28/04/2005 - Salinity
drainage in Western Australia's Wheatbelt
region is a step closer thanks to $2.84 million
in funding for evaluation works.
The vital funds, from the $1.4 billion National
Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality,
were announced today by Australian Ministers
for Agriculture, Warren Truss, and the Environment,
Senator Ian Campbell, along with Western Australian
Ministers for Agriculture, Kim Chance, and
the Environment, Dr Judy Edwards.
Mr Truss said a robust assessment would help
communities find the best ways to address
salinity and waterlogging in the region. The
Australian and State Governments recognise
these issues are having a major impact on
agricultural productivity and the general
health of the landscape.
"We must make sure we fully understand
the benefits, potential environmental and
social impacts and cost of any new drainage
systems. The $2.8 million project announced
today will help find answers to these questions,
and will guide future investment in on-ground
drainage work," he said.
Senator Campbell said the works would help
regions develop a consistent approach to catchment
and regional drainage.
"Other assessment and demonstration
work is telling us that coordinated drainage
should be part of the solution to salinity
because of the nature of groundwater systems
in the Wheatbelt," he said.
"What we don't want is to create other
environmental problems while we're tackling
the salinity issue. Communities in the Avon,
Northern Agricultural, South West and South
Coast regions need to have confidence that
drainage work won't adversely impact the land
they're trying to protect."
Mr Chance said results from other National
Action Plan projects, such as the $4 million
Engineering Evaluation Initiative (EEI), would
feed into this comprehensive approach. "We're
already seeing great progress with activities
developed under the EEI , including an evaluation
of regional drainage for the Avon River and
groundwater pumping at Dumbleyung," he
said.
"These results will be really important
for regional communities who are developing
strategies to secure further government investment."
Dr Edwards said the analysis will also help
protect biodiversity in the resource-rich
Wheatbelt.
"Along with multi-billion dollar agricultural,
tourism and mining industries, the region
is also part of an internationally recognised
biodiversity hotspot and home to nationally
significant wetlands. Local native species
such as the red-tailed phascogale and numbat
rely on the Wheatbelt landscape for food and
shelter," she said.
"So a major part of the $2.8 million
will be to increase our understanding of how
drainage work might benefit, rather than damage,
these complex and diverse ecosytems."
The Ministers said the analysis will be undertaken
by professionals and be subject to an extensive
community consultation process.
