It is interesting to note that that the CSIRO has determined that 1500 gigalitres is urgently required by the Murray-Darling to prevent its short-term collapse. Recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicates that cotton-growers in the Murray-Darling basin consumed this volume in 2005-6.

Given the above, the Federal Government should move without delay to compulsorily acquire water from the massive private impoundments in the upper Darling region, in addition to that able to be sourced from reserves held by the States.