GWYDIR VALLEY IRRIGATORS ASSOCIATION

News & Events

Classification of Works

Entitlement holders in the Gwydir will have received letters regarding works Classifications. We have requested that additional information be provided to you to assist in completing the classification of works. In preparation, we suggest you register on the WaterNSW customer portal.

  • Customers will receive an email confirmation whether you are approved, rejected or require further information to complete the registration.
  • If the approval or licence belongs to a Business, you will need to create a business profile using the manage business function in your customer portal. A video guide is available here
  • WaterNSW will merge existing approvals and licences onto your profile in the portal, this may take up to 5 days
  • Customers will then receive an email notification to review and approve the LNK case in your profile, if something doesn’t look right, reply back to the email asap to have it rectified
  • The portal will provide all the necessary information (work ID, WAL, Works Approval etc).
  • Customers will also be able to see a map showing where the works are currently located.
  • If you need assistance, you can book a phone appointment with the WaterNSW team by clicking here or call 1300 662 077. You can also email licensing@waternsw.com.au for specific questions or assistance

The MDBA will be meeting with community outside Brookers Trading on Balo St for 2-4pm on Monday 30th March

The GVIA will be hosting the MDBA at our office at 10:00 am on Tuesday 31st March - Please join us. 

The key messages are detailed in the attached file. In summary
-  No Rule Changes, compulsory acquisition is not appropriate
-  No more water from Agriculture, 72% of water is already for the environment
-  Community supported constraints must be completed, the NSW government must be held accountable
-  Complementary measures such as carp control must be implemented
-  Infrastructure must be updated at Menindee and to provide critical needs
-  Socio-economic impacts must be recognised appropriately
-  The Gwydir SDL do not need adjusting 


The MDBA will be meeting with the Gwydir CGA on Monday the 16th March. Some of the key people from the MDBA will be present to talk through current issues and the Discussion Paper.
This will be at the Social Co-House in Moree on Monday 16 March at 3.00 pm to 4.00pm.
For more details and information please reach out to Georgina on secretary@gwydircotton.com.au

Mallowa: Target in the east have been inundated, some western areas yet to be inundated. Deliveries expected to finish mid-April 2026.
Lower Gwydir: The 3 month delivery of E-water to Lower Gwydir ceased on 26 December 2025. A total of 7,550ML entered the watercourse at Millewa, including 3,200ML of managed E-water. 
Gingham: Deliveries commenced early December 2025. Target flow rate is 100 ML/d connect through to Boyanga Waterhole. Delivery target may continue past February.
Whittakers Lagoon: Orders have been placed to fill Whittakers Lagoon to fill the lagoon before the end of January 2026.
Mehi River flows: Delivery for fish to the lower Mehi commenced 13 December 2025. This flow will continue through Summer and into Autumn.
Barwon River: In addition to the Mehi River flow releases from the Border Rivers and Gwydir valleys commenced over Christmas New Year. This event was designed to support base flows in the Barwon River between Mungindi and Walgett. Releases from Glenlyon and Copeton Dams are expected to cease early February 2026.

The GVIA are currently looking for a Project and Policy Support Officer. 
The project officer role would entail working on behalf of and in partnership with the GVIA Members to deliver requirements as detailed in projects.
The policy support role will entail supporting the EO in the review and analysis of regulatory policy and provide support to Members in the interpretation and application of policy.
The role would also support the EO in communication of water related issues to the wider community. 
More detail are available in the attached position description.
To apply or arrange to discuss the position please email the EO on gvia@gvia.org.au

In partnership with the NSW Government, TAFE NSW has launched a free, 3-hour online course designed to fast-track qualified tradespeople into becoming duly qualified persons (DQPs). DQP's can: 

  • install and validate non-urban water meters 
  • ensure installations meet compliance and safety standards 
  • offer ongoing servicing and maintenance
  • support sustainable, responsible water management. 


The following trades can apply: irrigation technician, plumber, instrumentation specialist, hydrographer, engineer, fitter-welder, closed conduit meter manufacturer, electrician, local intelligence device manufacturer, or telecommunications technician. 

