Council looks for solution to proposed water changes

With the Lockyer Valley's agricultural livelihood at risk, Lockyer Valley Mayor, Steve Jones, has taken his concerns to the Queensland Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries.

Along with farmers from the region, the Mayor met with Leanne Donaldson MP, this week to discuss alternative options to the State Government's proposal to reduce the amount of water farmers can access.

The Department of Natural Resources and Mines (DNRM) is trying to make a nice and neat package which incorporates all of the regions but that is a complete oversight on their behalf, Mayor Jones said.

Each region is unique and the usage for water varies significantly from region to region.

The farmers in the Lockyer Valley region have previously met with officials from DNRM but they are not being listened to and that is why we called for this meeting with Ms Donaldson.

We had a good discussion with the Minister and talked about alternative solutions such as a pipeline from Lowood to the Lockyer Valley.

One man who attended the meeting this week with the Mayor and is in support of this idea is Crowley Vale farmer Brendon Clarke.

It was a really positive meeting and we floated the idea of a pipeline from Lowood to the three dams in the Lockyer Valley - Atkinson Dam, Bill Gunn and Lake Clarendon, he said.

The easement is already there and it's just the infrastructure that is required.

At the moment they are releasing water out of Wivenhoe yet our three dams are practically empty. The water they are releasing is currently three times what would be able to fill up our dams.

Mr Clarke said this was a viable solution for the government and made more sense than the changes suggested by DNRM which would potentially cripple the farming industry in the Lockyer Valley.

We're not having any luck changing the minds of the DNRM and it seems to be falling on deaf ours, he said.

With the proposed water changes we will have a 75 per cent reduction and only be able to grow 25 per cent of what we currently grow. I imagine a lot of farmers are in the same boat.

Forest Hill farmer, Darren Hannam, backed up this statement, claiming the changes would be fatal for his business.

It would be devastating for us and the impact would roll on to the rest of the region, he said.

We would lose two thirds of our production if these changes go ahead.

The DNRM asked for submissions on this Statement of Proposals with submissions closing on 29 January 2016.

Lockyer Valley Regional Council has entered a submission and will continue to voice its concerns.

With submissions having closed we will now seek a meeting with Anthony Lynham, the Minister for State Development and Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, to discuss the matter further, Mayor Jones said.

It is imperative we come up with a solution as the agricultural industry is the backbone of this region.