brand recycled water, which is suitable for a wide range of non-drinking uses, including irrigating parks "; S5[39]=" and gardens.
      'The Bracks Government has adopted a recycling strategy to achieve its target of recycling 20 per cent of treated effluent "; S6[39]=" by 2010,' Ms Garbutt said.
      'Analysis indicates that economic benefits to Victoria worth $590 million and 1000 jobs during the next 20 "; S7[39]=" years could be available through water recycling schemes.' Ms Garbutt said NEWater would become a symbol for recycled water and recycled water projects.
    "; S8[39]="   'Melburnians use 480,000 million litres of water a year and much of this is for uses that do not require drinking water quality and "; S9[39]=" could be substituted with recycled water.
      NEWater use is expected to increase rapidly in coming years as the infrastructure and treatment processes "; S10[39]=" required for growth in the market develop.' Ms Garbutt said recycled water would generate enormous benefits to the State through the better use and protection "; S11[39]=" of our natural resources, greater security of water supplies, opening up of dry land for agricultural use and developing a sustainable community.
      "; S12[39]=" 'contributes to sustainability by reducing the demand for potable (or drinking-quality) waterWater recycling protects the environment by conserving drinking water, reducing the discharge into our "; S13[39]=" bays and the ocean, making use of a valuable resource that currently goes to waste, and creating employment and economic growth,' Ms Garbutt said.
  "; S14[39]="     'The NEWater brand will apply to water recycling projects that use treated recycled water and have received the necessary regulatory approvals.
    "; S15[39]="   Around Victoria, the class of water used will vary according to the specific application.' Ms Garbutt said the new Water Recycling Action Plan would "; S16[39]=" help tackle existing barriers to water recycling in order to reach the 20 per cent target.
      'Water recycling is one of the "; S17[39]=" ways we can be smarter about our water use and the Water Recycling Action Plan will provide the framework for us to achieve that.
  "; S18[39]="     'During these times of drought in the country and looming restrictions in the city, our challenge is to be smarter in how we "; S19[39]=" use our water.
      We need a shift in thinking so that what has previously been seen as 'waste', in future will be "; S20[39]=" seen as 'new water' that can be beneficially recycled.' Ms Garbutt said recycled water - treated to the required standards - could be used for: "; S21[39]=" · Agricultural and horticultural irrigation; · Industrial applications; · Irrigation of golf courses, sporting fields and open spaces, gardens and toilet flushing; and · Restoring "; S22[39]=" and creating wetlands and lakes.
      'These applications highlight the great potential for recycled water to grow our industries.' Ms Garbutt said a "; S23[39]=" positive example of that potential was the opening of the $3 million, 30 kilometre Sunbury-Melton pipeline, which will carry recycled water from Western Water's Sunbury "; S24[39]=" Treatment Plant across agricultural land from Sunbury to Melton.
      'The Sunbury Melton pipeline will open up many exciting new urban and rural "; S25[39]=" development opportunities on Melbourne's north west frontier.
      'It will be a central plank in the restoration of this region after many years "; S26[39]=" of being marginalised because of water shortages... "; R[40]="1028"; T[40]="Murray River to supply much of Adelaide s summer water demand"; A[40]="By ... Editor"; Dn[40]="20021023"; Dt[40]="Wednesday 23 October 2002"; Acats[40]="a40a68a91"; B1[40]="      Adelaide s summer water supply would overwhelmingly be drawn from the depleted River Murray, SA Water said yesterday.... "; B2[40]=" "; B3[40]=" "; B4[40]=" "; B5[40]=" "; S1[40]="      Adelaide's summer water supply would overwhelmingly be drawn from the depleted River Murray, SA Water said yesterday.
      Head of "; S2[40]=" water services John Ringham estimated 80 per cent of Adelaide's water supply would be pumped from the river - double the yearly average.
    "; S3[40]="   'In an average year, Adelaide would source 40 per cent of its water from the River Murray while in a dry year, it could "; S4[40]=" be as high as 90 per cent,' he told the Adelaide Advertiser.