The NSW Government has announced two  funding opportunities
1. Agriculture Industries Innovation and Growth Program
This program supports projects that enhance productivity, sustainability, and innovation across agricultural industries.
Learn more and apply here: Agriculture Industries Innovation and Growth Program | NSW Government
2. Aquaculture Industry Development Program
Designed to accelerate growth and innovation in aquaculture, this program provides funding for initiatives that strengthen industry capability and sustainability.
Full details and guidelines: Aquaculture Industry Development Program Guidelines | NSW Government

Farmers in the Basin are calling on the Federal Government to escalate water security for agriculture as a priority, following the findings of the Basin Outlook, published today which echoed findings from the National Climate Risk Assessment. 
“All climate change scenarios will have significant risks on water security for Australian agriculture,” said NIC CEO, Zara Lowien “farmers are adapting every day to changing climate, but can only adapt so far, water security is critical”. 
“The Outlook modelling scenarios found the Basin will be both wetter and drier, with more extreme conditions with varying impacts and level of uncertainty around the Basin.” 
“It is absolutely important that we consider climate change as part of the Basin Plan Review, but this needs to be fit for purpose, recognising the uncertainty, and extremes to both wet and dry.” 
“We are concerned the document has over-generalised headlines, but when you look at the detail, there are a lot of unknowns and uncertainty,” said Ms Lowien. “That’s not to dismiss the work, rather that when Government responds to it, they need to consider its limitations which are very evident in the report.”
NIC Media release available here

"More water rights in the Murray-Darling Basin will be purchased from farmers and irrigators in a renewed push by the federal government to return 450 gigalitres of water to the environment.".....
"He also flagged that the government is closely considering purchasing water from the northern part of the basin for the first time.
"Recent advice from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority highlights the potential benefits of pursuing water recovery in the northern basin to contribute towards the 450 gigalitre target.
"While this is not an adopted policy of our government right now, I will work closely with my department in considering this advice.""

The New England North West AI Forum, in association with Telstra, and supported by Moree Business Chamber, is a must-attend event for regional businesses ready to harness the power of artificial intelligence. Hear from leading voices from across the region and beyond as they share their expertise and answer your questions. 
Unlocking AI: Tools, Tactics and Transformation 
Date: Wednesday, 19 November 2025 
Time: 10:45 AM to 2:00 PM (includes networking lunch) 
Venue: Social Co House, 157 Balo Street, Moree NSW 
Tickets: Register Here 

“This was a missed opportunity for Minister Watt to put politics aside and send a strong message about refocusing the Basin Plan on outcomes, not just numbers” said NIC CEO, Zara Lowien. 
“At the MDBA’s invitation, Basin Leaders gathered in Adelaide to consider the recently released scientific evidence which found environmental priorities in the Basin have shifted and emboldened participants to work on solutions to move beyond ‘just adding water’”.
“Stakeholders were focusing on how to achieve environmental outcomes and considering options to reduce invasive species and improve native fish populations, better integrate broader catchment management principles into Basin management, and how to efficiently get water onto floodplains.”
“The announcement which targets additional environmental water, above Sustainable Diversion Limits and arguably with low environmental utility due to the uncertainty of constraints, was at odds the proactive and productive discussions”.

MDBA

The Murray Darling Basin Plan 2012 has achieved its goal to reduce diversions to Sustainable Diversion Limits delivering a healthy working basin with optimised social, economic and environmental outcomes. The Basin Plan Evaluation notes that flow-based outcomes have been achieved, there’s no need for more water as 72% of river flows are for environmental purposes.

There are still many non-flow outcomes needing to be achieved.  The focus must be on getting better outcomes from existing water, by addressing barriers to improve environmental outcomes, including carp management, riparian management, fish screens and fish passage. It is in Australia’s best interest for water policy to focus on shared outcomes not politics into the future. The next MDBP must be a management plan not a volumetric plan.

