Anyone hoping for a 'natural fix' for our continuing Foodbowl drought crisis - Murray-Darling Basin - should review the latest Bureau of Meteorology ENSO report.
The Murray Darling Basin Commission [MDBC] Drought Update of May 2008 [PDF] is also of interest - the are no references for gaining 'new' water sources to boost river inflows.
Sunday, 11 May 2008
Wednesday, 7 May 2008
ABC Landline - Sunday 4th May, 2008
Interesting segment Rice Shortage Critical, by Tim Lee from the ABC - focussing on the Murray-Darling Water Crisis.
One part dealt with the rice growing regions and their lack of sufficient water -- claims that Australian Rice Producers are among the most efficient and productive in the world. This fact linked in with the story about food riots in 10 countries in the past 2 months, where rice staple food prices had risen by 70%. This years crop will be only 20,000 tons - down from several Hundred Thousands as per non-drought norm.
Cross reference this with:
We should be helping all stakeholders in our 'Foodbowl Regions', including farmers, irrigators and environmental users, rather than just focus on buying back irrigation allocations so that we can just maintain river flows -- after all -- the drought is continuing, and the BOM has no rainfall relief predicted for the forseeable future.
One part dealt with the rice growing regions and their lack of sufficient water -- claims that Australian Rice Producers are among the most efficient and productive in the world. This fact linked in with the story about food riots in 10 countries in the past 2 months, where rice staple food prices had risen by 70%. This years crop will be only 20,000 tons - down from several Hundred Thousands as per non-drought norm.
Cross reference this with:
- Burma cyclone -- how much rice is grown here?
- Major increase for basic food staples because of the use of traditional food crops as an energy source to reduce dependence upon oil.
- Continuing political problems in Africa.
We should be helping all stakeholders in our 'Foodbowl Regions', including farmers, irrigators and environmental users, rather than just focus on buying back irrigation allocations so that we can just maintain river flows -- after all -- the drought is continuing, and the BOM has no rainfall relief predicted for the forseeable future.
60 Minutes TV Programme - Sunday 4th May
Intriguing segment about the Murray-Darling and the critical effects seen at the Coorong in South Australia.
Perhaps it is time to review Desalination at Portland, VIC.
- Dairy industry decimated
- Lake Alexandrina has the appearance of a desert, rather than a wetland.
- Bird life being seriously affected by the salinity -- up to 10 X normal in some parts of the 'wetlands'.
- No discussion on any potential solutions.
Perhaps it is time to review Desalination at Portland, VIC.
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