Brimming at Burrinjuck dam By Sarina Locke from Yass 2582
Wednesday, 22/09/2010
Australia's first major dam for irrigation, Burrinjuck is almost full for the first time in 15 years.
The three rivers that feed it: Yass, Murrumbidgee and Goodradigbee have had above average rain.
Now the tourism operators on the dam want water to stay above half full, that allows water sports and fishing.
Downstream of Burrinjuck and Blowering dams, in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area farmers have been given 50 per cent of their general allocation and are hoping that will increase soon, so they can put in more crops like rice, and vegetables.
But on Burrinjuck, Good Hope resort owners Liz and Don Richardson near Yass want a good height to stay in the dam, at around 40 to 50 per cent.
"That means it's at a usable level and we still get the campers, we still get people happily water skiing, running their jet skis on the water."
"Back in 2005 when we did have around 70 per cent, come January in four or five weeks, they took the level of 70 per cent down to 35 per cent.
"They literally halved it," says Liz Richardson.
"We're four times the size of Sydney Harbour and that means they cut it in half so they emptied Sydney Harbour twice."
"You could stand on the water's edge, and they just took it," and she makes a sucking sound.