NIC media release.
A new report by the Inspector-General of Water Compliance (IGWC) found: "All 78 SDL resource units assessed for the 2023–2024 water accounting year were found to be compliant." 
“The report confirms Sustainable Diversion Limits are being enforced and in fact, water diversions are well under these limits,” said National Irrigators’ Council CEO, Zara Lowien.
“Getting water use below these Sustainable Diversion Limits was a huge feat, and it means 1 in 3 litres of irrigation water are now out of production and remain in rivers.”

NSWIC July Newsletter includes information on the following:
1. Review of Murray Darling Basin Plan begins
2. Stronger Enforcement and Penalties Bill 2025 
3. NRAR enforcement action again BLR user
4. Water for the Environmental Special Account

The NSW Government has declared the Landholder Negotiation Scheme (LNS) as an amendment to the Water Management (General) Regulation 2018 under the Water Management Act 2000, accompanied by statutory negotiation guidelines.
The LNS provides the approach the NSW Government will take when negotiating voluntary agreements with landholders affected by future environmental water deliveries at higher flow levels, or under different regimes, than current operating practice.
An outline of changes made,  is provided in the What we heard report released May 2025. View the What we heard report, new regulation and negotiation guidelines.

GVIA Celebrates 30 years

This month we celebrated the 30th anniversary of the creation of the GVIA following a motion from July 1995 proposing to bring the irrigation associations of Biniguy / Moree Water Users' Association, Carole/Gill Gill Water Users' Association, Copeton / Biniguy Spray Irrigators' Association, Gwydir Co-operative Ltd and the Mehi / Moomin Water Users' Association together to form the Gwydir Valley Irrigators Association. The intention was to "employ and take any necessary action to promote the interests of the irrigators in the Gwydir Valley."


Last week the MDBA released the 2025 Basin Plan Evaluation and the 2025 Sustainable Rivers Audit.
These are encouraging as it shows progress has been made, but there are still concerns which we are reviewing in partnership with National Irrigators Council. 
The findings and key insights from this Evaluation will be considered alongside other key lines of evidence as part of the 2026 Basin Plan Review. The Review is an opportunity for the MDBA to consider the evidence, listen to Basin communities and recommend changes to the Basin Plan.

NSWIC latest media release states that "IPART has added to the cost squeeze on NSW farmers with its final determination today to increase rural water bills by up to 8.3% in most valleys for 2025-26."
"NSW Irrigators’ Council CEO Claire Miller said it was disappointing that IPART had shifted from the affordable 1.9% plus CPI price rise proposed in its information paper last month."
“The determination underlines the need for the NSW Government to urgently reform the flawed pricing model and corporate structure driving unaffordable hikes in rural water bills over the last 10 years.”

For the full story follow the link.

IPART has decided to issue a 1-year determination commencing on 1 July 2025 and ending 30 June 2026, or when replaced
From 1 July, prices will increase by 5.8% plus inflation of 2.4% for bulk water customers. MDBA charges will increase by 0.6% plus inflation of 2.4% and BRC charges will increase by 1.1% plus inflation of 2.4%. All other prices will increase by inflation only.​
At this stage, the Tribunal is not convinced that all the increased costs proposed by WaterNSW are sufficiently justified as necessary or efficient, or that they should all be passed on the customers. The short determination will allow more work to be done on the broader challenges identified through this price review.
The GVIA requested a full performance review and analysis of the business structure. ​

The AgriEmpower Scholarship Program is an investment in the future of our next generation of changemarkers, dedicated to helping young people enhance their capabilities and unlock new opportunities for growth.
The program offers financial support, resources, and access to National Farmers’ Federation and Woolworths networks, and a community of like-minded individuals, all with the goal of driving long-term success in the agriculture sector.
As part of the $400,000 program, 20 scholarships of $20,000 each will be awarded.

The AgriEmpower Scholarship Program runs for 18 months allowing individuals an opportunity to deep dive into developing themselves and with the support of NFF & Woolworths.

This month's NSW-DQ webinar focused on "Are You Measurement Ready". A recording is available here and responses to questions taken on notice will be available here in the next fortnight.

Some key take aways:
  • All water users should check their licence and approvals to ensure the details are correct, and ensure they are following their conditions.
  • Water users subject to the mandatory metering condition but eligible for exemption should use the online metering guidance tool and take a record of what exemption they believe they can claim.
  • Metering requirements apply to Unregulated users as well as Regulated.

Federal Election

As we will now have a federal election on the 3rd of May 2025, I encourage you to have conversations with people from all different parts of the community to ensure they understand what is important to safegard the Australian irrigation industry. The following links will show you what the peak industry organisations have as their election policy positions. There are also a number of useful facts about irrigation which you may be able to utilise in your discussions. 

National Irrigators Council

NSW Irrigation Council

National Farmers Federation

The department sought public feedback in late 2023 on proposed changes to distance restrictions for new or amended bores from other bores or property boundaries in the Water Sharing Plan for the NSW Great Artesian Basin Groundwater Sources 2020 (the plan).

At this time, feedback from stakeholders indicated that the community needed further information on the proposed changes. To address the community's questions, we released a Status Update Document on 17 February 2025, outlining what’s changing and why. Public feedback on this document and the proposed changes is welcome until 6 April 2025.

Just a Farmer

Please find included information on a film being screened at the Town and Country Club, 5 Frome St Moree on Friday the 4th of April. 
The film writer Leila McDougall will be a special guest at the event. 
This screening is proudly sponsored by mcGregor Gourlay Agricultural Services, AFF, NSW Farmers and CWA Moree
The event beguins at 6pm and there is no charge. 

The NSW legislative assembly are conducting an inquiry into the Impacts of the Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Act 2023 on NSW regional communities. The chair is Roy Butler and has been designed to consider the following:

a) the social, economic and environmental impact of repealing limits to the cap on Commonwealth water purchases
b) the risks to the effective implementation of the Federal Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Act 2023 including unlicensed take of water and options to address these risks such as rules for floodplain harvesting
c) the impact of Planned Environmental Water rules on the reliability of water allocations in NSW and the Commonwealth's environmental water holdings
d) the impact of rules-based changes on the reliability of water allocations in NSW, including their impact on different water license categories
e) the effectiveness and impacts of past water reforms, including community-based water reduction adjustment programs such as the Strengthening Basin Communities program and Murray-Darling Basin Economic Development Program
f) options to improve future community-based reduction adjustment programs including next rounds of the Sustainable Communities Program
g) any other related matter. Submissions are Due 14th April 2025. 

Today the NSW Government released media associated with wetlands in the NSW unregulated WSP. There has been significant changes to the proposals, a direct result of the feedback from each of you. We thank the NSW water Minister and her department for responding to the feedback they received.
There are still however newly prescribed wetlands in the Gwydir. Landholders who still have sites on their land, which they do not support as wetlands have until the 23rd March to provide feedback to the department, as the plan is still subject to change through the public consultation period. 
In addition we will be reinforcing the need for any landholder impacted by these new and all existing wetlands to be directly consulted by the department. Gazetting a wetland without appropriate consultation is not acceptable. 
The updates on the department website include mapped wetland areas limited to internationally significant Ramsar listed wetlands, those registered in the Directory of Important Wetlands of Australia, any wetlands already receiving protection in the current water sharing plans and wetlands identified as ecologically and/or culturally significant in previously exhibited floodplain management plans.
People can also attend a webinar from 12.30-1.30pm on Wednesday 12 March 2025 to learn more.

Basin Plan report 2023-24

The Basin Plan 2012 was made under Part 2 of the Water Act 2007 (Cth) (the Water Act) to guide the management and sharing of water in the Basin in a more sustainable way. There have been hugh changes to water management as a result. 
Summary of findings:
Four NSW Water resource plans remain to be accredited - the Gwydir is one of them. 
All 54 SDL resource units within non-accredited WRP did not exceed compliance triggers in 2022-23
As of June 2024 there had been 2,131.7GL/yr Surface water recovered, only 22GL remained at that stage. 35.25GL/yr of groundwater had been recovered with only 3.2GL remaining.
This year we expect to see the Sustainable Rivers Audit and the Basin Plan evaluation, these together with the Outlook for the Basin, Sustainable Yields and Discussion Paper will be utilised as an evidence base for the 2026 Basin Plan Review.

