No ‘dam commonsense’

- source: Wangaratta Chronicle

MP criticises governments, cites ‘major doubts’ over water savings as a reason to enlarge local storages

NATIONALS member Ken Jasper (MLA, Murray Valley) has accused state and federal governments, and water authorities, of lacking ‘practical commonsense’ in their approach to North East water issues.

He yesterday re-itereated calls on the State Government to change its policy and fund the extension of water storages in the North East to underpin supply of water, given ‘major doubts’ now cast on so-called water savings from irrigation infrastructure upgrades in the Goulburn system.

"It is ludicrous the government is spending $8 million to strengthen the wall of Lake William Hovell, but will not extend the storage," he said.

"Lake William Hovell, which holds a mere 14,000 megalitres, must be extended to stage two as was originally proposed.

"This storage is ideally located to capture water when rain falls and it fills rapidly."

He said consideration must also be given to the building of Big Buffalo Dam by investigating the current costings for the project, which would increase storage from the current 24,000 megalitres to over one million megalitres

Despite years of lobbying, governments refuse to extend both existing dams and consider the construction of new dams.

"These could store water when rain falls, to be used when needed, for irrigators, town supplies and the environment," Mr Jasper said.

He said Water Minister, Tim Holding, said the Victorian Government continues to be of the view that increasing the capacity of existing dams in northern Victoria is not the solution to improving the security of supply, with Goulburn Murray Water in agreeance.

"It is interesting that the only people who support this policy are the state and federal governments and the water authorities, the ‘so–called experts’," he said.

"Practical commonsense is what is needed.

"Wherever I go, people recognise the need for new and extended storages and call on me to continue fighting.

"Are we all wrong? I don’t believe we are.

"Why would you continue to oppose the extension of storages, recognising there has been no dams built in Victoria since 1983, the growing demand for water, increased population and climate change.

"Surely it is practical commonsense to extend our water storage capacity.

"Logic tells us that with the current drought conditions, dams must be high on the State Government and water authority agenda to underpin water supplies for the future, together with water conservation measures."