New South Wales Consolidated Regulations

WATER SHARING PLAN FOR THE CASTLEREAGH RIVER ABOVE BINNAWAY WATER SOURCE 2003 - REG 11

11 Objectives

The objectives of this Plan are to:

(a) protect natural water levels in pools of creeks, rivers and wetlands during periods of no flow,

(b) protect natural low flow,

(c) protect or restore a proportion of moderate flows (freshes) and high flows,

(d) maintain natural flow variability,

(e) minimise the effects of weirs and other structures,

(f) protect aquatic ecosystems,

(g) protect access to water for basic rights,

(h) give priority of access to local water utility, domestic and stock access licences over other access licences,

(i) engender community ownership and acceptance of this Plan,

(j) provide equitable access to water in accordance with the Act,

(k) allow for trading of water access rights within this water source,

(l) sustain viable water based industries, including the irrigation industry,

(m) encourage water extraction to move from lower flows to higher flows,

(n) encourage efficient water use practices,

(o) preserve Aboriginal cultural heritage values across this water source that relate to water sharing management,

(p) preserve water related European cultural heritage values, and

(q) contribute to the achievement of water quality to support the environmental values of this water source.

Note: This objective refers to maintaining water quality. Although there are no specific strategies directly related to this objective in this Plan, the environmental water provisions in this Plan make a positive contribution to maintaining water quality.