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Albury wins role to help return rivers to grandeur.
Albury will become the home of a new joint government enterprise established to manage the return of 282 gigalitres of water to the Snowy and Murray rivers.
Announced on the banks of the Murray River at Noreuil Park yesterday, NSW Agriculture Minister Mr Ian MacDonald said the NSW, Victorian and federal governments had joined forces to contribute $375 million to the Snowy Joint Government Enterprise.
Both States will contribute $150 million, with the Commonwealth providing $75 million.
Victorian Environment and Water Secretary Ms Elaine Carbines said 6 per cent of environmental flows had already been returned to the Snowy River this year.
"Both the Snowy and the Murray have been in a vastly degrading state and Australians have expressed concern and want to see them returned to their former grandeur," she said.
Mr MacDonald said the funds would directly support water-saving projects researched, approved and audited by the enterprise during the next 10 years.
He said the enterprise head office would be located in Albury and Charles Sturt University had submitted a proposal to have the enterprise set up near its school of environment and information science at Thurgoona.
Mr MacDonald said the enterprise would be made up of an independent board of three directors.
"The significance to the project is to look at and develop on an audited basis a number of water-saving proposals to improve water efficiency and environmental flows," Mr MacDonald said.
Mr MacDonald said it had taken about seven years to get to this point, with the issue of water efficiency raised at a 1996-1997 water inquiry, but the governments planned to establish the enterprise by mid-October.
He also assured irrigators and water recreation users that water would not be cut from one source to feed another.
"Irrigators are in support of this," he said.
"All water will come from water-saving projects."
Mr MacDonald said projects such as the Barren Box Swamp initiative at Griffith could save 30 gigalitres.
Member for Albury Mrs Sussan Ley said the enterprise was an exciting opportunity for the city.
"I am delighted the environmental and scientific expertise of Albury will be utilised with the location of the enterprise in our city," Mrs Ley said.
"It is really about creating a balance and making sure the Murray River secures environmental flows as well and making sure water is not taken from one resource to feed another."
By Kylie Munro
The Border Morning Mail
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