Drought, rivers and water resources news
The Wilderness Society
One of the reasons the proposed Gunns’ pulp mill has been so unpopular is because it planned to source 80% of its timber from Tasmania’s native forests, despite claiming they have enough plantations to supply the pulp mill. This is all about to change, however, as Gunns’ share price has fallen 20% in the last three days and they have just released $170 million worth of plantations to relieve their debts. Meaning, if the pulp mill does go ahead there will be added pressure on Tasmania’s native forests to supply the mill.
posted by kirsty on August 20, 2008 at 4:41 pm · filed under 
International Riverfoundation
| September 1, 2008 | to | September 4, 2008 |
Brisbane’s 11th International Riversymposium: ‘A Future of Extremes’ will serve as a preparatory meeting for the 5th World Water Forum in Istanbul, 2009.
Australia’s largest annual river management forum, the International Riversymposium will be attended by more than 600 delegates from 40 countries, with discussion focusing on the challenges associated with the increased incidence of flooding and drought expected with climate change in future years.
Riversymposium will take place at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, September 1-4, 2008.
posted by seamas on August 19, 2008 at 3:38 pm · filed under 
ABC News
Professor Will Steffen, head of the climate change unit at the Australian National University and science adviser to the Federal Government, has said that evidence from the past 12 to 18 months shows polar ice sheets are melting faster. Steffen has predicted a sea level rise of up to 4 meters this century, saying that we may have underestimated just how fast climate change will occur.
posted by megan on August 19, 2008 at 3:06 pm · filed under 
Sydney Morning Herald
A new report confirms that the cotton industry is the thirstiest crop in the Murray-Darling basin, consuming 20% of all water used in agriculture in the region, and in some areas accounting for up to 87% of the agricultural water used. Farmers choose to grow cotton as this is the most profitable crop, but with water allocations being reduced, 2007 saw the smallest cotton crop in 30 years. The Murray-Darling Basin holds 40% of Australian agriculture and in order to survive farmers will need to change to less water-intensive crops.
posted by steve on August 18, 2008 at 9:53 am · filed under 
ACF
ACF Healthy Ecosystems Program Manager Paul Sinclair has cautiously welcomed an extra $50m allocated by the federal government to the purchase of water rights from irrigators in nothern NSW and Queensland, warning that the scheme’s success can only be judged on real rises in river levels and a positive impact on the Coorong and Lower Murray Lakes.
posted by patrick on August 15, 2008 at 5:02 pm · filed under 
ABC News
A survey conducted by the Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries and Water has detected pesticide contamination in nine out of the fifty-five waterways investigated last month through its program for the monitoring of industrial and agricultural pesticides. The State government is currently seeking public submissions on a new guidelines for ground and aerial pesticide spraying, which could include exlcusion zones around waterways.
posted by ruby on August 13, 2008 at 5:37 pm · filed under 
ABC News
Marion council in Adelaide want to buy a three hectare site in order to develop it into a wetlands and catchment area which could be used to store up to 200 mega-litres of water. Although the land is currently used as a park and a driver training school, it has been zoned as residential, and as such the South Australian Government has put a price-tag of $2 million on the land. Marion council will now not be able to proceed with the plan in the current financial year.
posted by steve on August 11, 2008 at 11:07 am · filed under
Australian Government
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister Tony Burke and Environment Minister Peter Garret have introduced the Queensland government’s $23m Reef Rescue program, a collaboration with farmers which aims to improve the quality of water flowing into the Great Barrier Reef. The program aids farmers in reducing the quantity of nutrients, fertilizers and farm chemicals from entering waterways by implementing land management methods such as enhancing fertilizer efficiency and repairing riverbanks and wetlands. Peter Garrett believes that the introduction of the program will assist in the preservation of the reef and help protect it from global climate change issues such as coral bleaching.
posted by cecie on August 11, 2008 at 12:43 am · filed under
ACF
The Inland Rivers Network and the Australian Conservation Foundation have identified six large Darling River properties that can be targeted immediately for government buyback to help prevent the ruin of the Murray Lower Lakes and the Coorong. The 300 gigalitres provided by these properties, which are already on the market, could be injected into the system immediately according to Inland Rivers Network coordinator Amy Hankinson.
posted by patrick on August 8, 2008 at 10:24 am · filed under
earlier entries »
Mining and nuclear
Recycling and waste
Bookmark & Share
Email Updates
