PM Transcripts

FOR PRESS 874 874
IUD 53 STATE . iENTB' THE MINISER FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
( Hon. David Fairbairn, M. P.)
SNOY WATER HELPS FARMERS
The Snowy Miountains Scheme this summer is helping
drought-affected farmers in the iMurray and i. urrumbidgee Valleys.
The iinister for National Development ( 1ir. Fairbairn)
said today that the Scheme would provide nearly one million acre
feet of water this irrigation season for irrigators along these
rivers thus augmenting the natural flows which have been greatly
reduced because of the drought.
He said the Sncwy Mountains Council, in accordance with
the Snowy ;' ountains agreement and in response to requests made
by the River iiurray Commission and the '. ater Conservation and
Irrigation Commission of New South .: ales would provide:
For the lurray, as from iiay 1, 1967 a diversion of
nearly 400,000 acre feet from the Snowy to the
. iurray basin.
For the Tumut/ Murrumbidgee, 70,000 acre feet a month
for eight months from September 1.
" Many representations have been made to me and to the
Snowy ountains Council for releases of water for irrigation
purposes from Lake ucumbene, the principal storage of the
Snowy i. ountains Scheme," 1Mr. Fairbairn said.
" There is apparently a widespread impression that the
lake is full and that the Council is holding back water for use
in generating electricity next winter.
" The situation is that streamflows in the Snowy area
are the lowest recorded since their measurement commenced over
years ago. as a result Lake Eucumbene is only about one
third full. " However, despite the limited resources and the need to
stretch them as far as possible, the Council has guaranteed considerable
quantities of water for the Murray and Miurrumbidgee
irrigators". Mr. F9irbnirn stressed that in the present circumstances
it was not possible for the Couicil to incre;, se these guarantees.
Some reserves had to be held in Lake iucumbene to snfeguard both
irrigators 9nd electricity consumers against the possibility of
an extension of the drought into next senson.
CANBR A.
November 15, 1967 I