      South Australia is entitled to draw 1850 gigalitres of water "; S5[40]=" from the Murray each year.
      Last year, Adelaide took 82 gigalitres.
      A gigalitre is a billion litres.
    "; S6[40]="   But River Murray Minister John Hill said consumption of Murray water could not continue at the same rate.
      'Each year, 73 "; S7[40]=" per cent of the River Murray's water is taken out, which is far too much,' he said.
      'SA is allowed only 6 "; S8[40]=" per cent of that, but Queensland, in particular, has placed great strain on the Murray.
      It is unsustainable.' At Henley Beach's Star "; S9[40]=" of the Sea School yesterday to promote water conservation, Mr Hill predicted Adelaide residents would face restrictions if the drought continued.
      'SA "; S10[40]=" and Adelaide have always been dry but we manage our resources well,' he said.
      'South Australians use water sparingly to take the "; S11[40]=" pressure off.
      'The supply is OK this year but if the drought goes on for much longer we may have to look "; S12[40]=" at restrictions.' Metropolitan reservoirs stand at 58 per cent capacity, compared with 89 per cent at the same time last year.
      But "; S13[40]=" Mr Ringham said he believed the city's water supply was secure... "; R[41]="1027"; T[41]="Wealthy use much more water"; A[41]="By ... Editor"; Dn[41]="20021023"; Dt[41]="Wednesday 23 October 2002"; Acats[41]="a40"; B1[41]="      People who live in Sydney s most exclusive suburbs use more water than their counterparts in other areas of the greater Sydney "; B2[41]="region, figures released by Sydney Water reveal... "; B3[41]=" "; B4[41]=" "; B5[41]=" "; S1[41]="      People who live in Sydney's most exclusive suburbs use more water than their counterparts in other areas of the greater Sydney region, "; S2[41]=" figures released by Sydney Water reveal.
      Sydney Water ranked 45 local government areas in the greater Sydney region, which includes the Blue "; S3[41]=" Mountains and Illawarra, and found the thirstiest municipalities were Woollahra, where each dwelling used 404 kilolitres a year, followed by Hunters Hill (308), Ku-ring-gai (370), "; S4[41]=" Baulkham Hills (365) and Mosman (363).
      Kiama on the South Coast used the least water, 209 kilolitres, followed by Leichhardt (220), South "; S5[41]=" Sydney (228), Wollongong (242) and Marrickville (243).
      As Sydney enters what forecasters tell us will be a long, hot and dry summer, "; S6[41]=" the Minister for Planning, Andrew Refshauge, has suggested Sydneysiders learn a little frugality.
      'With the vast majority of NSW in drought, people "; S7[41]=" living in Kiama, Wollongong and Shellharbour council areas are showing the way for the rest of Sydney on how to use water wisely,' he told "; S8[41]=" the Sydney Morning Herald.
      Dr Refshauge said dam levels in the region were 70 per cent full, an adequate level, but that "; S9[41]=" 'people need to get the message that we do not have a never-ending supply of water regardless of the weather conditions'.
      He "; S10[41]=" did not comment on why it appeared people living in wealthier areas used more water.
      However, larger gardens and swimming pools could "; S11[41]=" be the culprits.
      The good news was that there has been an 18 per cent reduction in water usage per person over "; S12[41]=" the past 20 years, with the adoption of more efficient appliances.
      But Dr Refshauge said there was a long way to go.
"; S13[41]="       He said if every house installed a rainwater tank for garden needs, domestic water consumption would drop by up to 40 per "; S14[41]=" cent.
      In the home, almost a quarter of clean fresh water used is flushed down toilets, with 20 per cent used in "; S15[41]=" showers , 16 per cent in the laundry and 10 per cent in the kitchen.
      Dr Refshauge said water could be saved "; S16[41]=" by mulching garden beds, watering gardens in the evening and washing cars on lawns.
