(AU) West Australian Dry Spell Worsens With Record Water Deficiency Declaration In Cascade

ABC Esperance - Emma Field | Isabel Moussalli

A water deficiency declaration will ensure adequate water supplies for livestock. (ABC Esperance: Emma Field) 

Key Points Cascade near Esperance has been declared water deficient for the first time Water will be carted to the townsite for animal welfare reasons It marks an unprecedented 12 water deficiency declarations across WA in a year

The West Australian Government will begin carting emergency water supplies to another dry agriculture region in the state's south-east today after it made its 12th water deficiency declaration in a year.

The small town of Cascade, about 100 kilometres north-east of Esperance, was yesterday declared water deficient for the first time in its history.

It means the State Government will cart about 640 kilolitres of water a week to temporary tanks at the Cascade townsite.

This water must only be used for animal welfare and emergency firefighting.

For Cascade farmer, Scott Pickering, it has been the driest period his family has seen for five decades and last year he only recorded 169 millimetres of rain, well under half his average annual rainfall.

He said the declaration decision was "fantastic" for farmers who had been struggling with dry conditions for the past few years.

"We've only got about 25 dams; there's only three that have water in it at the moment," Mr Pickering said.

"So we've been carting water internally for probably 18 months and we've been carting water from the town dam since December."

Scott Pickering is one of the farmers affected by water shortages in Cascade. (ABC Esperance: Emma Field)

'The outlook is very grim'

At Kanga Downs, Cascade farmers Ray and Bonnie Arnold recorded two consecutive years of well-below average rainfall and said recent rain did not produce enough runoff into dams.

"It seems to be if we don't get the summer rain … the outlook is very grim," Mr Arnold said.

"We've got an average of 420 [millimetres], but we haven't had that for three years, and it's really showing in the [crop] yields; we are suffering."

The emergency water is not allowed to be accessed by farmers who need water for crop spraying, something that makes Cascade farmers worried.

The Cascade declaration comes after Salmon Gums received the same declaration in March, and Grass Patch was declared in December, both of which are also in the Shire of Esperance.

Ray Arnold carting water from the Cascade standpipe, before the declaration this week. (ABC Esperance: Emma Field)

WA Agriculture Minister Alannah MacTiernan said the unprecedented dry conditions due to climate change had affected water supplies in the area.

"This 12th water deficiency declaration highlights the climatic challenges facing our farmers, who are doing their best to employ sustainable land use strategies to remain viable," she said.

Last week, Gairdner in the Shire of Jerramungup received water deficiency declarations, adding to other declarations in the shires of Ravensthorpe, Lake Grace, Kent, and Dumbleyung.

The WA Government spent more than $2.8 million in the 12 months to June carting water to areas which are classified water deficient.

Links

• 'Enough to dampen the dust — if that': WA farmers face driest conditions in 40 years
• Water deficiency declared on WA's south coast amid animal welfare concerns
• Drought a bigger impact on Australian agriculture than coronavirus, new figures show
• Indigenous groups earn millions in carbon credits to burn country to cut emissions — but only in northern Australia 
• Savanna burns reduce emissions by half a million tonnes
• 'A tinder box': why do we burn the Top End black every year?