Ebb and Flow

In June 2010 the MDBA will publish the long awaiting Murray Darling Basin Plan. 

Hopefully the over 200 people at MDBA will come to the realisation that the irrigators and town supplies require water every year but, as in the past, the environment is used to periods of drought (25-30% of the time) but then thrives during flood years (10% of the time).

The only environmental exception to this is the atificial Lower Lakes area which to maintain as fresh requires ~4000GL/y, every year.  This 4000GL/y, year in year out, is just not available during periods of drought as we have seen recently.

If the Lower Lakes were to be returned to the estuary the once were, they would never be dry as they are now. A range of salinities would be the norm as the freshwater and seawater mixed.

Hopefully the MDBA report will take into all requirements and all flow regimes.

The Geddes estuarine idea also requires on average about 4000GL/y, but not each and every year, and is valid as long as there are periods of flood flow to flush out the Lower Lakes.