      The Sydney Water figures reveal the average person "; S17[41]=" uses 411 litres daily, while the average household use is 256,000 litres a year.
      Flats and units use an average 178,000 litres "; S18[41]=" a year.
      Water use within the Sydney Water study totalled 534,000 megalitres for the 2001-02 financial year.
      The agricultural "; S19[41]=" sector accounts for 70 per cent of all freshwater used in Australia.. "; R[42]="1019"; T[42]="Rivers dying for a Drink"; A[42]="By ... Editor"; Dn[42]="20021018"; Dt[42]="Friday 18 October 2002"; Acats[42]="a40a91"; B1[42]="      New farm industries, like cotton, are drinking so thirstily from Australia s pivotal watercourses that little is left downstream for humans, animals "; B2[42]="or the future... "; B3[42]=" "; B4[42]=" "; B5[42]=" "; S1[42]="      New farm industries, like cotton, are drinking so thirstily from Australia's pivotal watercourses that little is left downstream for humans, animals or "; S2[42]=" the future.
      Reg Betts stands in the dry bed of a once permanent waterhole near the foreman's homestead on Balgi, his livestock "; S3[42]=" property on the NSW-Queensland border, as a flock of galahs screeches from the river red gums.
      'Our waterways are wrecked,' he says.
"; S4[42]="       'It's too late for us.
      The damage has been done.' He told the Sydney Morning Herald.
      "; S5[42]=" Betts says the waterways were wrecked long before the current drought, which has made an already very bad predicament worse.
      He maintains "; S6[42]=" that water flows were reduced to a comparative trickle with the development upstream over the past two decades of the cotton industry.
      "; S7[42]=" Fifty kilometres up the Culgoa River from Balgi is Cubbie Station, Australia's biggest cotton farm with a water storage capacity equal to Sydney Harbour ensconced "; S8[42]=" in 60km of dam walls.
      'The cotton growers put their levy banks up and the water stopped flowing,' Betts says.
    "; S9[42]="   'Every winter, 20 years back, the Culgoa would run clear.
      The floodplains, the kidneys of the river I call them, would "; S10[42]=" flood at least once a year; they haven't flooded for 10 years.
      The water today either doesn't come or when it does, "; S11[42]=" it's dirty.
      You'd go out once and catch basket loads of Murray cod, yellowbelly, black bream.
      Now, there's absolutely "; S12[42]=" none.' Betts says water flow problems have reduced his property's carrying capacity by 30 per cent at a cost of $200,000 a year; he had "; S13[42]=" to double its size by purchasing another 25,000 hectares to make it viable.
      'We had windmills and high tanks on the river "; S14[42]=" that have been abandoned.
      We had to go into debt, but we're not entitled to any compensation.' His plight is a microcosm "; S15[42]=" of what's going wrong with Queensland's 26 million-hectare portion of the Murray-Darling Basin.
      The growing water needs of cotton and other agricultural "; S16[42]=" producers in Queensland have sharply reduced flows in a host of tributaries of the Darling River, adversely affecting the entire Murray-Darling system.
      "; S17[42]=" The $2 million project under way to dredge open the sand-choked mouth of the Murray in South Australia is a dramatic illustration of the implications "; S18[42]=" of water mismanagement upstream.
      At the same time, inappropriate land use and excessive tree clearing has led to the first signs in "; S19[42]=" Queensland's Murray-Darling Basin of the salinity crisis that plagues much of the rest of the nation.
      According to an unpublished water resources "; S20[42]=" plan prepared by the Queensland Department of Natural Resources for the Condamine-Ballone rivers catchment, flows across the border from Queensland into the Murray-Darling in NSW "; S21[42]=" are just 45 per cent of pre-development levels.
      On average, about 700,000 megalitres of water a year - enough to fill 1 "; S22[42]=" Sydney Harbours - are no longer flowing south.
      The department estimates 80 per cent of this water is used by the cotton "; S23[42]=" industry, with Cubbie Station alone accounting for 110,000 megalitres.
