So Geelong is going to receive even more severe water restrictions from the 12^th December

(GA 1/12).

Although the catchment areas of Melbourne, Colac and Geelong have all received similar rainfalls over the past 3 years –

• Melbourne has not been inconvenienced with any water restrictions.
• Geelong has had stage-1 restrictions since 30^th January ’98, with more severe restrictions to be imposed from the 12^th Dec’.
• Colac will not have any restrictions imposed upon them.

This anomaly can, at least in part, be directly attributed to the logging industry and the rules governing the logging of our water catchments. Those that reject this statement should look at the facts and international scientific evidence. Only 5% of Melbourne’s water catchments are logged, while 80% of Geelong’s water catchments are open for logging, none of Colac’s water catchments are logged.

Scientists agree that forests encourage rainfall as well as collect and filter rainwater, and from it generate and store groundwater. The porous soil created by decomposing leaves, bark, and tree trunks acts as a huge sponge, absorbing water and purifying it as it seeps into the ground, surfacing later during the times of drought. More water is present under the forests of the planet than in all the earth’s fresh water lakes and reservoirs. History indicates that during droughts, rivers within unlogged forests, still flow at volumes over 80% normal, after 5 years of drought, while rivers within deforested areas tend to dry up to a trickle.

With evidence like this there should be an immediate moratorium placed on the logging within all of Geelong's water catchments before it’s too late.