Water Resource Plans and Water Sharing Plans Murray Alluvium GW8 Culcairn 3 July 2019 Focus on the Billabong Creek Alluvial groundwater source NSW Department of Industry / Murray Alluvium WRP
Have your say • Murray Water Resource Plan Public Exhibition period till July 20, 2019 • Feedback being sought from the public and water users • Online submission process on Department of Industry website https://www.industry.nsw.gov.au/water/plans-programs/water-resource- plans/drafts/murray-alluvium • By email: murray.gw.wrp@dpi.nsw.gov.au
Agenda 1. Introductions Presentation – water resource planning 2. 3. Q & A Presentation – groundwater status update 4. 5. Q & A Presentation – water sharing plan changes 6. 7. Q & A 8. How to make a submission Photo by Trade and Investment, Primary Industries
Water resource plans – achieving Basin Plan outcomes Communities with sufficient and reliable water supplies that are fit for a range of intended purposes, including domestic, recreational and cultural use Productive and resilient water-dependent industries, and communities with confidence in their long-term future Healthy and resilient ecosystems with rivers and creeks regularly connected to their floodplains and, ultimately, the ocean.
Murray Alluvium (GW8) Water Resource Plan
Water resource plans – a Basin Plan requirement Outline how water resources will be shared and managed to be consistent with the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. Set out the requirements for annual limits on water take, environmental water, managing water during extreme events. Provide strategies to protect water quality and managing risks. Set out the arrangements for measuring ‘take’ and monitoring the resource.
NSW context – WRPs and NSW Commonwealth Water Act 2007 Water Sharing Plans Murray – Darling Basin Plan 2012 Water resource plans Specify the rules for diverting water Relevant parts of a NSW Water Management Act 2000 within specified areas of the Murray – water sharing plan are assessed by the Darling Basin. Water sharing plans MDBA, accredited Specify the rules for sharing water to by the Elements include: maintain the health, sustainability Commonwealth • Compliance with the sustainable Minister and form and productivity of surface water diversion limits and water trade rules part of the water and groundwater sources across all • Protection of water for the resource plan. of NSW. environment • Water quality and salinity objectives • Aboriginal values and uses • Measuring and monitoring Water Sharing Plans remain the primary • Arrangements for extreme events statutory instruments for water sharing in NSW
Process for developing water resource plans DEVELOP CONSULT APPROVE & ACCREDIT IMPLEMENT Status Draft Public Ministerial Strategy MDBA Final WRP & Issues WRP exhibition approval & rule assessment & WRP Commences paper development WRP Commonwealth Minister accreditation March/April June/July July 2017 2019 2020 YOU ARE HERE
Questions?
Proposed changes to the water sharing plan Align long term average annual extraction limits (LTAAEL) to Basin Plan sustainable diversion limits (SDL) • No change in Billabong Creek groundwater source except to increase plan extraction limit by a volume of existing held environmental water. - Extraction limit was 7,500 ML/yr and now 7,529 ML/yr. - Entitlements within extraction limit - 635 ML/yr domestic and stock - 1,475 ML/yr local water utility - 3,856 unit shares aquifer access licences - 1,500 ML/yr salinity and water table management licences
Proposed changes to the water sharing plan Additional provisions for assessing compliance At end of each water year – two assessments of compliance: • First as per current arrangements comparing average extraction and long term extraction limit in WSP (LTAAEL). • Second comparing extraction in the previous year to the Basin Plan sustainable diversion limit (SDL). SDL = 7.5GL/yr which is the same as the LTAAEL.
Current compliance provisions - retained At end of each water year comparing 5 year rolling average extraction long term extraction limit in WSP
Proposed changes to the water sharing plan Additional provisions for assessing compliance with the sustainable diversion limits under the Basin Plan • Directly references compliance provisions in the Basin Plan. • Compare total use with SDL (LTAAEL) at end year • Running balance of ‘overs’ and ‘unders’ each year. • Compliance triggered if running balance exceeds 20% of Basin Plan ‘sustainable diversion limit . Not going to happen in Billabong Ck – entitlements<LTAAEL
Proposed changes to the water sharing plan Groundwater - dependent ecosystems and culturally significant areas • Additional high probability, high priority groundwater dependent ecosystems mapped and included as a Schedule. • Standard setback rules for new water supply works located near groundwater - dependent ecosystems and culturally significant areas will remain unchanged.
Groundwater dependent ecosystems – Billabong Creek
Proposed changes to the water sharing plan Standardising distance rules re bore locations There will be only minor changes to these to better align rules across groundwater sources. • New bores used solely for basic landholder rights must be at least 100m from government observation bores.
Proposed changes to the water sharing plan Additional rules to reduce risks to groundwater from contamination sources Unless bores are constructed to be isolated from contamination source • Distances of new bores from edge of plumes. • Distances from septics unless constructed in a certain way.
Proposed changes to the water sharing plan Additional amendment provisions • Allowing the WSP to be amended to provide for the creation of a new zone, and for inter-state trading rules to be developed and implemented. • Allowing for modifications to sustainable diversion limits and long-term average annual extraction limits to be modified as a result of better information or change in factors used to set limit.
Questions?
Have your say • Water Resource Plan Public Exhibition period till July 20, 2019 • Feedback being sought from the public and water users • Online submission process on Department of Industry website https://www.industry.nsw.gov.au/water/plans-programs/water-resource- plans/drafts/murray-alluvium • By email: murray.gw.wrp@dpi.nsw.gov.au
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