New South Wales Consolidated Regulations

WATER SHARING PLAN FOR THE BELLINGER RIVER AREA UNREGULATED AND ALLUVIAL WATER SOURCES 2008 - REG 68

68 Water level management

(1) Where the Minister declares a local impact area under clause 67 (2) (a), 67 (2) (c) or 67 (2) (d) extraction will be restricted to such an extent and for such time as is required to restore groundwater levels to a sustainable level and/or to protect or restore groundwater dependent ecosystems.

(2) The Minister may nominate specific water levels to define the terms referred to in subclauses (1), to ensure extraction does not cause an ongoing decline in groundwater levels.

(3) In the case of subclause (1), the local impact rules may also be:

(a) expressed as restrictions on yearly, quarterly, or weekly extraction in the affected areas, and

(b) subject to review based on assessment of data from monitoring bores within the local impact area.

(4) If water levels recover, extraction restrictions may be eased to such an extent as to allow recovered water levels to be maintained and fluctuate within the normal bounds of climate variability.

Note: This clause recognises that in some locations, at certain periods of high groundwater demand, critical water level declines may occur, and that additional extraction limitations may be required. The Department of Water and Energy will identify monitoring bores, and determine the method for specifying an affected area.