Successive NSW Nationals water ministers have been blamed for endorsing a water “sharing plan” for the NSW Darling River that resulted in more water for upstream irrigators at the expense of downstream farmers and communities.
Natural Resources Commissioner John Keniry’s draft review of the Barwon-Darling Water Sharing Plan 2012 is scathing of its effect on the community and environment, The Australian reports on Wednesday.
The review found the plan hastened a drought in the far west of the state by three years, endangering the “physical and mental health” of residents and blames the crisis in the region at the feet of Liberal National state governments.
“The Barwon-Darling is an ecosystem in crisis. Communities that live along the river are also under extreme stress,” the draft report states.
“Expert opinion suggests extraction pushed the river below Bourke into hydrological drought three years earlier than the upstream sections of the river” and brought forward impacts on communities and town water supplies.
It also states provisions for the Barwon-Darling plan “benefit the economic interest of a few upstream users over the ecological and social needs of the many”, including residents’ physical and mental health.
“Further, basic landholder rights are being negatively impacted by allowable upstream extraction … despite the act requirement that these rights take priority.
“Town drinking water is meant to have priority over irrigation uses, but the plan does not adequately provide for this.”
Apart from the drought, the river has seen mass fish kills.
The review names Katrina Hodgkinson, who brought in the plan, Kevin Humphries and Niall Blair who all served as regional water ministers.
