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Snowy Water Inquiry

Submission

 Dalgety and District Community Association Inc.

"THE SNOWY RIVER MUST FLOW AGAIN" 

May 1998

Contents

1. Introduction

2. Recommendations

3. Environmental Issues arising from the current pattern of water flows below Jindabyne Dam

4. Economic impacts of current flow pattern on:

4.1 Agriculture

4.2 Tourism

5. Future Economic Potential with Effective Environmental Flows

5.1 Agriculture

5.2 Tourism

6. Issues relating to the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme

7. Issues relating to the western irrigation system

8. Rehabilitation of the Snowy River

BIBLIOGRAPHY

APPENDIX

1. Introduction

The Snowy River was a beautiful wild river – flowing so fast and free it roared its way through 500 km of NSW and Victoria. It is Australia’s only rapidly flowing river of significant length. The Snowy River captured the imagination of Australians who loved it and still do – not realising the extent of damage the River has suffered under the management of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme (" Scheme"). The Dalgety & District Community Association (Community Association) found the campaign to let the Snowy River flow again was a great success because so many Australians cherish the imagery.

The " Scheme" also captured the imagination of Australians. Post World War Two the scientific age knew no limits. Man could do anything, even turn a river around – science, if it created problems, could also solve them. Nature came second to man’s ingenuity. Now 50 years on the Scientific Age is being tempered with environmental awareness. We can nearly do anything but responsibility must be taken for the consequences and science must work with nature for the optimum results.

The Community Association represents the people who live on the Snowy River and people Australia wide who care about the Snowy River and what it stands for. We do not request the full return of the Snowy River, as wonderful as that would be. In this submission we will put forward the plan which saves the Snowy River from certain death, achieves less waste in the irrigation system bringing it into line with governments water management principles, and makes the Scheme act responsibly and compete in the market on an equal basis, without an unfair advantage.

" When the snow was melting you could hear the river, a distant mighty rumbling sound that I will never forget. I used to hear the river from 4 miles away." Pip Cogan, aged over 90 years and long time Dalgety resident

2. Recommendations

For the communities values to be satisfied the following requirements need to be met:

An effective environmental flow must be provided. The NSW Scoping Study says significant benefits to the Rivers ecology occurs at a seasonally adjusted average flow rate of 800 megalitres per day and not less. The Expert Panel Report recommends 28% of the original river flow as a minimum. Specifically the community wants the flow to be whatever is required to allow the river to function as a healthy ecosystem on a permanent basis.

Landowners current and future domestic and agricultural requirements should be addressed, and in a manner more comprehensively than they were in the 1961 Report on Jindabyne Dam – Downstream Requirements.

Significant environmental flows for all rivers involved in the Scheme must be provided.

Also the return of the Mowamba River and Cobbin Creek as recommended by the Expert Panel.

The required environmental flow be measured immediately below Jindabyne dam wall.

We want a river the community can look at with pride, restored to something of its former glory for our children and the future.

Also healthy swimming conditions and a place where families can gather for recreation as they did in the past.

We want the flow to mimic the natural seasonal pattern with the spring thaw in the mountains bringing the flood to clean the river and prevent silt build-up and prevent in-stream vegetation establishing.

We want a river with gravel beds and water holes, clear water, freedom from the danger of a blue green algae bloom.

Sewerage treatment plant effluent should not be discharged into the river.

We want fish and platypus able to survive and breed so that a fishing and tourist industry can re-establish.

Government financial and technical assistance is required to manage the river and riparian zone according to best management practices and including single channel formation, where appropriate. We suggest a Snowy River Commission with adequate resources and knowledge manage the River.

We want nothing less than that the government complies with COAG Water Policy Agreement, National Principles for Provision of Water for Ecosystems, National Water Quality Management Strategy, NSW Government Water Reform Policies, Snowy Hydro Corporatisation Act 1997 (NSW) etc.

3. Environmental Issues arising from the current pattern of water flows below Jindabyne Dam

The health of the Snowy River is paramount to the local community and beyond. From the Scheme’s inception there was no allocation of water for the environment below Jindabyne Dam. The affects of less than 1% of the original flow of water down the coarse of the Snowy River since 1967 are obvious and well documented. A major concern of the community association is that the River’s present poor health is deteriorating at an exponential rate.

The warm, slow and too low flow of the River is creating the following problems:

Willow trees can grow in-stream. They block the channel, create islands and a delta channel effect. The willows also drop their leaves in autumn increasing the phosphorus level and reducing oxygen.