      The department believes flows should be not less that 60 per cent of "; S24[42]=" pre-development levels within five years, a target regarded as unrealistic and unnecessary by cotton growers.
      In another departmental plan, for the Border "; S25[42]=" Rivers catchment in the Goondiwindi region further east, flows across the border are 57 per cent of pre-development levels, with the cotton industry accounting for "; S26[42]=" between 80 and 90 per cent of the 400,000 megalitres of water used annually.
      The Queensland Premier, Peter Beattie, met a storm "; S27[42]=" of protest when he attempted to address water-flow and salinity issues earlier this year with a proposed buy-out of Cubbie Station.
      The "; S28[42]=" station pays just $3700 a year for water licences to irrigate 14,000ha of cotton.
      The cotton industry joined local community leaders to "; S29[42]=" claim that shutting down an operation with a $50 million-a-year turnover would devastate the region's economic mainstay.
      Beattie responded that the issue "; S30[42]=" was a 'matter of life or death' for some rural communities and insisted Queensland had to reduce water extraction from the Murray-Darling Basin catchment by "; R[43]="1018"; T[43]="We can t go on increasing our water use"; A[43]="By ... Editor"; Dn[43]="20021018"; Dt[43]="Friday 18 October 2002"; Acats[43]="a40"; B1[43]="      Water use in Australia is predicted to increase by almost 10 per cent in the next seven years and almost double that "; B2[43]="by 2025... "; B3[43]=" "; B4[43]=" "; B5[43]=" "; S1[43]="      Water use in Australia is predicted to increase by almost 10 per cent in the next seven years and almost double that "; S2[43]=" by 2025.
      Scientists have already warned that Australians are among the most profligate users of water in the world.
      "; S3[43]=" A report by the International Food Policy Research Institute showed Australia was doing nothing to limit its water use but was allowing it to increase.
"; S4[43]="       About 12,800 million litres of water is used every year, with more than 70 per cent of that used for irrigation.
  "; S5[43]="     That figure is expected to increase to be almost 15,000 million litres by 2025.
      The report projects that by 2025, "; S6[43]=" water scarcity will cause annual global losses of 350 million tonnes of food production - slightly more than the entire current US grain crop.
  "; S7[43]="     Australia might be forced to import feed grain because of the drought, Labor primary industries spokesman Kerry O'Brien has said.
      "; S8[43]=" Senator O'Brien said todaya crisis was facing intensive agricultural industries such as the poultry and pig industries, because feed grain was in such short supply.
"; S9[43]="       He said grain might have to be imported because most of the nation's high quality grain was headed for lucrative overseas markets.
"; S10[43]="       'The importation of feed grain may be necessary to sustain some intensive industries, including the poultry, pork and feedlot industries through the "; S11[43]=" coming months,' he said.
      'Australia may also be forced to consider importing some feed grain to ensure high quality domestic grain can "; S12[43]=" continue to be exported to overseas markets.'.. "; R[44]="1002"; T[44]="Drought-proofing nation brings flood of ideas"; A[44]="By ... Editor"; Dn[44]="20021016"; Dt[44]="Wednesday 16 October 2002"; Acats[44]="a40"; B1[44]="      Cloud seeding in the Snowy Mountains, piping water across Bass Strait from Tasmania, turning around tropical rivers to flood Lake Eyre - "; B2[44]="These are some of the host of ideas suggested to a federal parliamentary inquiry into rural water supplies... "; B3[44]=" "; B4[44]=" "; B5[44]=" "; S1[44]="      Cloud seeding in the Snowy Mountains, piping water across Bass Strait from Tasmania, turning around tropical rivers to flood Lake Eyre - "; S2[44]=" These are some of the host of ideas suggested to a federal parliamentary inquiry into rural water supplies.
      How to water the "; S3[44]=" world's second driest continent has become a contentious issue as the drought continues to bite.
      More than 100 written submissions to the "; S4[44]=" inquiry reflect the war of words that has erupted over whether or not Australia can be drought-proofed.
