Why isn using the River Murray for irrigation stopped to help solve the issues facing the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth?
The current drought across the Murray-Darling Basin has forced all River Murray water users, including the environment, to go with little or no water. Currently irrigators are receiving reduced water allocations. From the beginning the 2009-10 water year (1 July 2009), irrigators were able to use 2% of their licensed water entitlements and 60% of their approved ‘carry-over water’ that they did not use the previous year. In South Australia, in an average year, around 75% of the water taken from the River Murray is used for primary production. This includes water for livestock and wineries, and for the irrigation of crops such as citrus, stone fruit, almonds and vegetables. The River Murray, where many of these industries are situated, is known as the ‘food bowl’ of our state and provides consumers in South Australia, interstate and internationally with essential horticulture, viticulture, dairy and vegetable produce. These commodities return huge economic benefits to the state. If irrig
Related Questions
- Why isn using the River Murray for irrigation stopped to help solve the issues facing the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth?
- Why can the River Murray be left to flow naturally to solve the issues facing the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth?
- Why isn water released from upstream to help solve the issues facing the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth?
