New South Wales Consolidated Regulations

WATER SHARING PLAN FOR THE NEW SOUTH WALES MURRAY AND LOWER DARLING REGULATED RIVERS WATER SOURCES 2003 - REG 37

37 Available water determinations for regulated river (high security) access licences

(1) The water supply system of the Murray Water Source shall be managed so that available water determinations for regulated river (high security) access licences of 0.97 megalitres per unit share can be maintained through a repeat of the worst period of low inflows to the Murray Water Source represented in flow information held by the Department.

(2) Sufficient volumes of water must be set aside from the New South Wales share of assured inflows into the Murray Regulated River water source and in reserves held by New South Wales in water storages to provide for subclause (1).

(3) The sum of available water determinations for regulated river (high security) access licences in the Murray Water Source for each water year shall be:

(a) 0.97 megalitres per unit share, whenever the sum of available water determinations for regulated river (general security) access licences in the Murray Water Source for the water year is less than 0.97 megalitres per unit share, or

(b) 1 megalitre per unit share, whenever the available water determinations for regulated river (general security) access licences in the Murray Water Source for the water year is 0.97 megalitres per unit share or greater.

(4) The available water determinations for regulated river (high security) access licences in the Lower Darling Water Source made for the commencement of each water year shall be 1 megalitre per unit share, whenever possible.

(5) If the available water determination made under subclause (4) is less than 1 megalitre per unit share then further assessments of available water shall be carried out at least monthly and available water determinations made until the sum of available water determinations for the water year is 1 megalitre per unit share.

(6) The sum of available water determinations made for regulated river (high security) licences in each water source in any water year shall not exceed 1 megalitre per unit share.

(7) Available water determinations for regulated river (high security) access licences in each water source must take into account:

(a) the environmental water provisions for the water source established by this Plan,

(b) requirements for domestic and stock rights in the water source,

(c) requirements for native title rights in the water source,

(d) requirements for domestic and stock access licences in the water source,

(e) requirements for local water utility access licences in the water source,

(f) volumes remaining in water accounts from previous available water determinations in the water source,

(g) where applicable, water losses associated with holding and delivery of water to meet the requirements specified in subclauses (a) to (f),

(h) where applicable, an appropriate volume to meet water losses associated with the holding and delivery of water resulting from an available water determination, and

(i) any other relevant matters.