"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...

"Blackadder XXIV" wrote in message
u...
Has there been a serious study done to see the feasibility of channeling
water from our far north to some of the drier parts of our continent? I'm
thinking of a massive pipe and aquaduct system.


Yes several over the last 150 years. The Dept of Water Resources (or some
similar name, they change these things from time to time) published a book
primarily for farmers a couple of years ago about the national water
situation. This was in the context of the changes to legislation re water
sharing plans etc. It makes very interesting reading. It includes a
summary
of the most notable of such schemes and concludes that while they sound
good
initially, when you do the cost-benefit analysis very long pipelines or
canals
are not worth it. If anybody is keen to know about this I will try and
find
my copy and give you the reference.

It does seem sad that some parts of our land suffer from too much water -
whilst other parts suffer from its lack.

I'm not thinking that such a mammoth scheme could be achieved in 10 or
even
100 years- but what's the alternative? Desalination plants don't seem to
be
that effective.

Indeed. Desal is very expensive to run, more so in the context of the
greenhouse gases produced, unless you can run it using renewables.


It would require cooperation from Federal, State and local - but if
achieved- it would be a boon for future generations.


Of course. Let's see how they do over the Murray Darling, which is crying
out
for action, over the next few years. Don't hold your breath waiting for a
result. We have a dirth of statesmen and a plethora or politicians.
While
ever politicians are only looking to get elected for the next 3 years
there is
little chance of plans that require long term planning and commitment.

David


True, a simple solution would be to run a desalination plant in the Bight,
pipe the desal water to Lake Eyre, keeping that filled and with the sun,
accompanied with the heat, would evaporate the water, the evaporation would
have to go somewhere and that is up in the atmosphere, creating clouds and
hopefully weather which would result in water.
Another desal plant either north or on the eastern coast with the water
piped inland toward the centre.
What about another desal plant with the drinkable water run through the
Murray-Darling system?
might stop the migration of riverside farmers and irrigators away from the
area because of having to pay too much for water for too little results
because of no water.
But, as you say, any politician is only looking forward to his or her
political lifetime and the cost would put any result out of contention.
The government needs to make a decision and do something now before the cost
rises that much it would not be feasible to even contemplate it
but, having said that, for chrissake, do not have an environmental study or
a feasibility study which would cost billions and take years of wasted time.

It has been done in OZ befo

Kwinana Desalination Plant, located just south of Perth, Western Australia,
turns water from the Indian Ocean into nearly 40 million gallons of drinking
water per day. The reverse-osmosis plant is the first of its kind in
Australia and covers a few acres in an industrial park next to the ocean.
The Emu Downs Wind Farm, with 48 wind turbines north of Perth, provides
enough renewable energy to power the plant.

Even the South Australians are thinking about it :
The Point Paterson Desalination Plant is a planned municipal-scale
solar-powered desalination plant with land-based brine disposal just outside
Port Augusta, South Australia. The plant will integrate renewable energy and
desalination technologies to create environmentally-friendly electricity and
water. In particular, the project will significantly reduce the usual
greenhouse impacts associated with grid electricity demand for desalination

The Israel'is seem to have achieved it:
http://www.businessweek.com/technolo...230_495029.htm
http://www.washingtonjewishweek.com/... &TM=43851.36