Water Resource Plans and Water Sharing Plans Murray Alluvium GW8 - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

NSW Department of Industry / Murray Alluvium WRP

Murray Alluvium GW8

Water Resource Plans and Water Sharing Plans

Culcairn 3 July 2019 Focus on the Billabong Creek Alluvial groundwater source

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

Photo by Trade and Investment, Primary Industries

1. Introductions 2. Presentation – water resource planning 3. Q & A 4. Presentation – groundwater status update 5. Q & A 6. Presentation – water sharing plan changes 7. Q & A 8. How to make a submission

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.

Water resource plans – achieving Basin Plan outcomes

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 Water Sharing Plans

Relevant parts of a water sharing plan are assessed by the MDBA, accredited by the Commonwealth Minister and form part of the water resource plan.

NSW Water Management Act 2000 Water sharing plans Specify the rules for sharing water to maintain the health, sustainability and productivity of surface water and groundwater sources across all

• f NSW.

Commonwealth Water Act 2007 Murray–Darling Basin Plan 2012 Water resource plans Specify the rules for diverting water within specified areas of the Murray– Darling Basin. Elements include:

• Compliance with the sustainable

diversion limits and water trade rules

• Protection of water for the

environment

• Water quality and salinity objectives
• Aboriginal values and uses
• Measuring and monitoring
• Arrangements for extreme events

Water Sharing Plans remain the primary statutory instruments for water sharing in NSW

DEVELOP CONSULT APPROVE & ACCREDIT IMPLEMENT

Status & Issues paper March/April 2017 Strategy & rule development Draft WRP Public exhibition WRP June/July 2019 YOU ARE HERE Ministerial approval Final WRP MDBA assessment & Commonwealth Minister accreditation WRP Commences July 2020

Process for developing water resource plans

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

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.

Proposed changes to the water sharing plan

At end of each water year comparing 5 year rolling average extraction long term extraction limit in WSP

Current compliance provisions - retained

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.

Proposed changes to the water sharing plan

Groundwater dependent ecosystems – Billabong Creek

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.

Proposed changes to the water sharing plan

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