• Shifting silt has filled in many pools making the river shallow. Where once people jumped from the Dalgety Bridge into 25 feet of crystal clear water the water hole is now 2 feet of muddy slime which rarely changes.
• Trout fingerlings barely survive,
• Even the eels and platypus, which can tolerate a much poorer environment, are becoming a rarity
• Native fish have virtually disappeared.
• The empty riverbed has become a haven for weeds and feral animals.
• The life in the River is that of a stagnant pool instead of that of a flowing river, as per Expert Panel Report
• The proportion of sewerage to river water below the Jindabyne sewerage discharge outlet is unacceptably high, particularly in peak tourist times. It has reached up to 12% in the past. Also this effluent was diverted from Jindabyne Dam because it was too unhealthy for the Jindabyne community even though dilution rates were comparably high. This is not equitable for the downstream community.

"We were chasing brumbies and me and my horse were swept a mile down river before reaching the opposite bank. In those days it was worth your life to get on a horse that wasn’t a strong swimmer." Dick Suthern, long term Dalgety resident

4. Economic impacts of current flow pattern on:

4.1 Agriculture

The Monaro is a rain-shadowed region and has felt the effects of losing its mainstay water supply from the outset. The losses to farmers have occurred since the dam wall began to function:

• The Snowy River is no longer a reliable, healthy source of water, at times zero surface flows below Dalgety have been recorded at Ironmungie and just above the confluence with the MacLaughlin.
• Immediately the River no longer acted as a stock barrier between farms. Whilst the Scheme did build "give and take" fences these constantly need to be repaired and replaced and do not function adequately.
• As the water table became lower, river flats and land up to 4 km from the River, which had been used to grow lucerne were no longer moist enough to do so. In a rain-shadowed region such as the Monaro loss of ability to grow feed for winter has dire consequences.
• Due to the very low level of water flow and endangerment of fish species, no new permits to pump water out of the River are being granted..
• There is an embargo on building farm dams because this would reduce water flow into the River even more. Once again in a rain-shadow region this makes farms almost non-viable.
• The farmer must control the weeds and feral animals that have overtaken the empty riverbed.
• Animal stocking rates on properties near the river have been substantially reduced.
• Snowy River farmers have not had opportunity to diversify into different crops due to lack of secure water supply

4.2 Tourism

The following losses to the tourist industry have occurred.

Dalgety was a thriving tourist centre based on its beautiful River. This included activities particularly fishing, boating, swimming, horseriding and so on. Instead of the industry developing since 1967, river-based tourism has come to a standstill below the dam wall. The reality of the Snowy River is so little like its legend that the Man from Snowy River could not be filmed locally but was filmed in Victoria instead.

All accommodation in Dalgety was fully booked a year in advance for the fishing season. This is no longer the case as there are very few fish in the river.

The Caravan Park was ordered to close due to lack of patronage. This is when the people of Dalgety rallied to halt the demise of the township.

 

5. Future Economic Potential with Effective Environmental Flows

5.1 Agriculture

The rural industry would profit from increased flows in the Snowy River. Once effective flows are established the River will again be a healthy and reliable body of water, where the quality of life will be assured for its inhabitants and users.

Farmers could build dams again without threatening the survival of the Rivers ecosystem. Dams have many benefits for the River. They fill with water at times of rain. In drought times the stock can drink from the dams instead of the River. In average seasons stock prefer to drink from dams.

For farmers to pump from the River, the community recommends that extra water above the environmental flow level be allocated. In 1961 when the original figure of 25 megalitres per day was decided upon agricultural and domestic use was a key factor. The rural industry is still a valid user of water and must be given consideration. It is certainly a major consideration for farmers west of the divide so this is only equitable.

The Snowy River will again be an effective stock barrier.

With more water in the river bed there will be less land available for weeds and feral animals to inhabit. This will save the farmers some costs of control methods.

As the Snowy River will not be fully restored it is unlikely that the water table will rise enough to grow dry-land lucerne up to 4 km from the river as it grew before. Therefore properties which could previously grow lucerne should be allocated water where possible or compensated for this loss. Water allocated for this purpose would be added to the environmental flow levels.

Snowy River farmers could diversify into high value added agriculture enterprises if water is allocated in addition to environmental flows. 

