State opposition inspects Emu Dam site ...

Excerpt from the Chronicle:

A dam on the lower waters of the meandering creek, which runs behind Crows Nest, is the centrepiece of the party's water policy for Toowoomba and was investigated yesterday as a troop of Nationals MPs and candidates met irrigators and landholders throughout the region.

At Emu Creek, grazier Michael Patch was the Nationals' tour guide and shared stories of floods between the slopes, and a watercourse that was generally always running.

He gave a dam his stamp of approval as the perfect site to supply the region.

...

Opposition water spokesman Jeff Seeney, who joined Mike Horan, Stuart Copeland and Ray Hopper on the tour, said only about three properties would be affected if a dam were constructed on land which he described as "poor agricultural".

It was expected a dam on Emu Creek would hold about 130,000 megalitres, with an annual release equivalent to Cressbrook and Perseverance dams.

"We want a real, long-term solution so Toowoomba doesn't drip along forever on heavy, heavy restrictions," Mr Horan said.

"We do need an innovative long-term solution that allows for growth; that allows Oakey, Dalby, Chinchilla and all those places to grow."

Mr Horan said short-term solutions included extracting and piping water from the gas fields at Chinchilla, trading water with the Norwin irrigators and recycling water for industry and gardens, all of which were still under investigation.

"We're very strongly for recycling, but not for drinking," Mr Horan said.

...

Mr Copeland said it was no longer credible for Premier Peter Beattie to deny Toowoomba a dam when it was prepared to spend billions to develop two dams for Brisbane.

Source - Chronicle - Nationals eye Emu Creek as ideal site for building dam.

Now that the State opposition has evidence obtained under the FOI legislation that the DNRM&W's 'quick and dirty review' of Toowoomba's water source options was just that, the Toowoomba City Council will come under further pressure to justify its beleaguered Water Futures project as the only option for Toowoomba.