The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) David Papps has acknowledged it would be a “gradual process” to build understanding of his role, with other irrigators.
Mr Papps said he wanted to listen, engage with and respond to the concerns of other water users, as best he could.
“It’s about respect, it’s about us - as an environmental water holder - respecting the irrigation communities, respecting the fact people are making their living in the Basin, and observing all the rules and procedures, which is what we do,” Mr Papps said. “People need to see environmental watering, year in year out, so they can get a sense of security in what we are doing and how it is not impacting on their day to day business.”
Irrigator groups have been highly critical of the CEWH, saying too much water was being taken out of the consumptive pool and used for the environment.
Southern Riverina Irrigators chairman Graeme Pyle said the CEWH had water in the dams, “so they can play whatever game they want to play, at some future date.” And Wakool Rivers Association chairman John Lolicato said there appeared to be a propensity to “spruik” environmental positives along the Murray River system from increased flows, but ignore all the negatives. “Over many years Basin communities have questioned the apparent ‘just add water’ philosophy used by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) in its implementation of the Basin Plan,” Mr Lolicato said.
“Recently high level scientific advice has strongly supported these concerns and indicated that extra flows are not the way to achieve the best environmental outcomes in the system.”
Mr Papps said he hoped his relationship with irrigators was improving.
“We understand very well that the operational environment we work in; the Murray-Darling Basin is a productive, agricultural area. Our ambition, in working in the Basin, is to have no negative impact on irrigators, going about their day to day business. In the long term, we would like to get to a position, where they almost don’t notice us.”
He said the CEWH’s focus was on day-to-day environmental outcomes.
“If people are anxious about what we are doing, then we want to hear it, and I want to try and resolve it in a way that I can still do what I want to do, and irrigators are happy to go about their business.”
He said the CEWH was an irrigator, in the same way farmers were.
“The main thing that sets me apart is the product - whereas they will focus on growing rice, cotton, almonds or walnuts, or a range of products, I am growing nature.
The main thing that sets me apart is the product - whereas they will focus on growing rice, cotton, almonds or walnuts, or a range of products, I am growing nature.
- David Papps, Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder
“I’m providing water into the environment to get frogs and fish and vegetation and wetlands connected back to the rivers, so there are a range of environmental outcomes.”
The environmental water holder also used water at different times of the year, to replicate some of the natural variability, which had been taken out of the system.
“So in the southern Basin we want to put water into the system in winter, most irrigators are wanting to use their water in summer and the lead up to summer.
“That makes a little bit different too, but otherwise, we are irrigators, we are irrigators of nature.”
He said the CEWH was often asked why there was a need for environmental water. “You will get variations, it can be wet in one part and dry in another, so we have to move water around, according to need and according to availability,” he said.
“It’s been a great year so far, with big floods, particularly through the southern basin. Big floods do what we can’t do – we don’t have enough water, and we are not going to flood people’s properties, in between the big floods.
“We have to make sure environmental water is putting some of the variability back in, so not big floods but, minor moderate variations.
Mr Papps said no-one was taking water out of the consumptive pool, as the Commonwealth had purchased water from willing sellers and was now acquiring more through efficiency savings.
“Having said that, we also need to be mindful of some of the concerns in communities, about less water in the consumptive pool. We need to make sure people understand we are paying the same fees and charges, we are storing water in the same dams, using the same infrastructure, so we are putting money back into those communities, as well.”
He said his office would never stop learning about how it managed the environment. “We know what we need to get, in terms of environmental outcomes, based on the best knowledge we can acquire, then we measure that outcome.”
“If it doesn’t turn out the way we want, we ask why, and we adjust our watering, and I don’t think that process of continually learning will ever go away.”
Environmental outcomes would take decades to show – “it’s a long, slow process, we are confident we are on the right track and we are absolutely committed to growing by doing.”
And he said he was also committed to a patient approach. “I think you need to be respectful - there is a lot of misinformation about, but this is a new endeavour, this is a big thing. We have to be patient, understanding and respectful – if you can engage in direct conversations, that will deal with it, and we will do that, over time.”