Aquaducts - irrigating Australia

 Has there been a serious study done to see the feasibility of channeling
water from our far north to some of the drier parts of our continent? I'm
thinking of a massive pipe and aquaduct system.

It does seem sad that some parts of our land suffer from too much water -
whilst other parts suffer from its lack.

I'm not thinking that such a mammoth scheme could be achieved in 10 or even
100 years- but what's the alternative? Desalination plants don't seem to be
that effective.

It would require cooperation from Federal, State and local - but if
achieved- it would be a boon for future generations.

 I agree, dollar for dollar desalination plants seem to be subject to
government abuse and back-door deals with corporations and politicians.
Pipelines should be able to go both ways. I think someone in the fifties
did a technical feasibility study. They seem to become white elephants
during times of plenty...Creating a terrible waste of taxpayers funds.



  Blackadder XXIV wrote:

 
I guess the same could be said about a massive aquaduct system - eg. plenty
of corruption and graft.

Which is sad, as we could certainly do with such a water system.

 

P A Yeomans wrote several books (Water for every farm, Keyline Plan and City
Farm) on using water that is diverted from run off. As most of the rivers in
the north flood then are dry a week later it is a waste of a water resource
as it heads out to sea.

Farmers could utilise trapping water on their farms and having several water
storages. Then they could irrigate when needed. This is providing they are
on loam based soil with adequate slope.

Unfortunately now I think the government has decided to charge for dams and
storage of water. Citing that they are stopping flows to the rivers.
Unfortunately this has good points and bad. By not having dam storage the
water runs off into the rivers. By having storages you reduce the runoff but
once the dams are full run off proceeds as nature intended. So we need to
look at the long term benefits not a governments term in office.

Agriculture is a big user of water. So reducing it's impact by requiring
farmers to have adequate storages on their land is a better option. This of
course is providing they have the right conditions to do so.

 


What happened to that plan? The cycle of drought and flood seems obvious. A
system of irrigation pipes and reservoirs and aquaducts may be the thing for
it. Of course, by the time, they finish it - we might well be experiencing
record rainfall. lol.