New South Wales Consolidated Regulations New South Wales Consolidated RegulationsLevels of assessed contribution:
FULL-meets target in full
HIGH-while not meeting target in full is a good level of achievement
PARTIAL-goes some way to met target
LOW-only small degree of contribution
| Relevant target | Level of contribution | Comments |
| Target 1a Extractions in Murray-Darling Basin’s regulated rivers limited to the level of the long-term average annual extraction below the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council Cap which results from the long-term impact of the environmental water rules | FULL | • Part 8 of this Plan clearly sets out the basis for the long-term extraction limit |
| Target 1f Rules for adjustments to future available water determinations in the event that the extraction limits are exceeded, clearly prescribed in consultation with the relevant management committee, and acted upon | FULL | • Rules set out in Part 8 of this Plan |
| Target 2 All management plans incorporating mechanisms to protect and restore aquatic habitats, and the diversity and abundance of native animals and plants, with particular reference to threatened species, populations and communities and key threatening processes | LOW | • The environmental flow rules make some improvement on flows compared to Cap• Given that the system is in the Lower Murray area which has been listed as endangered ecological community specifically identifying river regulation as a major cause this Plan will not eliminate this problem• 8 aquatic species in Murrumbidgee have been listed as threatened• There are identified environmental objectives for the use of environmental water allowances however the triggers for release are not specified• The environmental flow rules focus on wetland inundation in the middle reaches however the frequency of the highest flows in the Tumut junction to Carrathool reach will be marginally reduced compared to Cap• The supplementary water access rules do not take into account environmental considerations although there is provision for such considerations to be introduced during the life of this Plan |
| Target 4a Where the frequency of “end of system” daily flows would be less than 60% of the predevelopment level without environmental water rules or extraction limits, the flows increased to 60% of predevelopment levels or increased by at least 10% of the predevelopment frequency | LOW | • The rules applying after the fifth year of this Plan improve the frequency of flows that are less than the natural 80 th percentile exceedance flow, in line with the target• Target not met for flows greater than the natural 80 th percentile• The frequency of flows greater than the natural 20 th percentile have been reduced |
| Target 4b Frequency of “end of system” daily very low flows (as defined by local field investigation) protected or restored to predevelopment levels to maintain or restore their critical ecological functions, drought refuges and habitat connectivity. In the absence of such local assessments, protection extended up to at least the predevelopment 95 th percentile | LOW | • The rules at the commencement of this Plan only slightly improve low flows at the end of the system compared to Cap• This Plan includes rules that improve low flows at the end of the system after year 5 so that flows only drop below the natural 95 th%tile flow 20% of the time rather than 41% of the time with the rules applying at the commencement of this Plan |
| Target 4c The channel capacity of all lower river and effluent creek systems used for the delivery of regulated water determined. Subject to reasonable socio-economic impacts, limits on daily supply volumes established for effluent systems such that they do not exceed 80% of the channel capacity for more than 10% of days in any month of each year. Where daily supply volumes are currently substantially less than channel capacity, alternative limits established to reduce the impact of unseasonal flows arising from future access licence dealings | PARTIAL | • This Plan provides for the determination of maximum operating channel capacities, in accordance with SWMOP targets• This Plan provides for the distribution of numerical extraction rights that could be used to facilitate management to desired capacity targets• This Plan also notes a number of maximum channel capacity constraints for the Tumut, Murrumbidgee and Yanco that are to apply at the commencement of this Plan, but these are however only expressed as a note and are therefore not actually part of this Plan |
| Target 5 Access rights for water access licensees clearly and legally specified in terms of share and extraction components | FULL | • Access for existing regulated supply licences and supplementary water access licences are specified and tradeable |
| Target 6b A pathway for reducing the share components to 200 percent of the long-term average annual extraction limit to be established not later than the end of the term of the SWMOP | FULL | • Total entitlements do not exceed 200% of long-term extraction limit set by this Plan |
| Target 9a Flow thresholds for declaration of supplementary water access, which take into account environmental needs, clearly specified | LOW | • There has been no consideration of environmental needs in relation to setting of supplementary water access extraction rules• This Plan does however provide for opportunity for the Minister to include such rules during the term of this Plan |
| Target 9b Annual limits on supplementary water extractions, consistent with the long-term average annual extraction limits, established in all regulated river water sources | FULL | • This Plan sets the maximum annual extraction for supplementary access licences at the full entitlement of 220GL |
| Target 9c Rules for sharing between supplementary water access licence holders made explicit | PARTIAL | • This Plan does not clearly specify any sharing rules however it does provide for “evenly sharing” access between supplementary water access licences |
| Target 9d Supplementary access licence dealings made possible in regulated river water sources, subject to extraction limits and environmental assessment and Aboriginal spiritual and cultural constraints | PARTIAL | • This Plan imposes restrictions on the trading of supplementary access licence share components |
| Target 12 Measures in place in all water sources subject to a gazetted water sharing plan to protect domestic and stock rights from the impact of other water access and use | FULL | • Obligations are set out in Part 5 of this Plan |
| Target 14 Water sources, ecosystems and sites of cultural or traditional importance to Aboriginal people identified, plans of management prepared, and measures put in place to protect and improve them | PARTIAL | • Billabongs and wetlands were identified as having particular cultural importance, however no specific sites identified• Environmental water rules would be expected to provide benefits to some billabongs and wetlands in the middle reaches of the Murrumbidgee |
| Target 16a All share components of access licences tradeable | HIGH | • Some restrictions apply to trade of supplementary water |
| Target 16c Conversion factors and protocols established to facilitate trading and dealings between water sources, whilst also protecting existing access and environmental water | FULL | • Transfers between water sources are in line with government policy |
| Target 16d Reduced conversion factors only applied when necessary to offset increased losses associated with water supply delivery | FULL | • This Plan does not impose reduction factors |
| Target 16e Any unassigned access rights identified and clear mechanisms established for their future assignment | N/A | • No unallocated water |
| Target 16f Zones established where necessary for environmental protection and limits/constraints on water dealings in them made explicit | PARTIAL | • There is no delineation of zones, except for supplementary water dealings, nor application of limits for reaches with physical/ecological constraints eg Yanco |
| Target 35 All management plans incorporating water quality objectives that considered Government approved Interim Environmental Objectives, the current Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council Guidelines and the recommendations of any relevant Healthy Rivers Commission Inquiries | PARTIAL | • While this Plan does not include a specific water quality objective it does provide an Environmental Water Allowance for environmental and water quality purposes• Other planned environmental water provisions would be expected to produce benefits in line with the Interim Environmental Objectives |