Rural communities in Queensland are grappling with a dire water crisis as dams and groundwater sources continue to dry up, leaving desperate farmers facing a bleak forecast for November.
The state experienced its sixth-driest October on record, following a dry September, and the Bureau of Meteorology anticipates a drier-than-average November. This grim outlook is causing significant challenges for landowners, who are resorting to trucking in water to sustain their parched paddocks.
Rockhampton
Near Rockhampton, farmers are lobbying for access to water from the nearby Fitzroy River as their groundwater sources run dry. For the Booth family, who own a cattle property in the area, the situation has reached an unprecedented level of severity. The once-reliable bores on their property have ceased to provide water, forcing them to consider culling their stock of 270 head due to the scarcity of water.
Extreme conditions
Across the state, communities are struggling to cope with the extreme conditions. In the Gympie district, located 170 kilometers north of Brisbane, there is a surging demand for water carting services as tanks and dams continue to dry up. Mary Valley Haulage is working tirelessly to transport water to desperate property owners, with calls pouring in from various regions. The situation is particularly concerning for hobby farmers like Vienna Sansom, who describe this as the driest period they have ever witnessed. Despite the prospect of some rain in the forecast, the severity of the drought is so profound that it would take sustained rainfall over an extended period to make a significant difference.
Contrasting weather conditions
This challenging situation has taken a toll on communities that have recently experienced contrasting weather conditions. For example, Amamoor grazier Ray Zerner reflects on the floods that inundated their region last year, only to be followed by a lack of summer rain. The water crisis has left many farmers uncertain about the future, and the Mary River to the north of Gympie is dwindling.
Gympie
Gympie Mayor Glen Hartwig has issued a warning about the need for water conservation, with the likelihood of further restrictions looming. Some locations, including Amamoor, Kandanga, Kilkivan, and Goomeri, are already under level 3 restrictions, limiting individuals to 180 liters of water per day while prohibiting activities such as filling pools and watering lawns.
$1 billion Fitzroy to Gladstone water pipeline
The situation is made all the more frustrating for the Booth family, who live a mere five kilometers from the Fitzroy River, a reliable water source. Additionally, a $1 billion Fitzroy to Gladstone water pipeline is under construction, tantalizingly close to their Ridgelands area. However, there is no pipeline infrastructure connecting their region, and even though a study for a future water scheme is underway, delivery remains years away. This lack of access to water is severely affecting local agriculture, with many unable to grow crops or feed their livestock adequately due to the water scarcity.
Conclusion
Despite the challenging circumstances, there is a glimmer of hope for landholders beyond November, with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting some rain for the upcoming summer. However, the rainfall is expected to remain below average, emphasizing the need for long-term solutions to address Queensland’s ongoing water challenges.
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