After five years and $13 billion of public money spent on the
Murray-Darling Basin Plan, there is less water in the river than ever
before — and more in the private water storages of a handful of National
Party donors.
While everyone in charge is saying only more water will fix the
problem, none of them are talking about pumping water back out of these
storages, even though billions of litres have been illegally drained out
of the rivers.
Instead state and federal governments are pushing on with their
Menindee Lakes Water Saving Project that seeks to “decommission” the
lakes by drying them out. The effects of this policy will be devastating
for the Lower Darling.
These lakes are a key wetland in the Murray-Darling Basin freshwater
ecosystem and an important fish breeding and waterbird habitat, with
more than 30 species of waterbirds, including threatened species such as
freckled ducks and migratory waders, inhabiting the area.
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