The Science behind the Living Murray Initiative Part 2

The contents of this publication do not purport to represent the position of Murray Irrigation Ltd. They are presented to inform discussion about the future management of the Murray River and Murray Darling Basin resources. In November 2003 Murray Irrigation Ltd commissioned this review of the interim report. This document, The Science Behind the Living Murray Initiative – Part 2, is a companion to an earlier review The Science Behind the Living Murray Initiative, which analyses the three key scientific documents that have framed the direction of the Living Murray Initiative debate to date. Our intention in commissioning both reports has been to increase the scrutiny of the scientific evidence being used to justify substantial environmental flows for the Murray River. It has also been our aim to improve the quality of debate about one of the most significant water policy issues facing both the state and federal governments. Murray Irrigation is a private irrigation company owned by the irrigation farmers and communities to whom it provides water and drainage services. This includes 2,400 properties owned by 1,600 family farm businesses, and water supplies for four towns in the region. The area produces a diverse range of agricultural products and the farm gate value of produce is about $300 million a year, including 50% of Australia's rice crop, 20% of NSW milk, 75% of NSW processing tomatoes and 40% of NSW potatoes. Our region is home to 25,000 people and irrigated agriculture is vital to the local economy and community. Socioeconomic research conducted by agribusiness consultants Rendell McGuckian indicates that a 20% reduction in water for our region would halve the number of farm businesses. We believe the flow on consequences for many local communities would be significant in terms of falling populations and reduced economic and social activity. The 1,500,000ML environmental flow reference point discussed in the interim report, and this review, would equate roughly to a 20% reduction in the water available to our community, if that reduction was shared between irrigators in the Murray, Murrumbidgee and Goulburn Valleys. The health of the Murray River is fundamental to our present and our future. Murray Irrigation has actively pursued improvements in the way we manage our natural resources. This includes a commitment to changing the way we farm and operate our irrigation system. Since 1995 our shareholders have invested $238 million on their farms to improve land and water …