CONCERN over a long-awaited water sharing plan that could lead to the demise of the Peel irrigation industry and even a failure to augment the capacity of Chaffey Dam has been expressed by Member for Tamworth Peter Draper.

The independent MP said unless the methodology used for its implementation was appropriate, the normal application of Murray-Darling Basin/Namoi Caps could lead to an effective reduction in access of about 75 per cent, with the net result being no increase in capacity for Chaffey.

He said the start of the water sharing plan (WSP) process was the last barrier needed to be completed before the Federal Government could consider providing funds to enhance Chaffey Dam.

Mr Draper said the Peel Valley had a planning trifecta of inefficient costs: a small dam (Chaffey), inappropriate cap rules due to its small

geographic area, and a very large area of Chaffey Dam wall space owned by Tamworth Regional Council.

“If we continue down the current track, I am very concerned that viable irrigation properties will end up as hobby farms, and Tamworth Regional Council will face funding the full operational costs of Chaffey Dam,” Mr Draper said.

Mr Draper said areas crucial to the planning process were:

• A sustainable diversion cap, be it the 1994 or other cap, must be negotiated within the WSP process.

• Clarification as to which cap will be applied – the 1994 MDBC cap, or the Water Act 2007 cap?

• How the cap will apply to the issue of

interconnectivity.

• The intertwined Chaffey augmentation and WSP issues.

• Tamworth Regional Council’s ambitions to

create hybrid water access licenses must be put on hold until the completion of the Water Management Act 2000 (WMA 2000) WSP for the Peel and Cockburn Rivers.

Any arrangement entered into to benefit TRC under the 1912 act would result in a loss of equity for irrigators when TRC and irrigators transfer to the WMA 2000.

• WSP discussions must address temporary and permanent water license transfers from the regulated Peel to the regulated Namoi, as this may transfer economic opportunities from the Peel region to downstream areas.

Mr Draper said he would seek urgent meetings between all parties and the Department of Water to bring forward the commencement of the water sharing plans, and to ensure they were focussed on examining all water sources.