Recent TV news about ample river flows for the Avon Descent white water boat race near Perth, Western Australia, raise an interesting question. The Avon River joins the Swan River and runs right through the centre of Perth.
Perth has a water shortage, water users are on restrictions, water prices are sky-rocketing from 16 cents per kilolitre to $2 per kilolitre, so why is this water wasting to sea in the Swan River, right through the heart of Perth. Amazing that there is not ONE word in the media joining the dots between the abundant water in the Avon, wasting to sea and the Perth water crisis.
Weird hey ?
A published paper by several Govt scientists states that over 600 GL of weakly saline water flows on average each year in the Avon, Murray and Collie Rivers. This is circa twice the Perth annual water consumption. Yet over the decades Perth has been blessed with such abundant water supplies that we use none of this huge water source for “town supply”.
Agritech at their website describe their win win win proposal for desalinating waste water from Wellington Dam near Collie.
The Western Australian Government Water Corporation has spent years opposing the Agritech project which is to supply water to the Govt at 60 cents per kilolitre, half the cost of the currently operation Kwinana seawater desalination plant. A sensible Govt. (is this an oxymoron?) would say to Agritech: why not increase your project to 100 GL per year and we will see you get the extra water stocks from the Avon or Murray rivers? Too logical, too easy. This would only save us from investing over $2 Billion in seawater desalination, or in terms of annual water costs, would save over $100 million per year.
Below is a recent press article re the Avon Descent. Note that this Avon River water, much of which originates in the wheatbelt, will be slightly saline. Similar to the Wellington Dam water from the Collie River and also similar to the Murray River sl saline water which flows between the Avon and Collie.
From news.com.au
Rain guarantees white water for Avon Descent
27th July 2007, 6:00 WST
Competitors and spectators can look forward to a bumper Avon Descent after a week of heavy rain boosted water flows, promising plenty of white water action on August 4-5.
Water levels at Walyunga in the Avon Valley this week exceeded one metre and are tipped to keep rising with more rain forecast and water still flowing from the catchment area.
Avon Descent event co-ordinator Hugh Singe said water levels at the popular location were almost three times those for last year’s event and the highest in about five years.
Recent rains had allayed fears of a repeat of last year, when competitors had to drag boats over rocks because of low water levels.
“This week is the first time all year the river has flowed at a rate to create white water,” Mr Singe said.
“Sneakers were almost more important than paddles last year but I doubt competitors will need their sneakers this year.”
The boost in levels has the Avon Descent rescue team bracing for a busy two-day event, after a slow couple of days last year.
Since last Friday, Northam has had more than 40mm while 58mm fell at Brookton over the same period.
Rain is forecast until next Wednesday as two cold fronts pass through. A scheduled 664 competitors will tackle the 133km course to compete for more than $60,000 worth of prizes in what is considered the world’s greatest white water event and Australia’s richest paddling event.
Mr Singe said more than 100,000 spectators were expected along the river from Northam to Bayswater.
JODIE THOMSON
I’m staggered Warwick that these alternative water sources are so near Perth, in such good quantities yet the Government ignores them in favour of water at 10 times the cost. Probably worse than that if you added in the true costs of power generation and who wants industries crammed right on our expensive coastline.
As a Perth Community Person I am amazed that we can be wrong on so many different levels. When will the government and Scientist get together and try to help Australia?
Thanks Mark, WaterCorp has their story which must suit them and Govt. Our drying climate !! Which is propped up by CSIRO models of a dryer – hotter future. Facts do not matter now.
If you scroll down thru my Water category linked on left.
back to about May 07 there are many WA / Perth relevant posts.
Re Perth water supply, can I suggest my “There never was a rain shortage to justify seawater desalination for Perth’s water supply”
Which refs to my downloadable word doc.
WaterCorp people have put out absolute rubbish, how about the winter 07 full page advert in press.
W.A. Govt propaganda takes water supply “post rain”
and the hapless Alan Carpenter with his.
West Australian Premier talks utter nonsense about rainfall
And yet when did you last see any rational news item in the Perth press re rainfall ?
Provide me with an email address where i can send word attachments and i’ll provide you with the real cause of climate change….(hint: geo-nuclear reactions)
Joe Olson
281/351-7319 (USA)
Gidday Joseph A Olson, PE – if you hit the “About the authors” button, top right. I await your message.
Yeah they reckon we should conserve water and think for the future instead of priding ourselves as a garden city.
Sasha, you could check out my late 2007 article;
There never was a rain shortage to justify seawater desalination for Perth’s water supply
Joseph A Olson is an Engineer, not a Climatologist. He’s not even a scientist. He works in construction. He has never published a peer reviewed article on ANY scientific subject. He is prone to getting into childish spitting contests. His use of highly partisan and inflammatory language undermines any pretense of credibility he puts forth. Olson is politically motivated, often allowing his emotions to seep into his pseudo-scientific articles.
Phew, we are shocked here. Better not go any further with ad hominen attacks like this.
EXCUSE ME ! ! !
I didn’t see the notice that this debate, the first world wide scientific peer review, was closed to all who are not members of the cloistered academia minority….I always held ‘scientists’ in high esteem until I began my independent review of the AGW message….and discovered the glaring incongruences….I am a private practice engineer who is self funded and self researched….the defination of ‘Engineering’ is applied science….or science that works….when engineers fail there are serious consequences….when a scientist fails, they can ‘adjust their polynomials’….my formal education included as much physics and a physics major, as much math as a math major and as much chemistry as a chemistry major….my new defination for a scientist….
a scientist is an engineer who didn’t want to go to school for an extra year….
Climate is not the exclusive domain of Climatologists, nor Geologists, nor Astronomers, nor Nuclear Physicists….Climate is the final trailing feature in the interaction of all these great forces….I have my ‘magic decoder ring’ and understand science….’all that is necessary for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing’….I have chosen to stand against simplistic false science that was intentionally designed to increase government power….We have much more to learn about this planet….Thankfully the Internet has given many the research tools and a voice in this debate….(Thank You Warwick Hughes)….
I am here to have a great time and learning experience within your blog site and looking forward to visit newer post soon.
Welcome and do you have anything to say; what do you think about ‘climate change’ and the IPCC