Irrigators question recent efforts by Minister Plibersek to consider socio-economic impacts of buybacks

25 February 2025, Canberra, ACT – Irrigators call out Minister Plibersek’s decision to sign off[ on purchasing another 100 GL of water in the southern Basin with questionable procurement processes and deliberately narrow evidence to support the decision.

“The advice before the Minister to inform the decision is flawed,” said Zara Lowien, CEO of National Irrigators’ Council.

“The additional 170 GL of water (from a 2024 round and this new one), will cause a significant increase in water allocation price of around 7.2% in the southern Murray Darling, and impact some industries particularly hard, such as rice, with an estimated 6.48% drop in water use.”

“The narrow assessment only looked at buying back 170 GL/y of water and apportioned $84 million annual production losses, ignoring that more than 2,100 GL/y is now recovered with an estimated annual farm-gate production loss between $602 million - $914 million.”

“Can the Minister really say she has considered socio-economic impacts, if the impact assessment is designed to not capture the full impacts?” said Ms Lowien.

“Worse still, the evidence highlighted the range of government programs aimed at mitigating the known socio-economic impacts but failed to mention the minimal progress of these other strategies”.

“Updates show there are no ‘new’ efficiency alternatives contracted, no land and water partnerships, and only NSW has signed up to their flagship program: Sustaining Basin Communities.”

In a clearly political move to win city votes at the expense of regional Australia, the Commonwealth has today kicked off a second buyback tender in the southern Murray-Darling Basin in 2024-25. NSW Irrigators’ Council CEO Claire Miller said with an election due any moment, “today’s announcement is clearly intended to try to win city votes while throwing regional communities, farmers and even the environment under the bus. “Today we learn the Government is full steam ahead to buy up to another 100 billion litres in 2025, on top of the 70 billion litres from its first tender opened last year. “The minister claims she considers social and economic impacts before approving buybacks. Considers maybe, but clearly ignores when ABARES says past and planned water recovery wipes $602 million – $914 million every year from what the farmgate value of irrigated agriculture would otherwise be.
“The one-off $300 million assistance package will not even touch the sides of what irrigation-dependent communities need when the Government is stripping hundreds of millions of dollars in income from their economies every year.
“We also know that while more than 3000 GL recovered to date is delivering important, localised environmental benefits, more water will not deliver the Basin-wide step change needed to reverse declining native fish and static waterbird populations, and improve water quality.

19 February 2025, Canberra, ACT – The release of the Auditor General’s report of the Federal Government’s water buybacks finds the Government implemented a well-paved road of effective process but struggled to find the link between the buyback program and the intended policy objectives for the Murray Darling Basin Plan.  

“Many will glance at the key findings of effective process and give the Government a pat on the back, but the devil is in the detail when the report goes on to question the link between the buyback program and the intended policy objectives for the environment” said National Irrigators’ Council CEO, Ms Lowien.

“It found that the buyback program, designed to bridge the gap between current diversions and the Basin Plan’s Sustainable Diversion Limits (SDLs), was a well-paved road but questions, to where?”, said Ms Lowien.

“Achieving Sustainable Diversion Limits in the Basin was the centrepiece of the Basin Plan, but achieving the broader environmental objectives requires going beyond just adding water,”

“Government reporting indicates that SDLs are enforced and being achieved– so it’s fair to ask the question, as the Auditor General infers, why is the Government buying more water and not investing in other solutions?” said Ms Lowien.

