2013 Water sharing plan reviews (31 plans)




Status:

Advice provided

Advice date:

June 2013

Summary

We reviewed the following 31 water sharing plans due to expire in 2014. These included 14 plans in the Murray Darling Basin and 17 plans in coastal regions.

  1. Adelong Creek
  2. Alstoneville Plateau Groundwater
  3. Apsley River
  4. Castlereagh River above Binnaway
  5. Commissioners Waters
  6. Coopers Creek
  7. Dorrigo Plateau Surface and Dorrigo Basalt Groundwater
  8. Gwydir Regulated River
  9. Hunter Regulated River
  10. Jilliby Jilliby Creek
  11. Kangaroo River
  12. Karuah River
  13. Kulnura Mangrove Mountain Groundwater
  14. Lachlan Regulated River
  15. Macquarie and Cudgegong Regulated Rivers
  16. Mangrove Creek
  17. Murrumbidgee Regulated River
  18. NSW Murray and Lower Darling Regulated Rivers
  19. Ourimbah Creek
  20. Phillips Ck, Mooki River, Quirindi Ck and Warrah Creek
  21. Rocky Ck, Cobbadah Upper Horton and Lower Horton
  22. Stuarts Point Groundwater
  23. Tarcutta Creek
  24. Tenterfield Creek
  25. Tomago TomareeStockton Groundwater
  26. Toorumbie Creek
  27. Upper Billabong
  28. Upper Brunswick River
  29. Upper Namoi and Lower Namoi Regulated River
  30. Wandella Creek
  31. Wybong Creek

In June 2013, we provided a final report. We found that it is likely the plans have contributed to the state-wide targets by:

  • providing certainty around water allocations, entitlements and extraction levels
  • supporting trade to encourage economically efficient water use
  • setting aside water for the environment and working towards more natural flow patterns
  • making progress in the recognition of Aboriginal cultural water values.

However, our capacity to assess the extent or materiality of this contribution has been limited by a lack of available information on the outcomes of these plans.

Analysis against the Standard for Quality NRM indicated that these plans are an improvement on arrangements in place prior to 2004. However, more can still be done to improve monitoring, evaluation and reporting; increase transparency; address issues around risk; integrate surface and groundwater management; and minimise constraints on the carryover, trade and use of environmental water.

Overall, there is a weight of evidence indicating that replacing the plans would benefit both consumptive users and the environment. However, for plans within the Murray-Darling Basin, the replacement of any water sharing plans should be carefully timed to avoid duplication of effort and ensure the efficient use of government and community resources.

Our recommendations were supported by opportunities for improvement, including improvements that may not require plan replacement.

Our review was supported by an issues paper and 114 submissions from licence holders, industry and environment groups, members of local communities, and government stakeholders.

Key documents