Water sharing plan reviews

We have a statutory role under Section 43A of the Water Management Act 2000 to independently review water sharing plans approaching expiry and report our findings to the Minister for Water.

Our reviews help to identify opportunities to improve water sharing plan provisions and support better outcomes for the environment and people. The Minister considers our report before deciding to extend or make a new water sharing plan.

Recently published

Review of Lachlan, Macquarie-Cudgegong and Namoi regulated water sharing plans

We are conducting a statutory review of the following water sharing plans before they expire on 1 July 2026:

These reviews are being undertaken consistent with our statutory responsibilities under Section 43A of the NSW Water Management Act 2000.

This is your chance to comment on whether the plans have achieved their environmental, social, cultural and economic outcomes. You are also invited to suggest any areas for improvement.

Note: We will review the plans in effect at the time of the review. However, we will consider any amendments that have been made during the 10-year life of the plans and potential impacts on outcomes.

Have your say

Have your say by 5pm on Sunday 23 February 2025.

Your submission should address at least one of the following six key questions in relation to environmental, social and economic outcomes, and opportunities for improvement for at least one of the plans:

To what extent do you think the plan has contributed to environmental outcomes?
To what extent do you think the plan has contributed to social outcomes?
To what extent do you think the plan has contributed to economic outcomes?
To what extent do you think the plan has contributed to cultural outcomes?
To what extent do you think the plan has contributed to meeting its objectives?
What changes do you think are needed to the water sharing plan to improve outcomes?

Please specify in your submission which plan or plans you are providing comment on.

You can provide your submission by:
Email: nrc@nrc.nsw.gov.au
Mail: GPO Box 5341, Sydney, NSW 2001

If you have any questions regarding the review or require support lodging your submission, call 02 9228 4844 or email nrc@nrc.nsw.gov.au

Note: All submissions will be made public on our website unless clearly marked ‘confidential’. See our submissions policy for more details.

Review of coastal water sharing plans

We are conducting a statutory review of the following water sharing plans before they expire in July 2026 or July 2027:

The plan for Nambucca expires on 1st July 2027, while all other plans expire on 1 July 2026.

These reviews are being undertaken consistent with our statutory responsibilities under Section 43A of the NSW Water Management Act 2000.

Submissions for these plans closed on 13 October 2024.

We will review the plans in effect at the time of the review. However, we will consider any amendments that have been made during the 10-year life of the plans and potential impacts on outcomes.

Connectivity Expert Panel

In September 2023, the Minister for Water convened the Connectivity Expert Panel, chaired by the Natural Resources Commission (Amy Dula, Director of Programs) to review the analyses the Department has undertaken and to provide an independent assessment of its adequacy.

The Panel is providing independent advice to the Minister for Water for consideration.

In April 2024 the panel released an interim report (available on the Department's website) outlining its interim findings and recommendations.

In July 2024, the panel provide its final report (available on the Department's website) to the Minister. The panel proposed a suite of recommendations to provide for a holistic approach to connectivity across the Northern Basin taking into consideration the range of climatic conditions likely to be experienced. The Panel’s analysis indicates that, if implemented, the recommendations will considerably improve achievement of environmental water requirements across the Barwon-Darling and provide over 50GL of additional annual flows into Menindee Lakes for downstream needs.

Review of the NSW Murray and Lower Darling Regulated Water Sharing Plan

Advice to Connectivity Expert Panel - Improving outcomes in the Lower Darling-Baaka River (July 2024)

The Natural Resources Commission is conducting its statutory review of the Water Sharing Plan for the NSW Murray and Lower Darling Regulated Rivers Water Sources 2016 before it expires on 30 June 2026.

The Office of the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer's independent review into the 2023 fish deaths in the Darling-Baaka River at Menindee recommended prioritising the review of the Water Sharing Plan for the Murray and Lower Darling Regulated River Water Sources 2016 with a focus on the adequacy of Plan provisions for meeting environmental and water quality objectives (Recommendation 1.3).

To inform our water sharing plan review, we undertook detailed analysis of water quality and environmental needs in the Lower Darling-Baaka and the operation of Menindee Lakes. The Connectivity Expert Panel asked us to share our analysis with them to inform their report. We provided this advice in July 2024. This advice was developed in consultation with leading experts in the water quality and environmental water needs of the Lower Darling-Baaka, and was provided to relevant agencies for review and comment prior to finalisation. Consistent with our commitment to transparency, and with the support of the Minister for Water, we are making this paper publicly available.

We are continuing our review of the Murray and Lower Darling-Baaka water sharing plan and will submit our final report to the Minister by the end of 2024.

The review is being undertaken consistent with our statutory responsibilities under Section 43A of the NSW Water Management Act 2000, and will also take into consideration findings from the Chief Scientist and Engineer’s report.

Note: The plan has recently been amended. We will review the plan in effect at the time of the review. However, we will consider any amendments that have been made during the 10-year life of the plan and potential impacts on outcomes.

You can read the water sharing plan on the NSW Water Sharing Plan Legislation webpage.