For the third time in 12 years the Darling River in south western New South Wales has run dry. Block banks have been placed across the river to hold up water for irrigators with permanent plantings and high security licenses. But now irrigators around Pooncarie are being forced to turn off water to citrus trees and wine grape vines to save the precious water that is left in the river for other crops.
Irrigator Rachel Strachan, from Tulney Point Station, said she has been told to 'farm as normal' while the NSW Government assesses an application for growers to pull out all of their permanent plantings and sell back their high security licenses. But with the water level in the river dropping, Ms Strachan said 'farming as normal' wasn't possible.
The water that is left in the Darling River is smelly and stagnant, and worryingly for farmers the PH and salt levels are on the rise.
Irrigator Alan Whyte said if any inflows come in to the Darling system they should be quarantined for high security licenses only across the length of the river. He said he has reduced the water he is using by 25 per cent and is pulling out citrus trees.
In a statement, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Water said rainfall in Queensland would not have an impact on the Darling River system and an embargo upstream of Broken Hill was not applicable.
The statement also said a proposal for a buy-out of high security licences in the Lower Darling had been received by the Government and would be assessed along with a suite of other options for improved long-term operation of the Menindee Lakes System.