Media

Media snippets (not endorsements):

  • Water allocations face potential shake-up with climate review under way [HERE]
  • Minister Plibersek concedes that the accreditation of water resource plan is unlawful [HERE]
  • These Traditional Owners are demanding that First Nations voices are heard on water [HERE]
  • Buybacks inquiry launched [HERE]
  • Landholders want to see changes to water basin plan [HERE]
  • Farmers fear forced flood easements [HERE]
  • MDBA plans for year ahead [HERE]
  • Research confirms environmental water supports “nerve system” of Narran Lakes (Dharriwaa) [HERE]

Proposals by Water NSW and WAMC would result in water prices to increase by 170% within five years. “Here in the Gwydir valley, we grow pecans, oranges for fruit juice, as well as cotton, all of which is at risk due to these exorbitant proposed price hikes,” Mr Cush said.

“But this is not just about farmers – households in Moree and other towns will also be hit through council water utilities, as well as other water licence holders like local golf clubs, rugby and cricket grounds and children’s parks.”

The Telemetry Uplift Program aims to assist eligible water users in the Murray-Darling Basin with compliance to the metering rules, to ensure water taken from inland regional water sources is extracted fairly, equitably and according to the rules. 
By opting in to the program, eligible water users will be offered free telemetry devices, including a local intelligence device (LID) and data logger. 
The $10.5 million Australian Government funded program will benefit over 2,500 eligible water users.

Register your interest by 31 March 2025 to receive further information and make sure you don’t miss out.

The NSW Government is calling for expressions of interest to participate in the Australian Government’s next round of National Water Grid funding applications, likely in June 2025.
The National Water Grid initiative makes funding available for priority water infrastructure projects to improve the reliability and security of water for Australia’s regional and remote towns, agriculture and primary industry sectors.
Expressions of interest for the next funding round must be submitted no later than 11:00 pm (AEDT) on Thursday 27 February 2025, to allow sufficient time to prepare proposals and for the Water Group to have further discussions with proponents.

Water NSW, DCCEEW and NRAR pricing proposal

The pricing proposals put to IPART for review by Water NSW and Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (WAMC) in November 2024 are we believe excessive. The GVIA have made submissions on both proposals and have had a one on one meeting with the IPART WAMC and WaterNSW regional and rural water price review teams to discuss our concerns. The team at NSWIC have also prepared a submission and held a meeting with IPART. 
Submissions to the IPART Issues paper are available here 

Please find included a link to the January newsletter from the NSWIC. 

  1. Federal election 
  2. Basin Plan is working
  3. Proposed wetlands in inland WSPs
  4. National Water Agreement
  5. Review of rural water pricing 

Meeting with Qld Water Minister Ann Leahy



Cotton Australia, National Irrigators' Council and Border Rivers Food and Fibre, met with the Hon Ann Leahy, QLD Minister for Local Government and Water, to discuss the proposed National Water Agreement (NWA) and provide insights into matters of concern.

Cotton Australia General Manager Michael Murray acknowledged that the current public draft of the agreement was much improved on previous versions released throughout last year, but there were still matters of significant concern and an overriding question as to what benefit signing the agreement would bring to a state like Queensland.

“Given the states are being asked to sign this agreement, but no money has been put on the table, it is hard to see why a state would voluntarily limit some of its decision-making capacity and commit significant resources to developing implementation plans, even if the proposed NWA was a good document that could be supported by stakeholders,” Mr Murray said.

Key areas of concern include:
  • The inclusion of the statement giving Indigenous Australians a concept of “Free, Prior and Informed Consent,” but no clarity on what this actually means within the context of water management, despite the glossary section assuring that it does not mean a right of veto.
  • The retention of the Risk Assignment framework (currently in the National Water Initiative) that allows, under some circumstances, the recovery of water from entitlement holders without compensation, where industry holds that if water recovery is required, it should be through market-based mechanisms.
  • A lack of recognition of the importance of irrigated agriculture in the draft.
  • Inclusion of a clause encouraging jurisdictions to move towards “Upper Bound” pricing, fortunately something Queensland rejects.


Cotton Australia will continue to work with the National Irrigators' Council, National Farmers Federation, Queensland Farmers Federation, and NSW Irrigators' Council to provide feedback to the federal and state governments on how this draft agreement can be improved.

