New South Wales Consolidated Regulations

WATER SHARING PLAN FOR THE LOWER MURRUMBIDGEE GROUNDWATER SOURCES 2003 - REG 16

16 Recharge

(1) The overall basis for water sharing in this Plan is the average annual recharge to these groundwater sources, plus the requirements for basic landholder rights at the commencement of this plan and is as follows:

(a) 65,000 megalitres per year (hereafter "ML/yr"), plus the requirements for basic landholder rights at the commencement of this plan for the Shallow Groundwater Source and,

(b) 335,000 ML/yr, plus the requirements for basic landholder rights at the commencement of this plan for the Deep Groundwater Source.

Note: The recharge to the Shallow Groundwater Source of 65,000 megalitres is the net recharge resulting from inflow of 400,000 megalitres minus 335,000 ML/yr that passes through to the underlying Deep Groundwater Source, and is 65,000 ML/yr.

Note: These recharge figures incorporate some recharge from irrigation losses to the shallow groundwater system. It is expected that, as irrigation losses diminish through infrastructure refurbishment and water efficiency measures, this component of the recharge will also diminish.

(2) The Minister may under section 45 (1) (b) of the Act, amend subclause (1) after 30 June 2011 vary the average annual recharge values for these groundwater sources following further recharge studies undertaken by the Minister.

Note: The extent of impact of this change on access by licence holders is limited by the provisions in clause 28.