SE NRM Board & SEWCDB Presentations SE Drainage Network - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

SE NRM Board & SEWCDB Presentations

SE Drainage Network Community Panel Sat 21 February 2015

South East Natural Resources Management Board

Presentation to the South East Drainage Network Community Panel 21st Feb 2015

South East Natural Resources Management Board

Cooperation with SE Water Conservation & Drainage Board NRM Act 2004 Regional NRM Plan – guides regional NRM activities

South East Natural Resources Management Board

South East Drainage & Wetland Strategy Integrated groundwater & surface water management Balance of the multiple functions of the drainage network

South East Natural Resources Management Board

• How much funding is required?
• Benefits of the Drainage Network

Environmental Outcomes Economic Outcomes Social Outcomes

South East Natural Resources Management Board

Principles for Revenue Raising

• Fairness
• Efficiency
• Accountability

South Eastern Water Conservation & Drainage Board

Presentation to the Community Panel

South East Water Conservation & Drainage Board

South Eastern Water Conservation & Drainage Board Act

(7) (a) The prevention or minimisation of damage to agricultural production and the natural environment caused by flooding within the South east; and (b) the improvement of the soil quality and the productiveness generally of rural lands in the South East; and (c) the enhancement or development of natural wetlands and the natural environment generally in the South East.

Legislative obligations...

• Effectively managing the surface water of the non-

urban lands in the South east , by conserving, draining, altering the flow of or utilising that water in any manner

• Carrying out works to lower the level of the water

table of lands in the South east

• Undertake , assist or promote research in the fields of

water conservation , drainage and management.

• Enhancement or development of natural wetlands

and the natural environment generally in the South East.

OUR ROLE: To manage and conserve the quality and flow of water by effectively managing flooding, redirecting water to areas of greatest need and reducing salinity.

Manage Water regimes of Connected Wetlands

• Direct water
• Operate

regulators Maintain Drains and Assets

• Risk

assessments

• Weed control
• Silt removal
• Infrastructure

maintenance (e.g. painting of bridges and weirs)

Operate Drainage System

• Operate

regulators

• Direct water
• Develop
• perating

guidelines

• Undertake

measures for the conservation & management of native species

Policy Development

• Policy for

work on private land

• Extraction

from drains

• Develop
• rganisational

policies Governance & Administration

• Meet statutory

requirements

• Occupational

health & safety

• Finance

management

• Ministerial

accountability

Drainage System Monitoring, Information and Science

• Monitor the impacts of delivery of water on receiving environments
• Adaptive management for water flows
• Supporting targeted research initiatives

Regional Communications & Engagement

Communications and engagement activities with landholders, government, industry, community and other stakeholders groups

Management Plan (1)....

Management Plan (2)....

Strategic Context (i.e. National & State legislative drivers and strategies, Regional specific legislation & Plans Operational Context Goal 1: Sustainable productive Agriculture Goal 2: Sustainable Water dependant Ecosystems Goal 3: Informed and Engaged Communities Goal 4: Legislative , Policy and Corporate Governance Goal 5: Drainage System Monitoring, Information & Science.

Two distinct Areas

• Lower South East

– 8 Mile Creek area – challenges with unstable soils – Remaining areas - 20 year rotation for silt removal in stable soils

• Upper South East

– Erosion problems – Adaptive flows management (balancing dryland salinity, flood mitigation and environmental flows ) – SEFRP (Coorong, Lower Lakes & Murray Mouth outcomes)

Cost Impacts:

Activity Requirem ent in LSE Requirem ent in USE Description Capital replacement Very high low Infrastructure at end of service life in LSE; newly constructed infrastructure in USE Capital maintenance Very high Low to moderate Infrastructure at end of service life in LSE; newly constructed infrastructure in USE, some requires improvement. Silt removal high Very high LSE Drains require cleaning on a 10-20 year rotation to maintain a 1:10 flow capacity; USE Drains require frequent/additional erosion control works to maintain channels. Track maintenance low Very high USE Drains require frequent/additional erosion control works to maintain access tracks. Weeds and vegetation removal high high Similar demands for controlling noxious weeds and growth in channels exists in both districts. Flows Management and monitoring low high The USE drainage network was specifically designed for the active management of water to achieve multiple objectives; the LSE drains were designed primarily for flood mitigation, and demands are increasing for retrofit to increase management capabilities

In summary..

• Capital Replacement &

Maintenance of infrastructure

• Silt Maintenance
• Track Maintenance
• Weed control
• Flows management & monitoring

Table from page 3 of SEWCDB submission

Cost Impacts- what should happen

TIME (YEARS) PERFORMANCE, $ COST

Adequate ongoing investment to the SEWCD Board will maintain the SEDN close to design standard.

