North Australian FISH FINDER TM forums

Aquifers have been in the spotlight in the NT ... http://www.news.com.au/technology/envir ... 7403239209

Biggest way to develop the North is not to develop it. Carbon based economics is coming and the tropical savanah is a significant carbon sink.

Excellent point Rug.

The best solution to drought-proofing farming is the opposite to the current philosophy of dam a hundred rivers style of storing water. Instead of damming rivers, there should be greater emphasis on small, on-farm water storage, and farming the land at its natural limits, not beyond them.

This "new logic" requires matching the type of farming to a region's soils and climate, and managing sediment and nutrient leaching. The NT's rivers and by default its water are our greatest natural asset and a vital to both the environment, our economy and lifestyle. This governments develop at all costs mantra will only see the past mistakes we have made such as in the murray darling repeated only on a territory wide scale and must be opposed.

People have this mis-conception about our water. Sure for half the year, we get lots of rain (though climate patterns are changing) though they just don't get for the other half, we get nothing. Our constantly hot climate also causes significant evaporation effects. We get this with our domestic water supply also because although Darwin River Dam is large in surface area, it is also shallow and we lose a lot of volume in the dry to evaporation.

The other thing is with the arse falling out of the mining boom, the two speed economy will diminish and our big revenue stream will return to tourism which it traditionally has been.

We know the do's and dont's from southern agricultural practices and we shouldn't be rushing to repeat those mistakes for short term game.

Good points and discussion.