THE role of South Australia's lower lakes in determining the Murray Darling Basin plan dominated yesterday's public forum at Swan Hill.
The consultation followed several hours of talks behind closed doors with invited representatives of stakeholder groups, including water authorities and local government.
Swan Hill Mayor John Katis and Victorian Water Minister Peter Walsh made brief opening statements and Murray Darling Basin Authority chairman Craig Knowles gave an overview of the process.
They were followed by Torumbarry Reconfiguration and Modernisation Scheme chairperson Margot Henty and Mid-Murray Field Naturalists chairman Neil MacFarlane.
The rest of the time was allocated to questions and statements from 13 people in the audience of more than 100 people.
Barham citrus grower Neil Eagle said it was a scandal that the MDBA was considering applying more than half the water historically used in the Murray Darling Basin to fill South Australia's lower lakes.
Mr Eagle said there had been no significant changes between the MDBA guide, which caused community outrage two years ago, and the current draft.
''The fundamental issue is the same - to take a massive amount of water out of production,'' he said.
Australian Environment Foundation executive director Max Rheese, of Benalla, said his group favoured the removal of barrages in the lower lakes of South Australia to allow the lakes to return to a fully tidal estuarine environment.
Other issues raised included the dieback of redgums along the Murray River, salinity, compensation, the eyesore of abandoned former dairy farms, and how to stop young people from leaving communities where water was not available for industries which could provide jobs.
Mr Knowles agreed to stay back after the scheduled finishing time of 4pm to continue discussions with local irrigators and community representatives over a cup of tea.
Another 90-minute ''open house'' has been scheduled to be held at the All Seasons Hotel, Bendigo, from noon on Monday.