      The CSIRO's submission says irrigated "; S5[44]=" farming - which creates a lot of Australia's wealth - accounts for 75 per cent of total water use.
      Water use rose "; S6[44]=" by about 65 per cent between 1983 and 1997, mostly because of increased irrigation, while urban and industrial water use declined.
      The "; S7[44]=" CSIRO says: 'The primary right to water should be to satisfy the basic human need for sufficient water of adequate quality for drinking ...
  "; S8[44]="     'There should be a right of the environment to have adequate water to maintain the integrity of the dependant ecosystems.' Land and Water "; S9[44]=" Australia, a federal body, says the increased water needs of agriculture, consumers and the environment, coupled with a change in climate, which has led to "; S10[44]=" higher temperatures, has put a squeeze on rural water supplies.
      It warns: 'It is already clear that many irrigation industries do not "; S11[44]=" have the capacity to understand either their potential impacts at the catchment scale or their dependency on future water supplies.' It says Australia needs to "; S12[44]=" be a world leader in rain forecasting to deal with this.
      Snowy Hydro, which manages the dams and energy plants of the "; S13[44]=" Snowy Mountains scheme, wants cloud seeding to increase snowfall in its catchment area.
      Seeding involves pumping silver iodide into clouds from aircraft "; S14[44]=" or mountainsides to promote the growth of ice particles.
      Snowy Hydro says the system would improve snow cover for skiers as well "; S15[44]=" as increase runoff for irrigators by at least 6 per cent.
      The Queensland MP Bob Katter wants to draw on the ideas "; S16[44]=" of the Sydney Harbour Bridge designer John Bradfield.
      Bradfield devised a scheme to capture the monsoonal rains of north Queensland to fill "; S17[44]=" the usually dry bed of Lake Eyre in South Australia.
      As well as providing water for irrigation, the idea was that evaporation "; S18[44]=" from the lake would increase rainfall generally in inland Australia.
      Mr Katter says in his submission that it is a national disgrace "; S19[44]=" that Australia is 'the only country on Earth with 90 per cent of its water allowed to run unimpeded to the sea'.
      "; S20[44]=" The submission of the packaging billionaire Richard Pratt champions the use of putting irrigation water in plastic pipes, rather than open channels, to increase efficiency.
"; S21[44]="       Mr Pratt says leakage and evaporation can lead to losses of 80 per cent before water even reaches its destination.
    "; S22[44]="   Mr Pratt says the billion-dollar scheme should be funded through Government-issued water bonds.
      Written submission to the committee closed yesterday, and "; S23[44]=" public hearings will follow.
      The inquiry's chairwoman, Kay Elson, said she was already convinced a lot of water was wasted, 'and if "; S24[44]=" we have to expend funds to get this problem fixed then government has to bite the bullet'... "; R[45]="994"; T[45]="Outlook for Australia s natural resources?"; A[45]="By ... Editor"; Dn[45]="20020926"; Dt[45]="Thursday 26 September 2002"; Acats[45]="a38a40a42a90"; B1[45]="      The final report of the National Land and Water Resources Audit was released today by the Federal Minister for the Environment and "; B2[45]="Heritage, Dr David Kemp, and the Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Warren Truss... "; B3[45]=" "; B4[45]=" "; B5[45]=" "; S1[45]="      The final report of the National Land and Water Resources Audit was released today by the Federal Minister for the Environment and "; S2[45]=" Heritage, Dr David Kemp, and the Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Warren Truss.
      Entitled Australia's Natural Resources 1997-2002 and Beyond, "; S3[45]=" the report summarises the condition and management opportunities for Australia's soils, water, rivers, estuaries and biodiversity.
      'Having all this information in the "; S4[45]=" one publication, not only improves our understanding of the scale of the challenges we face, but also helps farmers and regional communities identify workable and "; S5[45]=" lasting solutions,' Dr Kemp said.
