David Hare-Scott wrote:

The M-D water allocation is a nightmare.

Agreed, The lemming is for the blow torch next.


Secondly, does it really make sense to grow thirsty crops like cotton in
dryland areas based on irrigation?

Agreed. The vested interest is rice, without which the farm isn't
viable. The rodents offer to walk off the land was pitiful.

Sadly, we have old farms who have been slowly adjusting, then all the
wonderful tax lurk farms that received the wonderful boost of tradeable
water, which as you say didn't exist. Now the tax lurkers are having the
water confiscated for their benefit.

sigh. anyway, at least I can still water my little backyard farm.