Gold rush on tropical rivers is water torture for northern Australians
22 Nov 2004
"Plans to rob water from the iconic Fitzroy River in the Kimberley in Western Australia to water Perth using a 2500 km long canal should be ditched", said Dr Stuart Blanch, Freshwater Manager with WWF-Australia.
The proposed Kimberley-to-Perth canal plan by national defence contractor Tenix is at odds with the goals of the National Water Initiative. The National Water Commission Bill was introduced into Federal Parliament last Thursday to set up the Commission as an independent body to oversee the Initiative, which will help States make water management in southern Australia sustainable and secure the future of Australia's tropical rivers that are of high conservation value.
"Southern Australians should not be pinching water from Northern Australians," said Dr Blanch.
"Australians need to learn from the mistakes made in the south and protect rivers of high conservation value in the north", said Dr John Williams, member of the Australian Tropical Rivers Group, which is convened by WWF-Australia.
The nine eminent scientists in the Group will work with communities and governments across the north to develop solutions for Australia's tropical rivers. Their vision for securing Australia's tropical rivers is available here.
"With Perth dam levels at 36% the focus should be on looking after their own backyards not robbing people of the Kimberley of their water," said Dr Blanch.
"The key threat to Australia's water security is not adequately understanding our water resources ? where the water is, how much there is, and who's got it.
"We need to better understand Australia's water resources and how we are managing water, particularly tropical rivers.
"The Fitzroy River is one of Australia's largest unregulated rivers. It has more native fish species than the entire Murray Darling Basin (40 versus 33). The Fitzroy canal is not economically viable and would degrade this ecologically valuable river system.
Another iconic tropical river, the Daly River in the Northern Territory, is currently threatened by land clearing and major irrigation development. WWF-Australia will release a draft report tomorrow showing why the Daly, Australia's best barramundi river, is nationally important and should be conserved.
For further information:
Contact Andy Ridley at the WWF-Australia press office on
02 8202 1237.
