Water Resource Plan Namoi Alluvium GW14 (covering Upper Namoi and Upper Namoi Tributary) Department of Industry – NAMOI ALLUVIUM WRP - June 2019
Agenda 1. Introductions 2. Purpose of today 3. Water resource plans and water sharing plans 4. Status of groundwater in the Upper Namoi Alluvium and Upper Namoi Tributary Alluvium 5. Proposed changes to the water sharing plan 6. Discussion
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.
Process for developing water resource plans Process for developing water resource plans DEVELOP CONSULT APPROVE & ACCREDIT IMPLEMENT Status Strategy Draft Public Final Ministerial MDBA WRP & Issues & rule WRP exhibition WRP approval assessment & Commences paper development WRP Commonwealth Minister accreditation February June/July July 2020 2017 2019
Namoi Alluvium Water Resource Plan – area covered
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 Darling Basin. are assessed by the Water sharing plans MDBA, accredited by Specify the rules for sharing water Elements include: the Commonwealth to maintain the health, sustainability • Compliance with the sustainable Minister and form and productivity of surface water part of the water diversion limits and water trade rules and groundwater sources across all resource plan. • Protection of water for the of NSW. environment • Water quality and salinity objectives • Aboriginal values and uses Water Sharing Plans remain the primary • Measuring and monitoring • Arrangements for extreme events statutory instruments for water sharing in NSW
The water resource plan and water sharing plan Namoi Alluvial ‘Water Sharing Plan’
Questions? DOI - NAMOI ALLUVIUM WRP – JUNE 2019
Proposed changes to the water sharing plan • Mostly unchanged – same extraction limits, same trade rules, etc • To align with requirements of the Basin Plan and the water resource plan • To be more ‘readable’ • To be more legally robust • To include all alluvial groundwater sources of the Namoi catchment • Changes outlined in following slides relevant to Upper Namoi and Upper Namoi Tributary water sources
Proposed changes to the water sharing plan Align long term average extraction limits to Basin Plan sustainable diversion limits • No change in Upper Namoi Tributary Alluvium (Quipolly Alluvial, Currabubula Alluvial and Quirindi Alluvial) groundwater sources • Adjustment for basic landholder rights in Upper Namoi Alluvium • References to supplementary water access licences in the Upper Namoi Alluvium have been removed
Proposed changes to the water sharing plan Long term average annual extraction compliance period extended from 3 to 5 years • No change in the Upper Namoi Tributary Alluvium (Quipolly Alluvial, Currabubula Alluvial and Quirindi Alluvial) groundwater sources • This is a change for the Upper Namoi Groundwater Sources (3 years to 5 years) • For consistency across groundwater sources • Allows for greater flexibility if there is a run of dry years
Proposed changes to the water sharing plan Provisions for assessing extraction limit compliance At end of each water year – 2 assessments of compliance: • First as per current arrangements comparing average extraction (3 or 5 yrs) and LTAAEL (long term extraction limit in WSP) • Second comparing extraction in the previous year to a theoretical and retrospectively calculated ‘ annual permitted take ’ as required under Basin Plan provisions to assess compliance with the sustainable diversion limit (SDL).
WSP extraction limit compliance – Assessment period and threshold Current: 3 yrs and 5%
WSP extraction limit compliance – Assessment period and threshold Alternative: 5 yrs
Proposed changes to the water sharing plan Additional provisions for assessing compliance with the sustainable diversion limits under the Basin Plan • Variable ‘annual permitted take’ proposed for the Upper Namoi Alluvium (more in dry years, less in wet) • Directly references compliance provisions in the Basin Plan • Running balance of ‘overs’ and ‘ unders ’ each year • Compliance triggered if running balance exceeds 20% of Basin Plan ‘sustainable diversion limit
Variable annual permitted take
Variable annual permitted take
Proposed changes to the water sharing plan If long term average annual extraction limit or sustainable diversion limit is breached the Minister can: • Reduce the available water determination for aquifer access licences (as per current water sharing plan), and/or • Limit the water allocation that can be taken, assigned under section 71T of the Commonwealth Water Act 2007 , or otherwise debited or withdrawn from a water allocation account of an aquifer access licence • Only makes a difference in groundwater sources where allocations can be ‘carried over’ from one water year to the next – Upper Namoi
Compliance with long term average annual extraction limit or SDL
Compliance with long term average annual extraction limit or SDL
Compliance with long term average annual extraction limit or SDL
Compliance methods – distribution of impacts Users 1 and 2 • Both have 1000ML/yr entitlement • User 1 very active – limited CO in account • User 2 largely inactive – close to maximum CO in account
Upper Namoi Zone 8, Mooki Valley (Quirindi – Pine Ridge Road to Breeza) Carryover into 2019/20 is 12,952 ML; ie 81% of the WSP extraction limit
Upper Namoi Zone 8, Mooki Valley (Quirindi – Pine Ridge Road to Breeza) Repeat of last 5 years extraction estimated to have 8,646 ML in carryover, ie 54% of the LTAAEL
Proposed changes to the water sharing plan Groundwater dependent ecosystems • Additional high probability, high priority groundwater dependent ecosystems mapped and included as a Schedule • No change from current rules for new water supply works and Basic Landholder Rights bores located near high priority groundwater dependent ecosystems
Groundwater dependent ecosystems
Proposed changes to the water sharing plan Rules to minimise interference between users Additional rules for the Upper Namoi Tributary Alluvium and Upper Namoi Groundwater Sources • 200 metres from a supply work which provides water for basic landholder rights (currently 100 metres)
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 Rules for available water determinations Upper Namoi Zone 1 (to be discussed with affected users through targeted consultation) • Formalise the current arrangements in the new water sharing plan, to include provisions that: • Allow for a maximum available water determination in Zone 1 of 2.3ML/unit share of entitlement, • Allow carryover of 4.6ML/unit share of entitlement to ensure the same rules are applied to all users in the Upper Namoi zones, and • Set a maximum water account debit of 4.6ML/unit share of entitlement.
Have your say • Water Resource Plan Public Exhibition period till 20 July 2019. • Feedback being sought from the public and water users. • Online submission process on Department of Industry website: www.industry.nsw.gov.au/water/plans-programs/water-resource-plans/drafts/namoi- alluvium • By email: namoi.gw.wrp@dpi.nsw.gov.au
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