Original story by Amy Phillips, ABC Rural
A panel looking into the management of Western Queensland rivers has recommended there be no increase to water allocations for the Cooper Creek, Georgina and Diamantina river catchments.
The boom and bust nature of the western Qld rivers. The flooded Georgina River in January 2009. Now it is dry. (User submitted)
The Western Rivers Advisory Panel is made of 11 members including representatives from AgForce, local government and the resources sector.
The findings from the panel will help the State Government make changes to legislation governing wild rivers.
Natural Resources Minister Andrew Cripps says he'll now consider the panel's recommendations.
"They included that there be no further take of water beyond what is allocated currently in the water plans that cover those catchments, that were water is taken for irrigation purposes that the take of that water does not reduce or interfere with the natural flows of those river systems."
Secretariat for the panel, David Arnold, says a survey of the panel saw weeds and pests, as well as access to groundwater as issues that pose the biggest risk to the future sustainability of the western rivers.
Topics: irrigation, rivers, mining-rural, mining-environmental-issues, mining-industry, environmental-impact,
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