New South Wales Consolidated Regulations

WATER SHARING PLAN FOR THE UPPER NAMOI AND LOWER NAMOI REGULATED RIVER WATER SOURCES 2003 - REG 15

15 Planned environmental water

(1) This Plan establishes the rule in subclause (2) as a planned environmental water rule.

(2) In the months of June, July and August, a minimum daily flow which is equivalent to 75% of the natural 95 th percentile daily flow for each month, shall be maintained in the Namoi River at Walgett (streamflow gauging station number 419091).

(3) Subclause (2) shall not apply when the sum of the water stored in Keepit Dam and Split Rock Dam is less than 120,000 megalitres.

Clause 49 of this Plan specifies limits to total extractions by all Lower Namoi supplementary water access licence holders during periods when flows are above specified threshold flow levels. These rules contribute to a number of interim river flow objectives:

• protecting important rises in water levels,

• maintaining wetland and floodplain inundation and,

• maintaining natural flow variability.