NSW online workshop invitation
The NSW Government invites NSW stakeholders who have participated in the Australian Government’s consultations on a new national water agreement to join one of three online workshops to discuss the updated draft agreement.
The NSW-hosted workshops are an opportunity to:
  • discuss how feedback from NSW stakeholders has been incorporated into the updated draft agreement published by the Australian Government in December 2024
  • share any outstanding concerns ahead of the National Water Committee meeting in early February 2025.
To register for a workshop, please select one of the links below:

Monday 3 February, 10:00am to 12:00pm
Monday 3 February, 1:30pm to 3:30pm
Tuesday 4 February, 10:00am to 12:00pm

Please find included the link to the NSWIC December newsletter. 
The GVIA work closely with the NSWIC to ensure we are able to advocate as strongly as possible for our members. This partnership will continue into 2025, and we thank our members for supporting the NSWIC through their levees. 
Issues covered in the newsletter include: Water pricing, the National Water Agreement, WSP and MDBA Constraints roadmap. 

Included is the link to the 7 News regional from Thursday 9th January, where NSW National Party leader Dougal Saunders and Macquarie Food and Fibre Executive Officer Michael Drum talk about the implications from the proposals to add hundreds of newly prescribed wetlands into unregulated Water Sharing Plans across the state. 
The media talks about lack of consultation with landholders, implications for property sales and valuations and the use of remote sensing to identify the sites in question. It raises the need for compensation where there are impacts to landholders ability to run their businesses. 

1 x 38 ML (megalitres) of Lower Gwydir Groundwater allocation for sale. You can bid in price/megalitre by emailing gvia@gvia.org.au before 5pm Friday 28th February 2025. The buyer will be required to cover the WaterNSW application and dealing fees and the GVIA transaction fee of $55.00 (Inc GST). Please note as of July 2024, there have been changes to the process for tiaging and assessing groundwater temporary trades. More information is available here. 

Gwydir Valley Channel Capacity Constraints

6 January 2025: WaterNSW advises customers on the Gwydir River below Tyreel Weir that demand may exceed channel capacity in mid-January and throughout the remainder of the irrigation season. 
Water demand on the Lower Gwydir recently exceeded delivery capacity, resulting in temporary water delivery shortfalls in lower reaches of the Gwydir. 
Customers are encouraged to extract water only at ordered rates and only ordered volumes. 
Whilst current water orders and subsequent delivery forecast does not indicate a return to demand exceeding delivery capacity in the immediate future, it is anticipated that delivery constraints will occur throughout late January and early February 2025. 
Rostering of available channel capacity will occur if a return to demand exceeding available capacity occurs as was last experienced in January 2018.

Water orders can be placed by accessing iWAS at waternsw.com.au/iwas 
Water ordering information can be found at the WaterNSW website Ordering water - WaterNSW

For account enquiries please contact 1300 662 077.

More information: Visit WaterInsights to view announcements and sign up for notifications at waterinsights.waternsw.com.au. 
Issued by: Water Operations North

Today the MDBA have released the Constraints Relaxation Implementation Roadmap. Constraints relaxation were identified as a necessary component to enhance environmental outcomes from water recovery in the original Basin Plan. They were the driving force behind schedule 5 Enhanced environmental outcomes to increase the volume of water resources available for environmental use by 450 GL per year. There will be challenges for producers in our region. The roadmap states:
"New South Wales is also at an advanced stage in the planning of constraints relaxation implementation in the Gwydir. Engagement with stakeholders and landholders has identified key issues to delivery that mean full implementation will likely extend beyond December 2026. The Australian and NSW governments are working together to rescope the Reconnecting Watercourse Country Program to ensure tangible outcomes are delivered to relax system constraints in the Gwydir by December 2026. In April 2025, NSW will provide an options assessment report to the Commonwealth identifying the preferred delivery option for a rescoped program."

