In spite of the opposition of the Rudd Governmentthe Senate will undertake an inquiry into the lack of water in the Murray-Darling Basin and into new ways to restore the devastated lower Murray River. The terms of reference are for the Senate's rural and regional committee to establish how more water could be found to alleviate the crisis in the lower lakes and Coorong wetlands at the Murray's mouth.

The lack of water flowing into the lower lakes and the Corrong has meant that the Ramsar -listed Corrong wetlands have not received any freshwater for around six years and they are now so salty that the fish and vertebrae are dying in the southern lagoon.

Some sort of band aid is needed. What is currently being suggested is the following: sacrifice Lake Albert and use the water for the Coorong; create a freshwater reserve near the two creeks (Finness and Tookyarta) that flow into Lake Alexandrina; and pump salty water out of the southern lagoon of the Corrong.

The acquisition of the Toorale cotton station in NSW for around $25 million by the Commonwealth will see the dams across the Warrego River removed and around 90 gigalitres restored to the river. NSW authorities point out that as little as 20% of that water will reach the parched lower Murray lakes -----but that is an argument for buying more of the big cotton farms that are on the market and returning more water to the river.