Dekker, Rodney, 2008, Photograph, B 71291
Image taken 17 January 2008. Dairy cattle at Coorong Dairies at Lake Alexandrina Station situated on the lake system at the mouth of the Murray River. Manager Chris Williams has had to cut staff numbers by 24 people because of the water crisis in the lake system. The bottom end of the Murray River system has dropped nearly one metre in water level; below lock 1 he says he has been "left high and dry". He has just spent 20 000 on extra pumps and channels to try and access water. He is the only farmer left irrigating out of all the 14 dairy farms that were irrigating. He has had to half stock numbers and is only using two of the five central pivots for irrigation.