South East Drainage Network South East Drainage Network Request by - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

South East Drainage Network

South East Drainage Network Request by the Minister to the SE NRM Board Overview and background – SE Drainage Network Challenges for the management of the drainage network

South East Drainage Network In June 2014, Minister Hunter asked the SE NRM Board to initiate a Community Panel (Citizens Jury) to develop recommendations for the sustainable future funding for the drainage network. Natural Resources, South East is coordinating the process on behalf of the Board. • .

South East Drainage Network “How should we pay for maintaining our largest local infrastructure asset – the South East Drainage Network?” Proposal: The State Government will commit $2.2m p.a. Do we want to spend more than that, and if so, how do we fairly share this cost across the region?

South East Drainage Network SE NRM Board and the Community Panel • opportunity to implement a new approach to community engagement • addressing a challenging issue • urge everyone to seek to understand the process and provide input

South East Drainage Network Some Background

South East Drainage Network Why is future funding an important issue for our region ? The drainage network provides important • Economic • Environmental • Social benefits for our region.

South East Drainage Network A Brief History First drains came into operation in 1863 in the Lower SE Key reasons for drainage • Accessibility – transport • Increasing productive capacity of the land Enabled: • Crown land to be sold • Post war soldier settlement

South East Drainage Network Major Construction Periods Period Date Purpose /Scheme Millicent - 1864-1883 ~361 km Remove water from land/ access and Tantanoola transport National 1883-1908 Settlement of land – included extension of drains Drains Scheme Act 1911-1925 Sea outlet constructed – lake George , drain M Outlet Drains (drains A-E and L-K and M) focus east to west drainage Petition Drains 1905-1950 ~170 km of drains constructed Andersons 1950-1972 An additional 220km of drains and enlargement of scheme drains L-K Upper South 1997-2011 Construction of 714 km of drain and floodways to East address dryland salinity , flood management, wetlands SE Flow 2014 Funded – in planning phase – focus to enhance Restoration connectivity between Blackford Drain & Coorong

South East Drainage Network Drainage network today More than 2,500km of drains and floodways

South East Drainage Network SEWCDB MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE 320 BRIDGE STRUCTURES PIPE CULVERTS AND BOX CULVERTS 2300 culvert structures comprising • 370 road crossing culverts • 1930 occupation crossing culverts REGULATORS ~160 structures DROP WEIRS 64 structures CAUSEWAYS AND FORDS 190 SEA OUTLETS 10 ASSET VALUE $289 MILLION FORD

South Eastern Water Conservation and Drainage Board 1)Capital program 2) Drain Maintenance silt cleaning weed control reed cutting 3)Fencing 4)Regulator operation/flow management environmental &agricultural purposes 5) Policy Implement Private Works Licenses and Authorisations to take water from the drain 6)Responsibility for Management Agreements

South East Drainage Network Funding Recent History USE program construction of additional ~700km of drains and new structures completed in 2011 State has provided an allocation of funds to the SE WCD Board to fund the operation and maintenance of drains Additional funding allocated via state appropriation $5.4M 2011/12 and $5.5M in 2012/13 In 2013/2014 the state allocated $2.128 and in 2014/2015 $2.182M to the management of the total drainage network (USE and LSE)

South East Drainage Network Funding Recent History SE Drainage System Operation and Management Bill introduced to Parliament in October 2012 including a provision for a levy The Bill lapsed and has not been re-introduced to Parliament Re-introduction of the Bill, only after the Minister has heard from the South East community

South East Drainage Network Some Key Challenges 1. The age of structures (some more that 50 years old) and design standards that are now inadequate for modern transportation 2. Deteriorating condition of structures (Lower South East ) and issues such as erosion in the Upper South East 3. Resourcing for flows management and monitoring 4. Weed and silt management an ongoing issue for management .

South East Drainage Network End