“IF I was to get stressed at this time every year, I’m in the wrong game”.
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Those are the words of Leeton shire irrigator Rob Houghton when commenting on this year’s season opening, water allocation announcement.
For Murrumbidgee general security licence holders they will commence on 3 per cent of entitlement.
However, Mr Houghton is confident the figure will rise, especially if the dam catchments start receiving more rainfall.
“There’s no point stressing over something you can’t change … hopefully between now and August we see more rainfall over the catchments and the allocation will then likely increase,” he said.
“We always knew this first announcement of the season would be around this figure. It’s not really anything new.
“The important thing now is that rainfall.”
Mr Houghton said rainfall was crucial at the moment for dryland growers, compared to irrigators, but it would be more critical in the coming weeks.
The next allocation update for the Murrumbidgee Valley is expected on July 16.
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Trade out of and within the valley has resumed but trade into the valley is closed until the inter-valley account balance reaches 15 gigalitres or more.
“This is the nature of the game we are in,” Mr Houghton said. “We had a great season for cotton.”
Domestic and stock, local water utility and all high security sub-categories, including town water supply, will receive an allocation of 100 per cent of entitlement. More information is available at www.industry.nsw.gov.au/water.
