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Plantations for ‘world scale’ pulp mill are too large for Tasmania’s water supplies

Posted September 3rd, 2007 by admin

Water is becoming more precious but the pulp mill plantations are leading to chronic and increasing shortages of water for farmers, communities and towns in the decades ahead.

As the % area of a catchment covered by plantations grows, the river levels fall. This particularly serious in summer months.

River flows in 20 of 24 northern Tasmanian catchments were already diminishing by 2006 due to expanding plantations.

To see more, download the file 'Depletion of water supplies v109.pdf', from below.

Catch

Water consumption by the pulp mill and plantations

Posted January 22nd, 2007 by admin

Is there enough water for the Tamar valley pulp mill?

The proposed pulp mill will consume significant volumes of water from the Trevallyn Dam which is fed by streams in the South Esk basin.

A water audit of inputs and outputs from the South Esk basin over the summer period of 2006-07 unveils a story of declining supplies and increasing demands.

The audit highlights a covert competition for water security involving Meander valley irrigators; Midlands farmers; domestic consumers in Campbell Town, Ross and Tunbridge; domestic consumers supplied by Esk Water; environmental flows to sustain river health; consumption by expanding plantations in the headwaters; and direct use by the proposed pulp mill.

Fact sheets and analysis of the Tamar valley pulp mill proposal

Posted December 24th, 2006 by admin

1. Fact sheets and charts showing the essentials

TAP and SAS is producing a series of fact sheets and charts describing significant impacts of the proposed pulp mill and its wood supply on the economy, environment and population of Tasmania. These impacts are largely being ignored by the Government and the proponent.