River Murray water licence holders will be able to transfer carry-over water in 2007-08 under a new scheme designed to give irrigators greater flexibility in managing water entitlements.

The scheme will allow irrigators to top up the limited volumes of water which they can access under the current restrictions on licences. It replaces the previous guidelines that allowed eligible licence holders to transfer carry-over only between direct family members.

Carry-over water can only be traded once and people who were able to trade carry-over water under the previous guidelines can still do so, but with more options.

The River Murray Carry-over Transfer Scheme is effective from 20 July 2007 to 30 June 2008 inclusive, unless varied or revoked.

More information: http://www.dwlbc.sa.gov.au/licensing/forms/river_murray.html.

South Australia’s nursery industry will receive tailored business support services to help it manage through the State’s water restriction period.

The Department of Trade and Economic Development (DTED) has joined with the Nursery and Garden Industry of SA (NGISA) in developing a package of programs and workshops to meet the specific needs of nursery operators in both metropolitan and regional areas.

The free nursery industry sessions, to be delivered by industry specialists will cover business skills such as cash flow management, risk management, and marketing strategies. In addition, industries similarly affected by water restrictions can attend other DTED workshops that assist business sustainability.

More information: NGISA Executive Officer Geoffrey Fuller (08) 8372 6822 or e-mail gfuller@ngisa.com.au.

A streamlined dredging approval process developed earlier this year will continue to help some Murray water users maintain access to their supply throughout 2007-08.

Declining water levels in backwaters, the main river channel below Lock 1 and the Lower Lakes means some pumps may be left high and dry if channels are not dredged.

The three key elements of the streamlined process include:

• Individual agreements between the Minister for the River Murray and the relevant Aboriginal communities to waive the usual notice periods under Native Title legislation;
• A rapid authorisation process by the EPA for companies wanting to undertake the dredging work; and
• Aboriginal onsite monitoring of dredging.

Under the streamlined process, applications for emergency dredging may be processed within five working days once completed forms have been received, and subject to the application meeting specific conditions aimed at protecting the river.

Anyone proposing to undertake any dredging should contact their local council to help them through the process.

The inflow into the River Murray system for July 2007 was approximately 400 GL, compared to only 125 GL at the same time last year. Despite the recent improvement, this is well below the long-term median inflow of 940 GL for July, and inflows still remain at critically low levels. The River Murray system requires significant rainfall over the coming months to increase allocations and storage volumes in Hume and Dartmouth Reservoirs and Lake Victoria.

The total storage volume at the end of July 2007 was 1,661GL (including Menindee Lakes), compared to 3,814 GL at the end of July 2006. The long term average storage level for the end of July is 6,220 GL.

Table 1: Total storage volume

*Menindee Lakes surcharge capacity and not in MDBC control when storage falls below
480 GL, control to MDBC when storage exceeds 640 GL.

#Includes dead storage of 210 GL

Flows to South Australia during August will be maintained at approximately 1,120 ML/day compared to the normal minimum entitlement flow of 4,000 ML/day. Most of the weir pools in SA are being maintained at pool level immediately upstream of the weirs, with the exception of Lock 6, which is slightly below pool level.

Since March 2007, there has been a steady increase in salinity levels from the Sunraysia district right through to Lake Alexandrina as a result of reduced flows. These levels are expected to continue to increase under low flow conditions.

Further information about the current drought conditions is available at www.dwlbc.sa.gov.au/murray/rivercond/index.html.

Three "Lifting Riverland Spirits" events and a fresh fruit growers get-together are among a host of events to have won valuable funding through the State Government’s drought response Community Grants Program this month.

The State Government has made $500,000 available for South Australian community projects that contribute to community spirit in rural regions affected by drought. The grants are assessed monthly with up to $5000 available per event.

Funds approved this month will contribute to:

• A Jamestown Community School free BBQ and band at the local park with activities for children, mid October.
• Two Dairy SA Regional Development Programme social events for the dairy community in August. One at Meningie for River Murray and Lakes dairy communities and the other in Myponga for Fleurieu and Hills Dairy Communities, venues and dates to be confirmed.
• A Mount Hope Soldiers Memorial Hall community cricket match and BBQ at ‘The Red Flat’, in Mount Hope during October.
• Mannum to Wellington Local Action Planning Association’s Community Quiz Night, venue and date to be confirmed.
• Mannum to Wellington Local Action Planning Association’s Local Produce Dinner at the Mypolonga Sporting Clubrooms, date to be confirmed.
• Mannum to Wellington Local Action Planning Association’s Film Evening to view a DVD on local historical data about the 1956 flood event and the future, Murray Bridge, date to be confirmed.
• Riverland Local Action Planning Committee’s Quiz Night, to be held in the Riverland during National Water Week in October.
• The South Australian Fresh Fruit Growers Association will hold up to four "BBQ chat get-togethers" in the Renmark/Berri area, Waikerie/Cadell and Mypolonga, between August and October.
• Tumby Bay District Community Development Board’s Lipson Art Prize and Exhibition event featuring outdoor sculptures together with music and food, Lipson Hall, September 1 and 2.
• Ungarra District Hall Association’s Community Evening with Guest Inspirational Speaker, Ungarra Hall on August 2.
• Women in Horticulture’s "Lifting Riverland Spirits" - three free family focussed BBQ and information sharing support events, the first to be held at the Loxton Sporting Club on Sunday, 12 August, then in Waikerie and Renmark in late August and early September.
• YATCO Wetland Landcare Group’s "BBQ at the Bank" social event. Date to be confirmed.

For information about the Community Support Grants call 1800 182 235 or visit www.pir.sa.gov.au/grants.

PIRSA and Country Health SA are presenting free workshops on succession planning for sustaining families and farms. These sessions will run from
9.30 am to 3.30 pm, and will be held:

Numbers are limited. Register by contacting Rural Health Team, Yvette Atze.
Telephone 8667 2458. E-mail atze.yvette@saugov.sa.gov.au.

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