      'Focussing on soil erosion and fine tuning farming practices to avoid salinity and acidity are essential to "; S6[45]=" increasing on-farm productivity and protecting the natural environment,' Mr Truss said.
      'The challenge for governments, scientists and business is to support our "; S7[45]=" farmers in their efforts to turn around Australia's soil management challenges.' A second, significant issue highlighted in the report is the importance of Australia's rangelands.
"; S8[45]="       'These vast areas - more than 75 per cent of Australia - are sparsely settled but have important multiple values, including grazing, "; S9[45]=" mining, indigenous activities, biodiversity and tourism,' Dr Kemp said.
      'Government and community resources are limited, so it is vital that we take "; S10[45]=" an Australia-wide approach and get true value for our investment dollar.
      To do so, an approach that transcends governments, agencies and interest "; S11[45]=" groups, and delivers high quality and practical support to outback Australia is required.' Mr Truss said water was the third big issue, with the Audit "; S12[45]=" providing much of the information needed to make decisions about a range of water allocation and management issues.
      The report also includes "; S13[45]=" nine recommendations for continuing with an information-based approach to natural resource management in this country.
      'The recommendations will help us develop the "; S14[45]=" next phase of National Land and Water Resources Audit activities,' Dr Kemp said... "; R[46]="980"; T[46]="SA develops Waterproofing Adelaide plan"; A[46]="By ... Editor"; Dn[46]="20020923"; Dt[46]="Monday 23 September 2002"; Acats[46]="a40a68"; B1[46]="      The South Australian Government is developing plans to engineer Adelaide s water catchment and storage infrastructure to reduce the city s reliance "; B2[46]="on the River Murray... "; B3[46]=" "; B4[46]=" "; B5[46]=" "; S1[46]="      The South Australian Government is developing plans to engineer Adelaide's water catchment and storage infrastructure to reduce the city's reliance on the "; S2[46]=" River Murray.
      The state's water delivery and policy agencies are developing 'Waterproofing Adelaide', a 20-year plan to maximise the city's water.
  "; S3[46]="     It will include identifying land within the metropolitan area for aquifer storage and recovery systems.
      Environment Minister John Hill says "; S4[46]=" more than enough water falls on the metropolitan area to meet the city's demands.
      'All the evidence suggests that there is enough "; S5[46]=" water that falls by rainfall on Adelaide to satisfy all our demands,' he said.
      'But unfortunately most of it goes down storm "; S6[46]=" water and end up out to sea, so we are looking at better ways to capture that water and use water that we currently only "; S7[46]=" use once.'.. "; R[47]="976"; T[47]="Funding initiative to save water in Victoria"; A[47]="By ... Editor"; Dn[47]="20020919"; Dt[47]="Thursday 19 September 2002"; Acats[47]="a40a65"; B1[47]="      A new $4 million fund established by the Victorian Government will result in water conservation initiatives being established throughout the greater Melbourne "; B2[47]="metropolitan area, the Minister for Environment and Conservation, Sherryl Garbutt said today... "; B3[47]=" "; B4[47]=" "; B5[47]=" "; S1[47]="      A new $4 million fund established by the Victorian Government will result in water conservation initiatives being established throughout the greater Melbourne "; S2[47]=" metropolitan area, the Minister for Environment and Conservation, Sherryl Garbutt said today.
      Ms Garbutt said the Smart Water Fund would provide real "; S3[47]=" incentives to businesses, local government, sporting and industry organisations and even individuals to implement water saving initiatives.
      'With dry conditions in most "; S4[47]=" of the State, and low storage levels in Melbourne, Victorians are becoming increasingly aware that water is a finite resource,' Ms Garbutt said.
    "; S5[47]="   'Melbourne in particular is a major consumer of water and, as a community, we need to be smarter about our water use.
    "; S6[47]="   The Bracks Government is committed to encouraging projects that use water in a sustainable and innovative way.' Ms Garbutt said the fund, being overseen "; S7[47]=" by Melbourne's water retailers and Melbourne Water, would encourage the development of water saving projects.
      This includes initiatives which promote water recycling "; S8[47]=" and is consistent with the Bracks Government's aim of reducing demand for water while boosting the level of water recycling.
      'By 2010, "; S9[47]=" the Bracks Government wants 20 per cent of Melbourne's treated wastewater to be recycled to meet the growing demands of our most precious resource,' Ms "; S10[47]=" Garbutt said.
      'We want individuals, businesses and other organisations to be conscious of their water consumption but to also unlock the potential "; S11[47]=" of water recycling.
      The Smart Water Fund is one way to help achieve this goal.' Ms Garbutt said $4 million will be "; S12[47]=" available in this financial year with funding assistance from $50,000 to $500,000 available granted for any one project.
      An additional $4 million "; S13[47]=" will be made available throughout 2003-2004.
      Applicants must be able to demonstrate they have the required resources to enable successful completion of "; S14[47]=" the task within three years of receiving grant funding.
      Ms Garbutt encouraged businesses, industries, associations and individuals to grab the opportunity offered "; S15[47]=" by the Smart Water Fund.
      'This fund is a great way for people to get their water saving ideas off the ground "; S16[47]=" which will benefit the whole community.' Smart Water Fund Application Pack is available at www.smartwater.com.au or by phoning the Smart Water Fund on 1800 882 "; S17[47]=" 432.
      Applications for first round of funding close on November 29, 2002... "; R[48]="966"; T[48]="Dredge warms up to keep Murray Mouth open"; A[48]="By ... Editor"; Dn[48]="20020917"; Dt[48]="Tuesday 17 September 2002"; Acats[48]="a40a42a68a91"; B1[48]="      Two sand-clogged channels will be widened by up to 80m in a $2 million project to keep open the choked River Murray "; B2[48]="Mouth... "; B3[48]=" "; B4[48]=" "; B5[48]=" "; S1[48]="      Two sand-clogged channels will be widened by up to 80m in a $2 million project to keep open the choked River Murray "; S2[48]=" Mouth.
      Next month, for the first time, a dredge will work inside the mouth to open the Goolwa and Tauwitchere channels, "; S3[48]=" where masses of sand have accumulated.
      The project, set to be approved by the Murray-Darling Basin Commission today, is a short-term "; S4[48]=" measure planned by the State Government to ease the crisis at the mouth, the Coorong and lower lakes.
      Experts say the "; S5[48]=" quantity of sand in the mouth is at unprecedented levels, blocking flow, damaging the delicate Coorong and leading to escalating salinity in the Murray.
  "; S6[48]="     The lack of flow through the mouth has elevated the Coorong's water level to 20cm above its normal height, meaning tidal mudflats "; S7[48]=" - feeding grounds for migratory birds - have become permanently inundated.
      Under the project, which is expected to continue for up "; S8[48]=" to 12 months or until flow is improved, sand will be removed by a cutter suction dredge and pumped to beaches along the Younghusband and "; S9[48]=" Sir Richard peninsulas.
      The Goolwa channel will be opened to 40m and the Tauwitchere channel, linked to the Coorong, will be "; S10[48]=" dredged to 80m wide, both to a depth of 3m.
      More than 375,000 cubic metres of sand is expected to be "; S11[48]=" removed.
      Environment Minister John Hill told The Adelaide Advertiser that it was 'crunch time' for the mouth.
      "; S12[48]=" 'Keeping the mouth open is vital to regulate the level of water in the Coorong and to allow salt to leave the River Murray system,' "; S13[48]=" he said.
      'There are no guarantees that this project will succeed, but as summer approaches we need to take whatever action "; S14[48]=" we can to protect both the River Murray and the Coorong from mouth closure.' The mouth last closed in 1981 and a land-based dredge "; S15[48]=" was used to reopen it.
      Drought in the Murray-Darling Basin has meant that there have been no flows through the Murray "; S16[48]=" Mouth since December last year.
