A key element of this crisis, as a piece of data journalism reveals, is the intense competition for water. The article highlights that the less successful dairy farms in the region are being bought up by forestry interests, leading to a vast expansion of blue gum and radiata pine plantations. These fast-growing trees consume massive amounts of groundwater and absorb runoff, with a 2009 report finding that hardwood and softwood forests cut water recharge to the aquifer by 78% and 83%, respectively, when compared with dryland agriculture.

The impact of this groundwater shortage extends well beyond the farms and plantations. The article notes that iconic natural sites, such as the Piccaninnie and Ewens ponds, have been closed due to low flows and algae outbreaks. Claire Harding, a conservation ecologist, reports that water flows at these sites have reduced by 62% and 25% since the 1970s. This illustrates how the agribusiness sector’s reliance on groundwater is directly affecting the region’s unique ecosystems.

The regulatory response to this slow-moving crisis has been even slower. While a plan to reduce water allocations was recommended in 2013, it was put on hold in 2018 by the state government, which instead called for a review of the science. This delay has exacerbated the problem and underscores the challenges of implementing effective policy in the face of competing economic interests. The ongoing debate over water rights and environmental protection is a key factor in the future of the region’s dairy economics.