A critical water shortage in the big cotton producing belt of the Namoi Valley is playing out with the major supply dam on the river likely to cease flows by December and further “hard decisions” on water supply to follow.
The Land understands that because of the drought the cotton harvest in the Namoi Valley will be cut by half, a heartbreaking scenario for growers as cotton prices hover at record levels between $600 to $650 a bale.
The dire situation of water storages was revealed by Water NSW today, with dam levels falling to “critical” low levels despite recent rain in the north.
“While water for town supply and critical needs is assured, prolonged periods of chronically low inflows have reduced Keepit Dam storage to 8.5 per cent of capacity and Split Rock Dam to 12.8 per cent,” WaterNSW said.
WaterNSW said it estimated that even with the additional water sent from Split Rock in the last few days Keepit Dam could fall to 2 per cent of capacity by the year’s end, without receiving significant inflows. “Split Rock would hold less than five per cent by the end of December under the same minimal inflow scenario.
It said a lack of rainfall and a corresponding near absence of inflows into dam storages over the past year has resulted in the Namoi valley being subject to tough drought management measures since April. Many farmers have factored this into their operations and knew such dire news was coming.
WaterNSW said in the Lower Namoi it is possible that some stock and domestic customers and irrigators will not receive any more water while conditions persist, and remaining customers will be severely restricted in what water can be extracted.
“Without further inflows, releases from Keepit will likely cease in December, leaving water users reliant on groundwater supplies where available. Without significant inflows it is likely that more hard decisions will be required in the months ahead to ensure dwindling resources are allocated fairly and with priority given to critical human needs, according to WaterNSW Executive Manager Systems Operations, Adrian Langdon.
“WaterNSW has been working closely with water users in the Upper and Lower Namoi to manage supply, and our management plan and the co-operation from customers has enabled us to extend supply under arguably the state’s most severe drought conditions,” Mr Langdon said.
“With government, and in collaboration with the critical water advisory panel, we are implementing strategies to extend vital supply as long as possible and sharing the hardship as fairly as we can in line with water sharing plan rules until the drought breaks.
“We will continue to monitor water resources and adapt strategies as required, and if necessary investigate potential additional measures and actions to ensure water supplies for critical needs.”
A transfer of water downstream from Split Rock to Keepit of almost 35 gigalitres, in line with Namoi Water Sharing Plan rules, commenced on Saturday (20 October) to maintain supply to the Lower Namoi.
The Land understands that despite good falls across many parts of NSW in the last two weeks there had almost been on run-off into the major storages as the ground was so dry. But the ground was now softened, so any new rain event in the next month would help with storage levels, WaterNSW said.
Namoi Cotton confirmed the cotton harvest for the 2019 year is likely to be halved in the Namoi Valley unless a major rain event occurred by December. Farmers were likely to plant later even into early December and many were surviving on bore water. Rain recently in the area had been uneven although there had been some good falls, but little run-off into farm storages. The situation is very frustrating for cottongrowers as high cotton prices persist.
Australia produces around 3 per cent of the world’s cotton but is the third largest exporter, behind the USA and India.