5.2 Tourism

The Snowy River was and still is a nationally and internationally recognised symbol of a wild and free river. It is part of Australia’s folklore heritage. Our pioneering spirit is near and dear to us and the powerful, free and wild nature of the Snowy River gave our ancestors strength and pride which they have handed down to us. The strong support for our campaign to save the Snowy River reflects the extent of the national recognition and it is this national recognition which will provide a solid basis for a tourist industry. The marketing is done. The infrastructure is already there, from the winter sports industry. We believe that regional development and ecotourism will occur from the moment the River is allowed to flow again. Long-term sustainable profits will flow with the River. We have a dehydrated tourist industry – just add water!

The amount of water returned to the River is crucial. It must be an effective environmental flow leading to significant benefits for the total ecology of the River. If it is sustainable for the River it will be sustainable for the economy and both can be healthy in the long-term. The impact of increasing the current flow rate, as the Community Association recommends, will be huge and positive.

Fish breeding can occur again so the fishing based tourist industry will be restored. With colder and faster flowing water and fish ladders native populations could be re-established. The trout would survive in the improved conditions. With fish in the river towns along the Snowy River could host such events as the Australian and World Fly Fishing Championships.

With a restored river flowing through the spectacular landscape, many more people will come for river activities, particularly in spring and summer. The local tourist industry will develop with these increased visitors to the southern parts of the Mount Koskiuszko National Park and adjacent private land.

Paddling businesses would benefit from effective environment flows. There is considerable potential for a white-water rafting industry to develop at the time of the snow-thaw and a more sedate canoeing industry in the summer and autumn.

Jindabyne dam level would be higher on average in order to guarantee environmental flows to the Snowy River. Therefore Jindabyne’s tourist industry can only gain from increased flows.

" The river was fast. Some places between Jindabyne and Dalgety it would have run more than 15 miles an hour. It was 25 feet deep beneath Dalgety Bridge. You could see the fish. A fellow dropped his teeth over the edge once and you could see them on the bottom.

I remember in the depression, everybody was on the dole. We’d go down, my brother and I, and get 40 or 50 fish out of the river in the morning. Then a bloke would come down from his farm and swap half a sheep for the fish." Ray Reid, aged 86. Long time Dalgety resident.

6. Issues relating to the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme

The internationally accepted best practices for dam building is that at least 25% of a river’s original flow must be left for that river to survive. In the Snowy River’s case the Expert Panel has stated it needs 28% of its original flow to restore the river to life and the Scoping Study modelled different flow rates and found that significant benefits to the river did not occur until the seasonally adjusted average flow rate reached at least 800 megalitres per day. If less than this amount is allocated the benefits will not be significant or sustainable and therefore not meet COAG policy standards. It may be that more water is required, but this will not be known until the water is released and the environmental health is measured over time.

The Scheme has been most fortunate to have the free use of over 99% of the headwaters of the Snowy River since 1967. The environmental cost can no longer be tolerated, the Scheme must adapt and now is the time.

Originally the main aim of the Schemes infrastructure was to transport water to the west for irrigation. Hydro-electricity was a by-product and the Scheme was never set up to be an independent profit-making venture. Goals have changed. Independent economic viability is now a goal, as is sustainable health of the Snowy River. Also conflict of interest has occurred and will occur again between the Scheme and the irrigators particularly at times of flooding in the west. The Community Association suspects there will be immense problems in the future trying to achieve a balance between the needs of the River, the electricity production and irrigation in the west when the Scheme is in the hands of a private company controlling water flows for the purpose of profit.

The need for the scheme to make a profit must not override environmental considerations and government COAG policies. The health of the river cannot be compromised by the price of electricity in the electricity market. To achieve this goal we would suggest the Scheme should be scaled down. If it is to produce less electricity and be viable the Scheme needs to be debt-free. The Community Association asks the Inquiry to investigate the possibility of restructuring the debt so that all the other goals can be met. Whilst the debt overhangs the Scheme all other options are very difficult to achieve.

"When I was a kid we loved swimming in the river and we caught lots of fish. We even swam with the platypus." Kevin McMahon, 70 years old, long time Dalgety resident

To reduce the Scheme’s profit loss due to increased water flow down the Snowy, the

Community Association suggests the following:

Recycle the available water. Produce and sell electricity at peak price times. Pump the water back to the top for re-use in off-peak times.

Sell the power as green power at a higher price. This cannot be done honestly while the Snowy River is being destroyed.

Sell the electricity at peak times for the highest price because hydro-electricity can be supplied at short notice. With less water available the Scheme would produce less off-peak electricity to minimise its loss.

Generate electricity on the eastern side of the Jindabyne Dam wall.

