Water, water everywhere

Mark

Of course water management is really just treating the symptoms and not the cause. The expansion of fossil fuel energies has increased hand-in-hand with the world’s population growth and degradation in the environment over the last century.

In this Federal election year the major parties will aim for ascendancy in the debate on climate change. No doubt the Coalition parties will be constrained by, and seek endorsement, donations and media support from, the Business Council of Australia and the National Farmers Federation. The ALP will be similarly constrained by the ACTU and its almost faceless National Executive. In practical terms this will mean near identical policies on natural gas, coal, uranium, forestry, power generation and carbon credits. The main themes, in an identical manner to Tasmanian forestry, will be economic certainty and job security but no similar certainty for the environment. It will be enthralling to see the carbon credit trading plans unfold and how mankind in the 21st century will be saved by accountants!

Apart from some debate on alternative energy research investment, the main battle will be fought on water management. The concept of climate change will continue to be challenged for political and economic purposes as can already be seen in a number of editorials by The Australian. Global trends and polar melts are undeniable and not typical of past changes.

Broadly, water management can be divided between the metropolitan and rural constituencies. The major cities all have water catchment, storage and disposal problems. The solutions will be fairly common between the parties with promises of some new dams and subsidies for watertanks while waste water treatment and purification plans will be proffered. Kevin Rudd has shown an ace with his policy on a reviewed Federation to counter John Howard’s blame shifting onto the Labor states. The audacity of Howard’s ministers pointing to the inaction of others in relation to climate change is breathtaking.

Rural Australia has received the media’s focus on its river systems including the Murray, Darling and Murrumbidgee rivers. Coverage of the problems has been reasonably extensive across rainfall, catchments, dams, irrigation and town water supplies. However, suitable agricultural use has not been properly debated but has been more a series of statements from vested interests. Political decision makers for cotton and rice producers, tree plantation locations, piped irrigation and planned flooding will not be common on the ground in 2007.

However, little discussion has related to what is not immediately evident and visible. As Alexander Downer understated, “We don’t know what we don’t know.”

The health of our river systems and water management in rural Australia needs to include ground water in its definition. The Great Artesian Basin has filled from thousands of years of rainfall along the Great Dividing Range slowly filtering westward until it percolates to the surface through central Australia. These natural springs have been drying over the last one hundred years to the extent many are no longer active.

Another example is Mount Gambier and its volcanic intrusion lakes. Several shallow lakes have dried completely while the world famous Blue Lake has dropped its capacity by 7.5 metres in the last eighty years. It is about 70 metres deep and is a finite source. Water restrictions should apply even where the source seems abundant.

Another example is the Margaret River region of Western Australia. This section of coast, like most of the southern mainland is limestone. An aquifer runs through a network of caves in the region. Tourist caves have lost about one metre from the levels recorded just two decades ago. Some towns, like Augusta, tap into this aquifer for their water supply while some local debate points to thirsty Tasmanian Blue Gum plantations.

Carnarvon is a productive fruit and vegetable growing region in Western Australia. It sources its water from under the usually dry Gascoyne River. Water reserves such as these are also finite.

Water catchments for Melbourne and Launceston have been subject to some forestry operations and, not before time, their communities are now questioning the wisdom of such practices. However, one should not expect any statement of correction from the major parties although politically the practice will most likely cease in the near future. The Howard government announced in Christmas week its intention to continue with its MIS tax deductibility for plantations.

Australia is becoming a drier continent both above and below the ground. More dams and the diversion of coastal rivers inland only repeat our past mistakes. It will take the long-term application of scientific intelligence and political courage to address the root causes and reduce current pressures. More likely whoever wins the next election will spin the chocolate wheel of scientific data until carbon credit numbers become a blur in the same manner as the official figures for unemployment, immigration, taxation, the balance of trade and the CPI.

Of course water management is really just treating the symptoms and not the cause. The expansion of fossil fuel energies has increased hand-in-hand with the world’s population growth and degradation in the environment over the last century.

Despite criticism from various religious leaders, China has taken the lead to reduce its population through its one child policy. The effect will filter through in about fifty years. Our political and religious leaders are incapable of leading a global downward shift in the populations across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas.

Carbon trading, alternative energy sources and water management are useful economic and political tools but they do not address the primary cause. The primary cause is people. Here is one for the accountants: 1.6 billion people globally in 1900; 3.3 billion in 1965; and 6.5 billion in 2005. A recent Australian government report on carbon use measured the increase on a “per person” basis that is clearly deceptive as total energy use is as exponential in growth as the population.