Re: 2007 Federal Election - Coalition or Labor/Howard or Beazley?
Captain Gh3y said:
look at what's being done about the water shortages in several states; nothing, because rivers are sacred, etc.
I take personal and experiential offence to that.
Perhaps creating more dams isn't the solution!
It's all very well to say 'build another dam,' but at a time where dams across the country are at record low levels (excluding nth Queensland and the Chichester dam) damming Australia's remaining healthy rivers is a quick fix which will only lead to more trouble in the coming years.
For example, I have a farm situated on the Williams river at fosterton about an hour inland from Newcastle. People may have heard recently in the news about the government's proposal, nay covert prerogative to dam the river in order to supply the central coast and greater sydney with drinking water.
Now there are some obvious reasons for why the government would want to do this.
With possibly the highest rainfall in Australia (aside from Tully in nth Queensland) the barrigntons provide the surrounding area with fertile soils and a unique biodiversity, (just last week we received a foot of rain) and so to anyone without vested interests in the land supported by the williams river, damming the thing would sound like a good solution to the water crisis. Similalry it would seem like practical action being taken to secure a reliable source of water...basically good PR.
Yet firstly, there has been no consulation and so yesterday farmers in the area were notified of the acquisition of their land by the governement in order to make way for 'public infrastructure.' Understandably the farmers were schocked to learn that their land was going to be forcefully acquired.....none of them had even been aware of the plans. And that is because there are none, or at least none that have been made public. The government knows this will be an unpopular decision locally and so they have taken all steps to make sure no one can debate it.
The fact is that the Upper Williams is a beautiful meandering small river and the home to unique flora and fauna distinct to the area. It has been considered for damming in the past (the 80's), but back then the government decided that it was too small to support a large dam system. So why does it make any difference now?
The williams is a long river which supports farmland and national parks alike, stretching from the Barrington tops to Newcastle. If the dam were to go ahead it would dramatically effect the biodiversity of the national parks and the viability of farming in the area (the river would no longer be able to support the farmer's irrigation needs as the river would be reduced to a trickle). The ironic thing is that far from being a quick fix, it will take at least 10 years for the dam to fill, during which without substantial rain Warragamba will be empty (only got three years of water left in her guys!!!)
In these thirsty times with crippling water shortages the idea of building a new dam seems like an answer. But haven’t we learnt any lessons from The Snowy and countless other rivers that have been dammed in this country? They have been reduced to a trickle with the natural life surrounding those systems diminishing.
Why doesn't the government recycle storm water and waste water???
'oh because i don't want to be drinking water with bits of poo floating around in it'
GROW UP. With modern technology it is easy to render waste water potable.
And why isn't everyone encouraged to install rain water tanks. We need to become more self-sufficient in these trying times, not continue to rely on the unsustainable practices of the past.
Lastly Captain Gh3y, rivers are sacred. Perhaps you should come and visit the Williams and see it for yourself. Then if the damming goes ahead, visit in ten years and see what has become of the surrounding land. Then maybe you'll see that dams perhaps aren't as good as they seem.