The loss in hydro electricity production due to less free water from the Snowy River may lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions but on the scale of percentages the increase is infinitesimal. On the other hand the environmental damage to the Snowy River caused by so little water downstream of Jindabyne Dam is huge. There is only one way to save the Snowy River. There are many ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We do not accept increased emissions as a valid point.

7. Issues relating to the western irrigation system

People living along the Snowy River understand better than most, that Australia is a dry continent. We believed that the supply of water to the dry inland was a great technological feat of tremendous benefit to Australia as a whole. However as facts come to light we can no longer support the wholesale destruction of the Snowy River in exchange for the grossly inefficient and unsustainable use of that water elsewhere.

The Snowy River people are proud to supply water to irrigate the "food basket" but we are angry that so much water is wasted and lost in the delivery of water and in its inefficient use when it gets to the irrigators. The Snowy River’s environmental flow amounts to one tenth of the present delivery and storage losses. This wastage ought not to be tolerated by anyone in the Australian community. We cannot afford it either economically or environmentally.

We understand that fixing the delivery system would cost the government a lot of money but water is such a valuable resource that this is something that must be done. In the interim the Dartmouth dams’ water could be used to supplement the Murray for the water returned to the Snowy River. This was suggested by the Deputy Prime Minister, The Honorable Mr. Tim Fischer.

The Snowy Rivers water ought not be diverted to the west for:

• Rural activities other than irrigation, such as stock watering
• Urban water supply
• Recreation
• Dilution of salinity in the Murray,
• Provision of drought security for western irrigators. The Dartmouth Dam provides this function.
• Environmental flows in the Murray. At the mouth the need is defined as greater than 20% of the Murray Rivers original flow, as "best practices" would predict.

These goals need to be achieved with the Murray Rivers own water and the problem of over-allocation must be addressed to achieve those goals.

8. Rehabilitation of the Snowy River

The Community Association realises that water alone cannot solve the problems of the Snowy River. The Community Association asks the Inquiry to investigate establishing a Snowy River Commission. This Commission would need to have the resources and knowledge to manage the whole of the Snowy River. The Community Association is developing a River Management Plan which looks at rehabilitation of the riparian zone, and removal of in-stream and seeding willows. Also needing attention will be provision of fish passageways where there are man-made constructions and where the river has changed due to low flows. Adequate channel modification will also need to be established to overcome the delta affect caused by low flows and in-stream vegetation. This work will need government assistance in terms of money, machinery and expertise.

The return of the Mowamba River and Cobbin Creek will assist greatly in the rehabilitation of the Snowy River. Removal of the aqueducts so that the Mowamba can function as a natural headwater of the Snowy River would be a benefit to reestablishing fish breeding grounds. The Mowamba River and Cobbin Creek will provide a natural, although small flow regime. The Community Association considers the diversion of the Mowamba River and Cobbin Creek into Jindabyne Dam as the final insult and shows the relentless greed that overtook the original principles of the Scheme’s construction. We do not consider the Mowamba River and Cobbin Creek should be part of the Scheme’s water supply. Department of Land & Water Conservation data indicates that flows at the Mowamba aqueduct has unacceptably high nutrient levels at times, and these need to be sourced and addressed.

The Community Association believes that the Snowy River needs water in it as soon as possible to stop the deterioration of the River. We think that 1999, the year of the Schemes fiftieth birthday would be a good year for the Scheme and the country to make amends for its abuse and leap into a new era on a sustainable footing.

The Snowy River must flow again!

BIBLIOGRAPHY

NSW Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission (now NSW Department of Land & Water Conservation), 1961, report on water requirements downstream of Jindabyne Dam

Pendlebury, P,. Erskine, W.D., Lake, S., Brown, P., Pulsford, I., Banks, J., and Nixon, J. (1996) "Expert Panel Environmental Flow Assessment of the Snowy River Below Jindabyne Dam", prepared for Snowy Genoa Catchment Management Committee

NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation, Victorian Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric Authority, "Snowy River Downstream of Lake Jindabyne: Environmental Flow Scoping Study", draft

Bate, Rosie, Water Quality Monitoring in the Upper Snowy Mountains, 1991-92, Supplementary Data Report, 1992, Department of Water Resources

APPENDIX

Dalgety & District Community Association, "Photo Essay of The Snowy River (Jindabyne to Bungarby) 1995"

NSW Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission (now NSW Department of Land & Water Conservation), 1961, report on water requirements downstream of Jindabyne Dam

Snowy River Flow At Dalgety, M. Bell, 1992 (Chart)