Aus - Murray River Could Be Dry In 6 Months, But Irrigation Water Untouchable

[hatrack]

THE Murray-Darling river system could run out of water within six months, the Federal Government has warned. Despite this, an emergency water summit called by the Government will not consider taking back water from irrigated crops such as rice and cotton, and will not include the state at the origin of the river system, Queensland.

"By the end of the irrigation season in April or May the big dams on the river … will be just about empty," the parliamentary secretary for water, Malcolm Turnbull, told Channel Nine yesterday. "That raises big issues in terms of water management: how to ensure there is water for cities and towns; how do we ensure there is enough water to support our horticultural industries, in particular."

Mr Turnbull said tomorrow's meeting with ministers from NSW, Victoria and South Australia had been called to take advice from experts about possible government action.

Although he conceded too much water had been taken from the river system, he ruled out changes to the kind of crops grown in Australia. "I'm very sceptical about governments being able to decide what crops farmers should plant," Mr Turnbull said.

EDIT

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/rivers-in-crisis-yet-crops-off-hit-list/2006/11/05/1162661553347.html

[hobbit709]

1. Mother Nature bats last

"I'm very sceptical about governments being able to decide what crops farmers should plant,"

Before long, it won't matter if the government decides what to plant or not. That decision won't be in their hands soon.

[papau]

2. I bet there is a cotton and other crop subsidy - so the gov is telling

farmers what to plant.

[hatrack]

3. Yeah, sounds kind of familiar, doesn't it?

:eyes:

[phantom power]

4. Well....

What's a continental drought between neighbors, as long as we don't tell anybody what to do.