MACQUARIE RIVER CATCHMENT WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN PUBLIC MEETING ( Information Session) ROSS TOWN HALL 10:30 AM WEDNESDAY, 12 DECEMBER, 2012 Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment DRAFT PLAN

PLAN TEMPLATE Context Part 1: Introduction Part 2: Vision & objectives Part 3: Administrative provisions Part 4: Surface water allocation Part 5: Surface water access rules Part 6: Monitoring & reporting Part 7: Statutory requirements (Act: Sections 14 & 15) Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment

MACQUARIE RIVER CATCHMENT: UPSTREAM OF LAKE RIVER Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment

PART 2 OBJECTIVES: ENVIRONMENTAL Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment 1. Maintain flows to provide aquatic habitat and natural refuges for instream biotic communities during naturally dry periods. 2.Maintain flow variability necessary to: i.Maintain a functioning & healthy river system ii.Support aquatic, riparian & water dependent floodplain ecosystems iii.Support important ecological & geomorphic processes iv.Protect water quality v.Replenish riparian groundwater systems

PART 2 OBJECTIVES: WATER USAGE Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment 3.Provide certainty of access to water for town water supplies, stock & domestic use, irrigation & other commercial use, & maintain access to water for non-consumptive purposes by i.Establishing limits for allocation at different levels of reliability ii.Establishing a clear hierarchy of access to water for consumptive use iii.Clearly specifying the rules under which water can be taken

PART 3 ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS Part 5 rights Water licences Allocations Conveyance of water Metering Permits (dam works and well works) Management of connected groundwater and surface water Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment

PART 4: SURFACE WATER ALLOCATION Surety (Section 4.1, p.14) = relative priority when supply limited Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment Surety Level 1 ‘Part 5 rights’; Stock & domestic, essential town water supplies, groundwater 2 Water for ecosystems dependent on water 3 Water access entitlements replacing Prescriptive Rights granted under previous Acts 4 Access entitlements of Special Licensees: Hydro Tas 5 Access entitlements for commercial purposes; non-essential town water 6 Commercial purposes – lower reliability than Surety 5 7 Commercial purposes – lower reliability than Surety 6 8 Water access entitlements – low reliability water

PART 4: SURFACE WATER ALLOCATION, cont. Take periods (Section 4.2, p. 15) Summer take period: 1 December – 30 April Winter take period: 1 May – 30 November Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment

PART 4: SURFACE WATER ALLOCATION, cont. Surface water allocation limits for s5 & s6 EMIT’s annual allocations (20,191 ML) are accounted for in both periods Summer take period (Section 4.3.3, Table 3, p.17):  Allocation limit: 9,858 ML  Existing summer take allocations: 20,468 ML Fully allocated: no more allocations Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment

PART 4: SURFACE WATER ALLOCATION, cont. Surface water allocation limits for s5 & s6 Winter take period (Section 4.3.4, Table 4, p. 18): EMIT’s annual allocations (20,191 ML) are accounted for in both periods  Allocation limit: 77,766 ML  Existing winter take allocations: 46,361 ML  Table 4: cumulative total under Plan: 86,361 ML (includes rights to 40,000 ML for converting s8 to s7) Fully allocated: no more allocations Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment

PART 4: SURFACE WATER ALLOCATION, cont Surety 8 allocations (Section 4.3.5; Table 5, p.19) Large volume allocated Smaller volume able to be taken Two key changes: 1. Rationalise s8 allocations – remove duplication  One allocation  Same volume will be able to be taken  Same off-takes 2. Convert s8 to s7 Winter take allocations Provision to carry over to following summer if winter is dry Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment

PART 5: SURFACE WATER ACCESS RULES Some access rules stay the same Management of Lake levels (section 5.1) Managed minimum flows (section 5.2) Restriction management (section 5.3) Management of inflows & outflows from dams (section 5.6) Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment

PART 5: SURFACE WATER ACCESS RULES, cont Access rules for taking water under Surety 7 allocations converted from s8 will change (Section 5.4, p. 23) Flows > 250 ML/day Winter take period If winter is dry, the balance may be carried over to following summer & taken when flows > 450 ML/day (Morningside)  … if certain criteria are met (Schedule 1) Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment

SCHEDULE 1: S7 WINTER TAKE ALLOCATIONS – CARRY OVER PROVISION Carry over is possible only if winter is ‘dry’: 1. Winter rainfall: <60% median 2. Water yield: <60% median (< 134,560 ML) 3. # of days s7 available in winter: < 20% (<43 days) 4. No opportunistic access was available in winter period Licensee must report volume taken under s7 & other winter allocations prior to taking in summer under carry over provision Carry over only permitted to following summer take period, not beyond Authorisation to take carry over water required under s90 (Act) Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment

PART 5: SURFACE WATER ACCESS RULES, cont Opportunistic access rules (Section 5.5, p. 23)  Very low reliability so not ‘allocated’  Unlimited, but flows must remain > 3,400 ML/ day at Morningside Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment

PART 6: MONITORING & REPORTING Monitoring  Stream flow  Surface water allocations  Installation of water meters  Water extraction  Transfers of water licences & allocations  Restrictions Annual reporting Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment

PART 7: STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS (SECTION S14 SCOPE OF WATER MANAGEMENT PLANS) 14 (2) A water management plan is to include – (a) a statement of the objectives of the plan, including the environmental objectives (b) a description of the water regime that gives best effect to the environmental & other objectives (c) an assessment of the ability of that water regime to achieve the environmental & other relevant objectives (d) an assessment of the likely detrimental effects of the Plan on quality of water Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment

PART 7: STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS (SECTION 15) 15. Effect of plan on water allocation Where a water management plan provides for the allocation & use of water…, the plan must - (a) include an assessment of the capacity of relevant resources to meet the likely demands for water by existing & future users (b) take into account the needs of existing and future users and state the likely effects of the Plan on those users including any effect on businesses carried on by those users Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment

TABLE 9 (P. 35): ABLE TO BE TAKEN UNDER PLAN Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment SURETYAble to be taken (at adoption) (ML/yr Able to be taken UNDER PLAN (ML/yr) 527,008 No change 617,3119,931 Reduced by s6 converted to s7 winter allocations 74,05749,699 Increased by allocations converted from s6 & s8. Reduced by redundant s7 allocations. 856,9580 Reduced by converted, redundant & rationalised s8 allocations Total86,638

DISCUSSION & QUESTIONS: THE DRAFT PLAN

NEXT STEPS 21 Release of Draft Plan for Public exhibition Preparation of Secretary’s (s26) Report on representations Tasmanian Planning Commission reviews the report and reports to the Minister Minister considers report from TPC Minister adopts Plan (or amended) Plan

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE DRAFT PLAN… Website: Hard copies can be viewed at:  Council offices (Longford & Oatlands)  Service Tasmania (Campbell Town) 1:1 consultation (by appointment):  Thursday, 13 December, 2012 [TOMORROW] For questions or appointment:  Ring Jodie Murray ( )  Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment

HOW TO MAKE A ‘REPRESENTATION’ Must be written Due date: Friday, 8 February, 2013 Send to: Ms Jodie Murray Dept of Primary Industries, Parks, Water & Environment GPO Box 44 HOBART TAS 7001 Or by Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment

Questions: Tel: