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| SA Drought E-News, 29th May 2008 |
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| Rangelands Drought Taskforce to host visit |
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The Rangelands Drought Taskforce is hosting the Premier’s Special Advisor on Drought, Dean Brown on a tour to Marree and Oodnadatta over three days next week (4 - 6 June).
Mr Brown and the State Government’s Northern Drought Co-ordinator Liz Connell will be meeting individual pastoralists and visiting properties to hear first-hand perspectives from people managing drought.
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| Murray recovery consultation underway |
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Community consultation has begun on a draft drought recovery plan for the River Murray system in South Australia.
The draft issues paper titled The Allocation of Water Under Drought Conditions, outlines the range of needs and provides options for decision making. The paper was released by the Minister for the River Murray Karlene Maywald.
The paper identifies processes for how decisions sill be made on allocation of water to gain the maximum benefit for SA and identifies competing needs for water.
Consultation has begun with various groups including the Lower Murray Drought Reference Group, the Riverland Horticulture Reference Forum and River Murray Advisory Committee. The final paper will be completed by the end of June and then a recovery strategy developed. A media release has been posted on the drought website: www.sa.gov.au/drought.
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| Endangered native fish rescued |
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A rescue mission to protect endangered native fish under threat from receding water levels at the River Murray Lower Lakes is proving successful, with the first progeny from the captive breeding program recently transferred to a specially designed educational display aquarium at the Adelaide Zoo.
About 20 Yarra Pygmy Perch juveniles will be kept on display in the nocturnal house at the zoo to raise awareness about the impact of the drought on threatened fish species.
The ongoing drought conditions across the Murray-Darling Basin have contributed to extremely low water levels in the River Murray below Lock One, resulting in declining habitats for native fish species at risk of local extinction.
About 150 adult Yarra Pygmy Perch have been removed from Lake Alexandrina to ensure the population can be returned to its natural environment in the future. So far about 200 fish have been born as a result of the captive breeding program.
The captive breeding program, costing $25,000 to date, is a partnership between the Department for Environment and Heritage, Native Fish Australia (SA) and Zoos SA with assistance from Primary Industries and Resources SA.
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| Information sessions for financial industry |
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Centrelink’s Rural Services Officers (RSO) in the Riverland are running information sessions for local accountants and bankers to keep them up to date on the Exceptional Circumstances products available to their clients.
As most primary producers and small businesses deal regularly with an accountant or bank, this service is offered to discuss strategies on how to maximise outcomes for businesses and their families.
RSOs Maria Patterson and Lloyd Wright will run the information sessions on Wednesday 11 and Thursday 12 June at the Centrelink Customer Service Centre, 5 Riverview Drive Berri.
With assistance from the Riverland Development Corporation, Maria and Lloyd have identified local accountants and bankers and invited them to attend one of four sessions to be run over the two days.
This is one of the many services Centrelink’s Rural Services Officers offer to their communities. Further information is available from Maria Patterson on (08) 8580 0036 or Lloyd Wright on (08) 8580 0011.
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| Desalination pilot plant gains planning approval |
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The State Government has been given full approval to start immediate construction of a $10million pilot desalination plant at Port Stanvac.
The approval for the small-scale plant was granted by the independent Development Assessment Commission after considering the government’s application.
The pilot plant is a crucial step for the testing of water quality, filtration and pre-treatment technology required for the full-scale plant. Contractors will soon begin assembling the intake and outfall pipelines for the pilot plant, which will be in operation by the end of July.
The major plant is expected to be up and running by the summer of 2011/12. A media release has been posted on the drought website: www.sa.gov.au/drought.
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| Farming in a changing climate event |
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Dr Mark Howden, from the CSIRO’s Climate Adaptation National Research Flagship, will speak on Farming in a changing climate – scenarios for Australian Agriculture in 2030 at a Rural Media South Australia luncheon at the Bradman Room, Adelaide Oval, on Friday 27 June.
Cost: $35 members, $40 non members. More information: Bob Snewin 0418 531 402. Bookings: www.ruralmediasa.com/bookings.html.
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| Access and equity |
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| The information in this publication can be provided on request to those who need it in an alternative format or another language. Contact Julie Gregory on (08) 8226 0230. |
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Drought E-News is a regular newsletter updating the State Government’s drought response. If you’ve been forwarded this E-News and you would like to subscribe, click on the link below, complete the details and you will receive drought E-News in the future.
Feedback is always welcome, email Drought News.
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