      Premier Mike Rann and Agriculture Minister Paul Holloway will travel to the Murray Mallee region today to "; S17[48]=" talk to farmers and community leaders about the drought.
      Weekend storms brought little relief to country areas, with just 0.4mm of "; S18[48]=" rain recorded at Mannum and 5mm at Tailem Bend.
      High temperatures and extreme winds prompted a warning from the SA Country "; S19[48]=" Fire Service of a severe fire danger season ahead.
      CFS spokesman Euan Ferguson said conditions around the state, including high fuels "; S20[48]=" and dry undergrowth, were similar to conditions in the lead-up to the Ash Wednesday fires.
      'If we continue to have ongoing "; S21[48]=" dry weather, in two or three months conditions will be as bad as they get,' Mr Ferguson said.
      .. "; R[49]="955"; T[49]="Adelaide facing water crisis"; A[49]="By ... Editor"; Dn[49]="20020916"; Dt[49]="Monday 16 September 2002"; Acats[49]="a40a68"; B1[49]="      Up to 90 per cent of Adelaide s water supply will be drawn from the already crippled River Murray unless there are "; B2[49]="unexpected downpours this spring... "; B3[49]=" "; B4[49]=" "; B5[49]=" "; S1[49]="      Up to 90 per cent of Adelaide's water supply will be drawn from the already crippled River Murray unless there are unexpected "; S2[49]=" downpours this spring.
      Metropolitan reservoirs are at just 52 per cent capacity compared with 85 per cent at the same time last "; S3[49]=" year.
      The long-range weather forecast for Adelaide's catchment area is for a warmer-than-average spring, with little rain.
      In an "; S4[49]=" attempt to avoid the need for compulsory restrictions, SA Water has already called on South Australians to make an effort to conserve water.
    "; S5[49]="   'Because of our unique infrastructure of major pipelines connecting the city and the vital resource of the River Murray, South Australians haven't experienced compulsory "; S6[49]=" water restrictions in over 40 years,' SA Water head of water services John Ringham told the Adelaide Advertiser yesterday.
      'However, we can't "; S7[49]=" afford to be complacent and we ask all South Australians to use water wisely.' SA Water expects it will have to pump at least 65 "; S8[49]=" per cent of Adelaide's water, as much as 1150 million litres a day during summer, from the river.
      This can go as "; S9[49]=" high as 90 per cent if metropolitan reservoirs are not adequately replenished.
      The forecast comes as the Murray Mouth, choked by sandbars, "; S10[49]=" is on the verge of closing.
      This is a result of drought in the Murray-Darling Basin and the demand from irrigators.
  "; S11[49]="     Today, the State Government will announce a $2 million rescue plan for the mouth, likely to be approved by the Murray-Darling Basin Commission "; S12[49]=" tomorrow.
      Dredging is the only solution to unblocking the mouth and allowing the River Murray's natural passage to the Southern Ocean.
  "; S13[49]="     The plan will see some of the two million cubic metres of sand trapped in the mouth removed.
      Environment Minister "; S14[49]=" John Hill said dredging was 'a vital short-term measure to protect the health of the environmentally significant Coorong National Park'.
      He said "; S15[49]=" what was really required was 'more water'.
      'There have not been any flows out of the Murray Mouth since December 2001 and "; S16[49]=" it's vital that we do what we can to make sure the mouth doesn't close again like it did in 1981,' Mr Hill said.
  "; S17[49]="     It is predicted that if the mouth were closed over summer, salinity levels in the Coorong would escalate, algal blooms would develop and "; S18[49]=" fish and vegetation would die.
      'It would `cook' the Coorong,' Mr Hill said.
      With no flow to sea through "; S19[49]=" the mouth, waves are entering and dumping sand inside it.
      The sand is building up and a few small channels remain.
  "; S20[49]="     The commission will meet tomorrow and is expected to approve the plan and commit funding from basin states.
      Dredging would "; S21[49]=" begin early next month.
      The mouth last closed over completely in 1981... ";