An MIA resident is calling on the community, government and irrigation businesses to look ahead beyond the end of the Murray Darling Basin Plan and develop a new water storage.
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Businessman David Farley is calling for a feasibility study to investigate Lake Coolah as a potential new storage for the southern basin.
Mr Farley said when the Basin Plan was drawn up, the nation was gripped by drought which since ended.
That drought meant many decisions were made through the lens of balancing environmental recovery and consumptive use.
The Basin Plan had forced change in farming practises and protected environmental watering, however it was time to look beyond the end of the plan.
"In the plan itself it will be reviewed in 2026, that's only four years away," Mr Farley said.
"We must develop a horizon to 2026 to optimise our industries and our communities."
Mr Farley said storing carryover water in Lake Coolah during the winter would help release extra space in Blowering and Burrinjuck dams.
He estimated another 900,000 megalitres, made up of around 450,000 megalitres in the lake and an extra $450,000 megalitres in the dams.
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Mr Farley said another advantage would be allowing water for users to be drawn from the lake.
On average it takes water from the dam eight days to reach uses and the environment, with Lake Coolah meaning the water can be delivered sooner.
Mr Farley said using Lake Coolah as storage which could be drawn on would help strike a balance between environmental and consumptive users.
Mr Farley said he had taken his proposal to the Murray-Darling Association of local governments which stretches from South Australia to Queensland and received unanimous support.
Another presentation at the Riverina and Murray Joint Organisation has also attracted 100 per cent support.
He said he'd received support for the project from a number of NSW ministers.
Mr Farley said the next step would be conduct a feasibility study, which he believed would show the project is possible. He said there were options for the government to own and run it, or potentially a public-private partnership.
"No one has a monopoly on good ideas, there's endless scope to define what happens next," he said.
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