WATER SECURITY

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (14:06): My question is to the Premier, and this question really affects the electorate of Ashford. Will the Premier advise the house about the current reservoir capacity and the impact of the recent storm event across South Australia?

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (14:06): I thank the honourable member for this question—

The Hon. M.J. Atkinson: Jack Slater lives.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Yes, Jack Slater was one of the great water ministers in the history of this state. There can be no more important issue for all South Australians than our water security. Our system of reservoirs around Adelaide is a key component of our water security, and the reservoir levels are obviously a matter of keen interest. Of course, commencing in December 2010, just over 12 months away, we will have the additional water security provided by the Adelaide desalination plant which, when operating to full capacity, will provide 100 gigalitres per annum—that is, about 50 per cent of Adelaide's water needs.

The news about our reservoir capacity is very good indeed. Current capacity across the system is 84.5 per cent, compared with capacity at the same time last year at 71.6 per cent. Significantly, I am advised that only about 2 per cent of water currently held in our reservoirs was pumped from the River Murray, and therein lies the difference. At this time last year, about 49 per cent of water held in our reservoirs (that is, about half the water) was pumped from the River Murray—this year, 2 per cent.

This is great news and it is attributable to the improved winter rains this year. Some of the figures for our dams are very encouraging indeed. For example, five of our dams—that is, Mount Bold, Happy Valley, Hope Valley, Warren and the Barossa—are over 90 per cent capacity, with two of these reservoirs currently at 100 per cent capacity.

In terms of the recent storm event, hot north winds, with temperatures in the mid 30 degrees Centigrade earlier in the month, hastened crop ripening, especially in the north and west. Since the hot winds, the cereal zone now has had mostly above average rainfall, with another strong system in the forecast for this weekend.

Severe storms this week in many districts brought large hail and strong winds to some districts. The most severe hail report occurred in a strip about 30 kilometres wide, starting at Elliston, traversing Eyre Peninsula through Lock and crossing the East Coast between Arno Bay and Cowell, touching on the west side of Yorke Peninsula at Moonta. The area inland from Elliston to about 20 kilometres west of Lock is pastoral zone with very little cropping.

Typical of hail damage, the damage is patchy, and much of the crop in the affected strip will more than make up for the hail damage due to the rains that came with it. In this hail affected strip on Eyre Peninsula, a few crops will not recover—plants completely shredded—but many crops with hail damage to grain (some knocked from head or bruised), leaf stripped and stem bruising, amount to variable losses, from less than 5 per cent to 75 per cent, allowing for some recovery due to the new moisture in the soil.

Most farmers in the affected area are believed by the SA Farmers Federation to be insured against crop hail damage, but there is a risk that some who were tight for cash after the three previous poor seasons may have opted to accept the risk and not insure to save costs, and some may have underestimated the crop yield and underinsured.

Just to go on with that, crop is near ripe in the early districts in the west, upper north and Murray-Mallee, and the rains would have limited benefit but elsewhere is ideal for crop potential yields. Harvest is expected to begin at the normal time of early to mid-October in the earliest district. As a result of the good spring rains to date for September, current thinking is that the estimate of total crop production will be increased by around 10 per cent to over 7 million tonnes, and that is certainly something we hope for. The good rains are also a boost for livestock producers, enhancing the prospects for significant spring pasture growth.