Clarence groups fight river plan

Not a dry argument: Two Clarence Valley environment groups have made submissions to the Murray Darling Basin Plan inquiry.

WITH less than a week to go before submissions close for the inquiry into the impact of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan on Regional Australia, Clarence Valley environment groups are ensuring their voices are heard.

Clarence Environment Centre and Valley Watch Inc have both made submissions to the inquiry, which was set up to examine the human impact of the proposed Murray Darling Basin plan.

Of concern to both groups – as well as many others in the Clarence Valley – is the on-going call from some outside of the Valley to divert water from the Clarence River.

In his submission to the inquiry, Valley Watch Inc president Gary Whale expressed his group’s strong concerns about the possibility of diversion.

“Persistent reports in the local and regional media strongly suggest that the Standing Committee on Regional Australia will consider Clarence River water diversion, even though the official terms of reference of the committee do not, we understand, indicate that interbasin water transfer will be under consideration,” he said.

“Should that be the case, Valley Watch expresses its absolute opposition to any diversion of water from the Clarence River catchment.

“Our opposition is not based on some sense of ‘they’re stealing our water’; rather, we believe that the Clarence River catchment has its own intrinsic values and that it is vital for the ecological health of the river and the sustainability of the Valley that river flows stay within the catchment.”

Mr Whale also advised the inquiry the Clarence catchment area was responsible for approximately 20 per cent of the state’s agricultural produce – the value of which exceeded $70 million per annum – and the commercial fishing fleets of Yamba and Iluka were the largest in New South Wales.

“The farmers, the fishing industry, forestry and tourism are all under threat if water is diverted from the Clarence catchment,” he said.

The submission from the Clarence Environment Centre warned of the danger of believing the “myths” surrounding the debate.

It warned average annual flows from the Clarence could be as little as 60 per cent of what was commonly believed, and attacked the “myth” that damming the Clarence would stop flooding further downstream.

Submissions close next Monday.