‘Critical': parts of regional NSW set to run out of water by November

Parts of regional New South Wales could run out of water as early as November with data showing the worst-case scenario for the state if there’s no rain or government intervention.

A huge mat of red duckweed floats on the surface of
 the Macquarie River in Dubbo due to the decreased
flow of water. WaterNSW say Dubbo is set to be one of
the first NSW towns to lose water if it does not rain.

The projections from NSW’s river operator and bulk water supplier WaterNSW show without significant rain the first towns to lose water supply will be Dubbo, Cobar, Nyngan and Narromine with the Macquarie River forecast to run dry by November.

The Macquarie River experiences an average inflow of 1,448GL annually but in the past two years has seen just 97GL enter the river system, the data shows.

Read the story from The Guardian by Paul Karp and Australia Associated Press - “‘Critical': parts of regional NSW set to run out of water by November.”

(It’s events such as these that will focus peoples’ thinking about the climate crisis - Robert McLean)

Malcolm Turnbull consoles grief-stricken woman as he announces emergency drought relief

A charity worker helping drought-stricken farmers has broken down during an emotional confrontation with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in regional New South Wales.

The $190 million package of immediate relief
measures include additional support for mental
 health services.

Mr Turnbull comforted Edwina Robertson in the town of Trangie, west of Dubbo, as she spoke about dire conditions and hardship in many farming communities.

"It's worse than anything you are seeing in the media, it's far worse," Ms Robertson told the Prime Minister.

"It's dire. I worry every day when I go to visit farming families that it's going to be hours too late, it's literally that bad.”

Mr Turnbull has today promised to do more to help those under intense financial strain due to relentless drought conditions, signing off on emergency "special" payments for eligible farmers, to be made through the Farm Household Allowance (FHA) scheme.

Read the ABC News story by the national regional reporting team’s Anna Henderson - “Malcolm Turnbull consoles grief-stricken woman as he announces emergency drought relief.”