Featured article: Murray inflows lowest ever. The Murray-Darling Basin Authority says February inflows were the lowest in recorded history.February inflows were just 40 gigalitres, less than a quarter of the long-term average. South Australia’s independent water commissioner, Robyn McLeod, says the inflows reinforce the ever-worsening situation for the River Murray.”We are in fact now lower than we were in 2006, which is seen historically as the worst year the system has ever faced,” she said.

News Round-Up

Wellington weir ‘depends on lower lakes level’. Water Security Minister in South Australia Karlene Maywald says a weir would only be built at Wellington if the level of the lower lakes drops to 1.4 metres below sea level. Murray wetlands delisting possible, warns Ramsar member. A Ramsar member warns the lower Murray lakes and Coorong might face delisting. Water use drops under 155 litre target. The average daily water consumption of Melburnians dropped to 149 litres per person this week.

Australia’s Epic Drought is Global Warning.The grievous consequences of drought and global warming are more visible and dangerous in Australia than in any other industrialized nation.Downpour fills Ivanhoe dams. Storms have dumped up to 80 millimetres of rain on parts of Ivanhoe, filling dams and soaking parched soil. Council says E.coli easing in Torrens.

Charters Towers’ lake plan moves ahead. A possibility of a 13 hectare man-made lake near Charters Towers is a step closer, with the final bids for government support ready for submission. Deep-sea channel ‘only option’ for Lake George. The Lake George Management Committee says a deep-sea channel is its only option to save the lake from going completely dry. Weir report suggests water options running out. A report says building a weir on the lower Murray in SA may be the only way to secure fresh water.

Public to pay for Wannon Water ‘Taj Mahal’. The state Member for the South West Coast, Denis Napthine, says the region’s residents will bear the brunt of a cost blow-out at Wannon Water’s new headquarters, planned for Warrnambool.Farms to forests under emissions scheme: ABARE. A report says millions of hectares of farms could become timber plantations under an emissions scheme. Airport study looks at stormwater potential.The potential to harvest and store stormwater at Adelaide Airport will be investigated in a $60,000 study.

Domestic recycled water schemes ‘necessary’. The Australian Water Association (AWA) says domestic recycled water schemes are necessary if authorities want to make the best use of water resources in their area. Bushfires spark call for pipeline stop. The Victorian Government is being urged to stop building the north-south pipeline because of the effects of recent bushfires on water supplies. Warrumbungle residents to be quizzed on fluoride. Residents in the six towns of the Warrumbungle Shire will be surveyed about plans to introduce fluoride into their water supplies.

Ex-mayor slams ’sloppy’ mining water impact meeting. The former mayor of Quirindi Shire Council, Paul Nankerville, has described as “sloppy” a closed-door meeting in Tamworth held to discuss the likely impact of mining on aquifers in the Liverpool Plains. Melbourne water storage levels continue to drop. Melbourne’s water storages may drop to below 30 per cent as early as this week if there is not significant rainfall. Community meeting to discuss Yatco Lagoon refill. MP urges water restrictions review. The Democrats say a parliamentary committee is needed to examine what it says are inefficiencies with Adelaide’s water restrictions.

Hope for recycled water to boost wetlands. The Water Corporation is hoping a new recycling program will address problems of low water levels in the Capel Wetlands. Drought hits wooden boat festival.The plight of South Australia’s drought-hit lower lakes has been highlighted again, with the biennial wooden boat festival at Goolwa forced to put limits on participation.Drill rigs move in for Broke water testing. Drill rigs are expected to move into the Upper Hunter village of Broke today as part of a water testing program for a proposed methane gas project.

Floodplain group demands basin toxic spill details. The Australian Floodplain Association says the Queensland Government needs to release more information about a toxic spill in the Lake Eyre Basin. Flows return to Wakool River. The Department of Water says it is confident there will not be any more fish deaths from replenishment flows into the Wakool River system.