Drain Assets withstand a 1 in 10 year flood event Regular investment prevents asset Deterioration Performance of structures is maintained over time Long-term costs remain manageable Design standard

Reality- investment over time...

TIME (YEARS) $ INVESTMENT

The SEWCD Board wishes to maintain the SEDN to a standard of design to withstand a 1in 10 year flood event.

Maintenance is required to maintain standard to withstand a 1 in 10 year flood event Decreasing investment = decline in performance and function No investment results in increasing maintenance and significant preventable costs

$0

Performance will decline over time if not maintained Restoration costs increase without maintenance Performance decreases with declining investment Consistent and adequate rate of investment required for

• ptimum maintenance and performance

Proposed Investment:

What (Activity) Current Funding Required funding Why (benefit?) Replacement - all structures $400,000 $3,183,00 Replace bridges and crossings which are at end of their service life to current safety, load limit and fit-for-purpose standards; Replace drop weirs and regulators Painting Steel Bridges $0 $514,000 Extend the service life; maintain load limits providing continued access across the drainage network Bridge/crossing maintenance $138,000 $499,000 Repair joints, spalling, erosion and guardrail to maintain service life, load limits and safety standards; minor maintenance and signs. Replacement of Plant and Equipment $7,000 $200,000 Investment to replace plant and equipment at end of service life once depreciated Fencing replacement $20,000 $237,000 Will replace ~79km of fence/year in line with 40 year depreciation and asset replacement target Controlling waterflows $103,000 $253,000 Modernisation of regulators by replacing weir logs with slides or lay-flat gates, and addition of walkways and handrails to improve safety and efficiency of regulator

• perations.

Removal of silt and

• bstructions

$130,000 $350,000 Will provide ~125km of drain cleaning/ silt removal Access Track Maintenance $40,500 $350,000 Grading and slashing of tracks; control and removal of regrowth; mechanical restoration of erosion in the USE Veg growth & Weeds (Chemical spraying) $153,000 $250,000 Includes spraying of both vegetation in drainage channels and noxious weeds on drain reserves. Hydrometric Monitoring re-establishment $0 $140,000 One-off cost to reinstate, relocate and/or repair 11 key Hydrometric gauging sites (activities include silt removal, concrete repairs, construction of new crump weirs and stilling wells) to provide accurate, near real-time flow data for flood warning and management of flows Hydrometric Monitoring $188,250 $275,000 Management and Maintenance of re- established network of 80+ Hydrometric gauging sites and catchment rain gauging sites to provide accurate, near real-time flow data for flood warning and management of flows Flows Management $125,000 $750,000 Operation, surveillance and management of the Drainage Network for agricultural sustainability and environmental benefits Flows Management monitoring and investigations $0 $360,000 Investigations and research into water quality, alkalinity, hydration requirements of wetlands; detailed review of operating guidelines; ecological monitoring of wetlands to measure outcomes of flow management. Management Agreement Monitoring and Administration $0 $136,000 Monitoring and administration of compliance of 186 Management Agreements in the USE Asset management $88,000 $88,000 Asset condition inspections and administration of asset register; prioritisation and planning of capital works program Technical advice and Board administration $270,200 $395,200 Assessment of private works; administration of the Act; executive support to the SEWCD Board; Annual reporting and preparation of 3 year Management Plan Overhead expenses $320,050 $380,050 Utilities, IT and office expenses; corporate and administration costs; vehicle registrations SAICORP Insurance $135,000 $145,000 Insurance of assets and plant and equipment Minor operating costs $64,000 $64,000 Safety compliance and training; maintenance of depot; Tools and equipment; servicing of vehicles and P+E Total: $2,182,000 $8,568,50 Difference of $6,386,550

Table from page 4

• f SEWCDB submission

Issues:

• Holistic management (Land use change, climate variability)
• Maintenance cycle
• Bridge standards ( varying spans, Occupational Crossings, machinery

access, safety requirements, emergency access)

• Past Practices and New Standards (environmental

considerations [64,000 ha wetlands], WHS )

• Local Government responsibility (Urban, Board Local

Government Representative)

• Maintenance responsibility of private works (landholders)
• Management Plan – including legislative compliance
• SE Flows Restoration Project (discharge/stakeholder

constraints)

Total Perspective- adequate funding required to manage sustainable agriculture and the environment

South East Water Conservation & Drainage Board

Questions ?