A RIVERLAND family is demanding answers – and compensation – as salinity and seepage continue to destroy their family farm.
The Frahns’ farm borders the Noora Basin Salt Interception Scheme – east of Loxton – and when Yvette and Gary Frahn purchased the land in 1999, it had three dry salt scalds.
Mrs Frahn said the property now has five large salt pans, three of which have had water in them for the past 10 years.
“We are unwilling, but integral participants of the interception project,” she said.
Mrs Frahn said the family was seeking compensation from the State Government and is frustrated by the ongoing process.
“We understand the incredible importance of the salt interception scheme,” she said.
“Without doubt, whatsoever, had they not implemented the interception scheme, we wouldn’t have an irrigation industry.
“What we don’t like is the fact that they are unwilling to embrace the idea that we are part of the scheme and we pay the price for the scheme.”
The Noora Basin, which was commissioned in 1982, is located about 20km east of Loxton and was originally identified as a suitable disposal location due to its low elevation and because groundwater naturally discharges into the area.
Mrs Frahn said seepage from the Noora basin is raising the water table on their farm, pushing the salt to the surface.
“They have been telling us that it’s our doing and it’s had nothing to do with them and there’s no way water could get from the basin to here,” she said.
“It’s not as though we don’t have natural salinity.
“But, that salinity wouldn’t have done any damage at all had it not been for the seepage.”
In the past 22 years, the Frahns have planted over 35,000 trees, including 10,000 directly around the salt pans, in a bid to manage seepage.
“We are custodians of this land,” Mrs Frahn said.
“It’s part of our family’s belief system to be the best caretakers we can possibly be.”
Mrs Frahn said a number of neighbouring properties are also being affected by the basin’s impact.
Farming Systems Consultant Chris McDonough wrote a report about the salt scald expansion at the Frahn property.
“There continues to be large increases in bare scald and salt-affected land,” he said.
“Soil testing has consistently shown substantial rises in topsoil salinity, well in excess of toxic levels.
“(The) report has highlighted that there are very large land degradation issues occurring at the Frahn property as a direct impact from the Noora Basin Salt Interception Scheme.”
Farm business management consultant Mike Krause compiled an economic report in 2019 about the impact of the Noora Basin scheme on the Frahns’ Bugle Hut property and found the compensation figure to be substantial.
“The assessment of economic loss has been broken down into past costs incurred by the Frahns, as they have had to manage and learn of the extent of the environmental impact to their Bugle Hut property, and future compensation payment for anticipated economic loss,” he said in the report.
Member for Chaffey Tim Whetstone said he took Minister for Environment and Water David Speirs to the property about five years ago.
“I showed him the initial impacts of scalding appearing in some of that dryland country,” he said.
“It appears to be getting worse.
“I have continued to work with Frahns and continued to work with both the previous government and am now working with this government.”
A State Government spokesperson acknowledged the ongoing issue with the Frahns’ Bugle Hut property.
“The State Government is aware of the request for compensation by the Frahns and is continuing to consider its position,” the spokesperson said.
“Noora Basin commenced operations in 1982, 17 years before the Frahns purchased their property.
“The risk of potential future salinization of surrounding land was understood when the Basin was established and was discussed with the neighbouring landholders at that time.”
The spokesperson said the operation of salt interception scheme had many benefits.
“The operation of salt interception schemes along the River Murray is one of this country’s great environmental success stories, with salinity levels in the river and many of its associated wetlands significantly reduced as a result of their operation, with consequential benefits for ecosystem health,” the spokesperson said.
“The establishment of the Noora Basin has created a much more diverse and vibrant ecosystem, including vegetation and bird and fish life, than what had existed at that location previously.
“The Noora Basin is also playing a key role in the delivering of environmental outcomes under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.”