The following is a summary of one section of a discussion paper authored by Kevin Long & Chris Poynton, entitled THE CHANNEL LINING AND PIPELINE DECEPTION IN VICTORIA’S NORTHERN FOODBOWL PROJECT, which exposes the likely impacts of Victoria’s Northern Foodbowl Project.

The complete article can be accessed via: www.thelongview.com.au

"The extraction of water via North-South Pipeline clearly increases the over-allocation already occurring in the Murray-Darling Basin. Any allocation delivered to Melbourne directly reduces the volume of water available for allocation to irrigators and the environment.

The Victorian Government has circumvented the enforcement of the MDB Cap and gained permission from other MDB States and the Commonwealth to undertake water extractions from the MDB via the North-South Pipeline.

The Victorian Government has claimed that it will achieve a total of 225,000 ML of “water savings” with Stage One of the Foodbowl Modernisation Project. However, the project merely “re-directs” water from existing uses by the following methods:

56% by “Reduced Channel Through-flow” taken from environment / river flows
37% by “Water Meter Upgrades” taken directly from irrigators’ volumes
7% by “Channel Lining” taken from environment / ground-water

In reality, “true water savings” are only achieved by eliminating Evaporation Losses. The Government seems to be operating on the principle that: “If water can be identified that wasn’t previously measured and paid for, then it can be claimed as ‘new water’ – not subject to the 1994 MDB Cap – and therefore available to be taken out of the Murray-Darling Basin.”

The Government’s reasoning and its definition of “water savings” or “new water” is clearly out of step with on-ground realities and community expectations.”