Government Guidelines and Legislation
Macro Water Sharing Plans
Author: Jan Gill
Principal Policy Officer
Water Management Division
Department of Natural Resources
Date: December 2006
Introduction
The Department of Natural Resources is currently developing macro water sharing plans for NSW. Macro water plans are water sharing plans that apply to a number of water sources across catchments or different types of aquifers or a combination of both.
All water sharing plans set rules for sharing water between the environment and water users. They bring water users still operating under the Water Act 1912 into the one licensing system managed under the Water Management Act 2000. Water sharing plans run for 10 years.
The plans clearly define shares in the available water for license holders. They also provide water users with continuing or ‘perpetual’ licenses, which have a title separate from the land, enabling better water trading opportunities.
Water sharing plans support the long term health of rivers and aquifers and the ecosystems they support, such as wetlands, by making water available specifically for the environment.
Water sharing plans already operating
In 2004 water sharing plans commenced for 31 river and groundwater sources in New South Wales, including a number on the coast. These plans account for about 80 per cent of water extraction and cover some of the most stressed rivers and aquifers in the State.
In October 2006 three further water sharing plans commenced: for the inland groundwater sources in the Lower Gwydir, Lower Macquarie and Lower Murrumbidgee. Plans for the Upper and Lower Namoi Groundwater Sources and the Lower Lachlan Groundwater Source are also expected to commence soon.
Macro water plans are now being prepared for most of the remaining unregulated rivers and groundwater sources in New South Wales and will include up to 28 surface water plans and five groundwater plans.
What will the plans do to protect the environment?
Under the plans, water must be reserved for the health of a river or aquifer and the ecosystems that depend on it, such as wetlands and floodplains. The share of water reserved for the environment is intended to sustain plants, fish, other aquatic animals and birds.
The current level of demand on a river or aquifer and its environmental, social and economic values will assist in determining the environmental water and rules in a plan. All plans will include water sharing rules which set an annual limit on extractions.
In addition, the macro water plans for unregulated rivers may include rules that:
- require a visible flow at licensed pump sites or other locations before water users can extract water – a minimum level of environmental protection that will apply to all plans
- introduce a ‘cease to pump’ condition when river flows drop below a specified level – all plans will include ‘cease to pump’ conditions for licensed users
- set daily limits on extraction for different flows (low, medium and high flows) – where there are a high number of extractors or there is a high level of environmental protection required.
Groundwater may contribute to ecosystems such as wetlands, springs, caves, terrestrial vegetation and coastal sand dune systems and provide important base flows to rivers and tidal creeks. Water sharing rules to protect ecosystems that depend on groundwater will include an overall annual limit on extractions.
In addition, the macro plans that cover groundwater will include rules that:
- reserve the storage component of the aquifer for the environment
- reserve a proportion of the natural recharge – that is, the volume of water added to a groundwater system naturally, usually by infiltration from rainfall and river flows
- set rules such as distance limits between any new bores and groundwater dependent ecosystems, including wetlands.
How are the macro plans being prepared?
Technical assessments and development of rules for the initial draft plans for rivers have been undertaken by panels of staff from the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Environment and Conservation and the Department of Primary Industries.
Catchment Management Authorities ran meetings around the State in 2005 and 2006 – including nearly 50 meetings along the coast – to provide opportunities for landholders and other interested community members to provide feedback on the draft plans. All issues raised in submissions will be considered before the plans are finalised.
For more information on Water sharing plans see the Department of Natural Resources website: http://www.dnr.nsw.gov.au/water/plans.shtml
