We (Cotton Wire) are indebted to one of our perspicacious readers (me) for forwarding a copy of an article, written by Ron Pike on the Murray Darling Basin Plan, published in the Australian edition of the London Spectator, which in pithy and in frank terms outlines how the Plan was conceived, and why it should … Continue reading SHOULD THE BASIN PLAN BE AMENDED OR SCRAPPED? →

“The suggestion that environmental water be given up for irrigation in times of drought implies that the environment does not need water during a drought". The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder has told the Inquiry that evidence shows that this is not the case. Ugh? I thought that under natural conditions that is exactly what the … Continue reading Droughts and the Environment →

''The panel, headed by former Murray Darling Basin Authority board member George Warne, called for an end to predetermined flow rates." A quote from this week's Water Minister's Brisbane meeting. In a massively variable rainfall/run-off environment, this should surely be a self evident truth. The establishment of a fixed Sustainable Diversion Limit (SDL) for each … Continue reading More BGO’s (Blinding Glimpse of the Obvious) →

This guy, Topher Field, is a great communicator and knows his subject...... https://youtu.be/qd7G7QFOr90 https://youtu.be/A7yn6Br0JMw https://youtu.be/2HKW51CSXak

Not for the first time, last night's Four Corners programme must surely go down in broadcasting annals as quite the most misleading, dishonest dissertation ever produced. The major target for the attack, Webster Limited, has drawn a strong reply which everybody interested should read-http://www.websterltd.com.au/ This nationally damaging episode should be called out for what it … Continue reading ABC Four Corners-Murray Darling Basin Massacre →

"I represent no one except myself.My background is grazing including flood plain grazing, dryland farming and irrigation, mostly cotton. Geographically it is mainly influenced by experience in the Lake Eyre Basin, the Darling Basin, but also includes the Lower Darling and the Murrumbidgee (Tandou). My only motivation is not to see  Australia's future productive capacity damaged … Continue reading Murray Darling Debate-Summary of My Key Thoughts →

Submission To the Murray Darling Basin Authority On the Draft Plan 10th April, 2012 Preamble The debate over the last year or so on the Draft Plan and its predecessor has revealed glaring flaws in both the Water Act (2007) and the Draft Plan. So much so that if we are serious in securing better … Continue reading Submission To the Murray Darling Basin Authority On the Draft Plan 10th April, 2012 →

Murray Darling Basin Plan-Overview From the time that the Howard Government, in an attempt to garner "green" votes, decided to throw $10bn at the Murray Darling Basin, the management of the Basin has been a political football. This vote chasing initiative arose as the great Millennium Drought was biting hard and water shortages, the natural consequences of drought, were being … Continue reading Murray Darling Basin Plan -Overview 2014 Updated 2018 →

06.05.2011A leading world authority on water has lavished praise on Australia's water management during the Millenium Drought which has now broken so spectacularly.Harvard Professor John Briscoe is a former Senior Water Advisor at the World Bank and was called in as an advisor to the Murray Darling Basin Authority in the preparation of the controversial … Continue reading High Praise For Murray Darling Water Management →

04.10.18The big winter wet of this year (2016) is a timely reminder of the flaws in the MDB Plan. I have long been fascinated by inland water flows in this very flat land, with highly variable rainfall, which is the predominant feature of Australia. Dorothea Mackellar got it so right with her classic line "Droughts … Continue reading Murray Darling Basin Plan-Big 2016 Wet-Reminder →