Where’s the Campaspe River? In Northern Victoria, Australia. When it comes to water for irrigated agriculture, climate scenarios for the state have never been good. You can’t farm without water. Two weeks ago a massive group of over 100 Campaspe farmers took the bit between the teeth and decided to get out of farming. The district’s water comes from Lake Eppalock and it’s been pretty empty for some years now.
Imagine the deliberations. Between husbands and wives, between community members, between farmers and their banks, between irrigators and government agencies, between water authorities, catchment management authorities and the Department of Sustainability and Environment. Between the state and commonwealth governments.
The channels and pipelines will now be closed. The water will become available for the Campaspe River. But first a price must be set on this increasingly scarce asset – could be worth over $20 million. “water sale”