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Appendix E – Water saving proposals

The below table outlines some of the projects put to the Committee to return water to the environment prior to reducing the productive water available to irrigators. These projects have not been subject to a robust analysis by the Committee, but are listed here as an example of wealth of initiatives developed in communities across the Basin.

Table E.1 Water saving proposals

Region	Project	Potential Return (ML)
Goulburn-Broken	Water for Rivers Mokoan Project.[1]	50,200
	Furtureflow Shepparton project.[2]	25,000
	Five year on-farm irrigation efficiency project by a consortium led by the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority.[3]	100,000
Loddon	CSIRO pilot study in the Torumbarry Irrigation Area (TIA) to investigate the potential for targeted investment in reconfiguration and water purchases.[4]	60,000
Lower Darling	Darling Anabranch Pipeline – construction of a stock and domestic water pipeline, the removal of instream structures from within the anabranch and the management of flows from Lake Cawndilla.[5]	47,000
Murray	Structural and engineering works at Hattah Lakes.[6]	371,300
	A group of 30 irrigators proposing to shut down their channel system.[7]	40,000
	Project of strategic infrastructure and a focussed watering program of Lindsay Island.[8]	277,500
	Structural and engineering works at Gunbower Forest.[9]	185,000
	Sub-system retirement package including bulk water purchase and the retirement of infrastructure.[10]	25,000
	Private Irrigation Infrastructure Operations Program (PIIOP) – combing strategic purchase and channel retirement.[11]	167,000
	On-Farm Irrigation Efficiency Program – 141 projects of on-farm irrigation.[12]	30,000
Murrumbidgee	Water for Rivers are looking at recovering water from the better management of the Murrumbidgee, partly through on-farm efficiencies and the more efficient delivery of water to users.[13]	40,000- 70,000
	The development of Barren Box Swamp as water and wetland storage, for the purpose of balancing operational water demands.[14]	20,000
	Proposal from a group of farming families to decommission 90 kilometres of channel that serviced 67,000 hectares.[15]	43,000
	Reconstruction of channelised section of the Mirrool Creek.[16]	6,000
	The establishment of a current generation pressurised and piped stock and domestic system (including pump stations, water storages and new supply points) at Wah Wah channel.[17]	10,000
	The planning, design and implementation of a new water supply to the Lake Wyangan catchment.[18]	6,000
	Sale and full control of 84,000 hectares within the Lower Murrumbidgee Icon Site (Nimmie-Caira), including full control of channel and floodplain infrastructure.[19]	160,000- 380,000

Region	Project	Potential Return (ML)
Wimmera-Avoca	Proposal to close the Wimmera Irrigation System in preference to modernisation or rationalisation of water systems in the area.[20]	28,000
	Northern Wimmera – Mallee Pipeline project.[21]	75,000

[1] New South Wales Farmers Association, Submission 485, p. 18.

[2] Northern Victorian Irrigators, Submission 555, p. 3.

[3] United Dairy Farmers of Victoria, Supplementary Submission 530.2, p. 10.

[4] Environment Victoria, Submission 317, pp. 19-20.

[5] New South Wales Government, Submission 585, p. 29.

[6] Victorian Farmers Federation, Submission 395, p. 25.

[7] Mr May, Wakool Landholders Association, Transcript of Evidence, Swan Hill, pp. 24-25.

[8] Mr Mills, Mildura’s Future Water Group, Transcript of Evidence, Mildura, 19 January 2011, p. 6; and Victorian Farmers Federation, Submission 395, p. 25.

[9] Victorian Farmers Federation, Submission 395, p. 25.

[10] Murray Irrigation, Submission 440, p. 16.

[11] Murray Irrigation, Submission 440, p. 16.

[12] Murray Irrigation, Submission 440, p. 16.

[13] Mr Richard Bull, Water for Rivers, Transcript of Evidence, Canberra, 23 February 2011, p. 18; Water for Rivers, Submission 408, p.5; and Murray Irrigation, Submission 440, p. 3.

[14] Leslie Worland, Submission 167, p. 4.

[15] Mr Morton, Submission 638.

[16] Murrumbidgee Irrigation, Submission 419, p. 12.

[17] Murrumbidgee Irrigation, Submission 419, p. 12.

[18] Murrumbidgee Irrigation, Submission 419, p. 12.

[19] Mr Michael Spinks, Exhibit 142.

[20] Wimmera Irrigators Association, Submission 175, pp. 1-2.

[21] Northern Victorian Irrigators, Submission 555, p. 3.

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