Residents and key stakeholders are being invited to have their say on two major projects in the Griffith region that could significantly boost farm water efficiency, improve environmental outcomes, and contribute to NSW’s Murray-Darling Basin Plan targets.
With the support of the NSW Government, agricultural enterprises McDonell Farms and Erin Pastoral have applied for funding under the Australian Government’s Resilient Rivers Water Infrastructure Program for proposed projects that would save millions of litres of water with new and improved networks.
“These projects are looking promising, but we need to continue undertaking due diligence including getting community input to ensure all the pros and cons are weighed up carefully before we determine if they move to the next stage which involves NSW submitting a formal funding application to the Commonwealth,” NSW DCCEEW Executive Director Infrastructure Development Lisa Hingerty said.
McDonell Farms, which manages 1000 hectares of irrigated land near Leeton, is proposing $6.3 million of works, including a 510 ML storage dam and an upgrade of the drainage recirculation system by creating a bankless layout of channels with improved infrastructure and fully automated irrigation across the entire property.
“The McDonell Farms overhaul would reduce water losses caused by evaporation in the current network and allow for more flexible water capture and delivery, building on a string of upgrades that have already been completed to the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area.”
The project is estimated to save 1200 ML of water each year through reduced water losses caused by evaporation in the current network and by allowing for more flexible water capture and delivery. 80 per cent of this entitlement would be returned to the environment as part of the NSW Government’s commitment to meeting its Basin Plan targets.
The proposed $1.9 million Erin water efficiency project would deliver a new state-of-the-art supply and reticulation system for stock and domestic use across this 8,500-hectare property north of Hay, which is home to cropping, wool, fat lamb, and beef production.
“Meanwhile, the Erin project would tap into the Gunbar Water Scheme for the first time to reduce reliance on the Lachlan River, replacing the existing failing channel system and pipes on the farm with 67km of new pipelines, 3 solar powered pump stations, 37 storage tanks, 35 troughs, and a remote monitoring system,” Hingerty said.
It’s expected to achieve water savings of 130-150 ML each year and return 110 ML of water to the environment.
Feedback will be considered to help determine if the projects will progress to a formal funding application to the Australian Government.
Submissions close at 5 p.m. on 22 May 2025 and can be made via an online form or by uploading a written document to the Resilient Rivers Water Infrastructure program.
“This is the chance for the public to have its say on these major water initiatives, which could be gamechangers for the region, so I strongly encourage people to have their say,” Hingerty said.
