THE Western Australian Liberal Party has been trying to attract Federal attention to the plight of livestock producers in the 12 water deficient areas declared in the State.
Recently Liberal candidate for the Agriculture region Steve Martin hosted a visit from Federal senator Matt O'Sullivan at Jerramungup, where they met with the Shire president and sheep farmer Robert Lester.
Mr Martin said it was "important to invite Mr O'Sullivan to the south east of the Great Southern to see the impacts of this prolonged dry spell on our farms and farming communities".
"There hasn't been run-off water in some of these areas for nearly three years now and the State government has largely sat on its hands and carted water in a stopgap response," Mr Martin said.
"We need a longer-term strategy to drought-proof these towns and communities.
"The Federal government response through the Future Drought Fund can play a crucial role in delivering that strategy.
"It was important for a Federal senator to see the impacts first-hand so he could take that message back to Canberra."
WA has a record 12 water deficient areas declared and the State government has been carting water in some of those areas.
The Jerramungup Shire has three of those areas, at Jerramungup North, Fitzgerald and Gairdner.
Mr O'Sullivan said "having seen first-hand how dry some areas of our State are, I will be making the case to Canberra that Western Australia requires an appropriate and urgent share of Federal drought funding".
"I really appreciate Jerramungup Shire president Robert Lester showing me around the region," Mr Sullivan said.
"Having seen first-hand how dry some areas of our State are, I will be making the case to Canberra that Western Australia requires an appropriate and urgent share of Federal drought funding."
The Federal government has invested $3.9 billion, which is expected to grow to $5b.
Mr O'Sullivan said this long-term, "sustainable investment will make $100 million available each year to help our farmers and communities become more prepared for and resilient to, the impacts of drought".
Mr Lester said he was "rapt" that Mr O'Sullivan had taken the time to visit the farm and get to know the situation.
"We have had no real run off from rains for years," Mr Lester said.
"There's certain sections within the shire that have but others have seen strong fronts come through and only had wind.
"Water is a big issue for certain pockets of the shire."
Mr Lester said two farms, 10 kilometres apart, had experienced a variation of 70 millimetres in rainfall this year due to its patchy nature.
"It's been a frustrating year," he said.
"You think you are going to get good rainfall but it doesn't get here.
"The forecasting has not been as good."
Mr Lester said stockfeed was also "not what you would expect" and if it didn't rain sufficiently soon it would be a long summer ahead for those carting water everyday.
A Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) spokesperson said since May 2019 the State government had spent more than $3m to cart water to the 12 water deficient areas.
Weekly carting volumes for emergency livestock water vary depending on livestock water requirements, on farm livestock management and rainfall events that may have replenished on-farm and local water sources.
Since the first water deficiency was declared in the Mount Short area of Ravensthorpe in May 2019, water carting volumes to the 12 sites have ranged between 240 and 4437 kilolitres per month.
Rainfall in July resulted in enough run-off into on-farm and off-farm dams to provide some relief to farmers in the southern and south eastern areas of the dry land agricultural areas.
While there has not been enough runoff to cancel Water Deficiency Declarations, water carting has been temporarily suspended, in consultation with farmers and local shires, at 10 of the 12 water deficiency declared areas including at the Lake Grace (Mallee Hill and Ardler Road areas), Kent Shire (Hollands Rock tank area and Hamilton's Dam area), Dumbleyung Shire (Kukerin Area), Esperance Shire (Salmon Gums, Cascade and Grass Patch areas), Ravensthorpe Shire (east Jerramungup and west Ravensthorpe-Fitzgerald dam areas as well as the Mount Short area).
"Due to insufficient runoff into dams in the Jerramungup area, DWER continues to manage water carting to the Jerramungup North and Gairdner water deficiency declared areas," the spokesperson said.
"There are no further Water Deficiency Declarations likely at this stage, however, the department will continue to monitor the status of on-farm and off-farm water supplies in the dry land agricultural area and re-evaluate water carting needs."
DWER said communities across WA's south have experienced significantly declining rainfalls since the mid-1970s.
"This has resulted in the critical water resources of regional communities coming under increasing pressure and securing climate resilient water supplies and water of suitable quality to maintain key agricultural and primary industries is crucial to the State," the spokesperson said.
"DWER is delivering on the McGowan government's commitment to support farmers and regional communities and has so far invested $12m in grants to farmers and local governments for water carting and new or upgraded strategic community water infrastructure in the regions.
"This includes a significant investment of about $1.5m on developing or upgrading 37 strategic community water supplies in vulnerable shires in the South East Wheatbelt (dryland agricultural communities), with works including de-silting and upgrading of dams, installation of new tanks and fitting them with new solar pump systems, all to optimise water capture when it rains.
"Over the 2019-20 financial year, the State government has provided $541,512 of Community Water Supply grant funding for seven new community water supply projects in partnership with the Shires of Pingelly, Broomehill-Tambellup, Dumbleyung (two projects), Kulin, Ravensthorpe and in the city of Geraldton.
"All projects are now complete and have boosted the non-potable strategic community water supplies in these shires.
"Water deficiency declared areas continued to be supported through State funded water carting for emergency livestock needs until on-farm and local water sources are adequately replenished."
The DWER Rural Water Planning program is about engaging with local government, farmers and grower groups and provide shires with general advice about water supply infrastructure projects such as waste water reuse, water supply development for public amenity and sporting facilities, as well as localised desalination projects.
DWER said with the support of agriculture and water stakeholders, the State government had submitted four priority projects proposals for consideration as part of the Federal government's $100m per year Future Drought Fund.
"They were not included as part of the Commonwealth's recently announced funding allocation," DWER said.
"The department will continue to work with the Federal government and explore opportunities that will provide benefit for WA under the Future Drought Fund, as details of the high-level programs announced by the Federal government are further developed."
