A LOCAL irrigation trust’s continued dedication to environmental improvement has seen a Riverland national park start to receive water.
Environmental watering began last month at Paringa Paddock, utilising flood-regulating infrastructure recently completed under the Riverine Recovery Project.
Renmark Irrigation Trust (RIT) general manager Rosalie Auricht said herself, along with RIT presiding member Humphrey Howie and Renmark Paringa Council deputy mayor Peter Hunter, discussed the potential to water the area with then South Australian Minister for Water Ian Hunter in 2016.
“It is exciting that managed floodplain watering in Paringa Paddock is now a reality (and) it resulted from people power,” Ms Auricht said.
“Late in 2016, Renmark’s Environmental Watering Committee was concerned Paringa Paddock was being overlooked in the government’s managed floodplain watering infrastructure projects.
“We are pleased the community was heard and thank the Government for this outcome.”
Mr Howie said co-operation between RIT and Renmark Paringa Council made it possible to use environmental water at the area.
“It’s an example of how you can change the minds of the department and what communities can actually achieve,” Mr Howie said.
“What we had previous to that was a plan ripped up by the department, which did allow for watering on a much smaller scale, but we identified a much better opportunity to get greater amounts of water into that area.
“We managed to convince them it was a better opportunity (and) hence the new regulators were built.
“After some time of waiting they are finally starting to fill that top end above the regulator, and hopefully this year we’ll see some water flowing through the channel.”
Mr Howie said water infrastructure at Paringa Paddock – combined with continued environmental maintenance – would benefit the entire River Murray National Park area.
“(It will) also reconnect to the old river too, which will hopefully freshen up that old river system better,” he said.
“The River Murray National Park is a great public asset… that’s the really important thing. Despite it being designated a national park, the management needs to be
kept up.
“It’s all very well to have these areas but they really must be managed in a proper way.
“Let’s hope there’s adequate resources and assistance from the department to look after that area for the benefit of all.”