The Draft Gwydir unregulated Water Sharing Plan includes 327 newly prescribed wetlands. If you have one of these on your property, or neighbouring your property you may wish to put in a submission to the NSW government raising your concerns. 
The included template is an example of what you might like to use in your submission to the NSW Government. Please replace the text highlighted yellow with your thoughts for the wetland you are concerned about. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact the GVIA on 02 6752 1399.
Anyone can put in a submission, these are due on the 2nd of February 2025. 
The following link provides a number of documents, including an interactive map regarding the water sharing plan and the wetlands. 
The department are hosting a webinar on the wetlands on Monday 9th December, You can register here.

The DCCEEW will be hosting a webinar on the draft Water Sharing Plan for the Gwydir Unregulated River Water Sources 2025.

This webinar on Tuesday 19th November 2024 from 12 noon will cover the following topics:

  • the draft water sharing plan
  • the public exhibition details, and
  • how to make a submission. 
A question-and-answer session will be held at the end of the webinar. Please include your questions when you register at the link below.
Alternatively email your questions to wspconsultation@dpie.nsw.gov.au.

There will also be a meeting in Bingara on Wednesday 27th November 2024. Register here

WaterNSW pricing proposal to double cost of rural water

Rural water users in NSW could see their costs more than double over the next five years if IPART accepts the WaterNSW pricing proposal released today. 
NSW Irrigators’ Council CEO Claire Miller said pricing proposal recommends hiking water bills by 21-24% every year for five years, adding up to $40,000 to a ‘typical’ farmer’s water bill by 2030.
“NSWIC is alarmed by this proposal and urges stakeholders across industries to understand the implications. Many stakeholders are not fully informed about the proposed prices, leaving them at risk of being unprepared until it is too late,” Ms Miller said.

Water Sharing Plan Webinar

This month’s focus is on Water Sharing Plans, what they are and why we need them. The presentation will cover how water sharing plans are remade and outline which inland plans are due to be remade by 1 July, 2025 and how you can comment on the proposed changes.
Speakers from the Water Group at the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water include:

  • Peter Hyde, Director Inland Water Planning
  • Antonia Morrow, Senior Advisor, Water Engagement team


Wednesday 16th October 2004, at 11am - 

Register Here

NSWIC Newsletter

Included is the NSW Irrigators Council September Newsletter. This includes commentary on;
Concerns raised by the Inspector-General for Water Compliance in an audit of DCCEEW, (federal) protocols to prevent insider trading on its Bridging the Gap (BTG) water buyback.
The release of the latest round of water buybacks under Bridging the Gap, aimed at recovering water to meet Sustainable Diversion Limits (SDLs) in the Condamine-Balonne and NSW Border Rivers.
The National Water Agreement which introducers a range of concerning proposals under the 302 principles that the federal government is trying to rush though before the next election.
The National Ag Rally - and the complete lack of consultation with farmers in areas which are critical to the sustainability of the industry - our Chair Jim Cush joins the 1-2,000 at the front of parliament house. 

The MDBA published the 2022-23 Sustainable Diversion Limit Accounts on 2 August. It shows water use across the Basin was 23 per cent below the 2022-23 SDLs, continuing the pattern of chronic and persistent water underuse since the 1994 Cap.

In NSW Basin valleys, water use was 16.6 per cent, or 1105 GL, under the state's SDLs for 2022-23.  The Gwydir diverted 26%, or 214.5GL less than its 2022-23 SDL.
Several other valleys were also well under, including: 

  • Barwon-Darling diverted 34 per cent, or 155 GL, less than its 2022-23 SDL.
  • NSW Murray diverted 25 per cent, or 342.6 GL, less than its 2022-23 SDL.
  • Macquarie-Castlereagh diverted 27 per cent, or 231 GL, less than its 2022-23 SDL
Since accounting began on 1 July 2019, water use across the Basin has consistently remained below the SDLs, accumulating a 5076 GL credit in unused water

The Water Engagement Roundup is a live monthly webinar about all ongoing and upcoming engagements and consultation on important water policy, reforms and programs for New South Wales, and includes a guest presentation topic each month. This month’s focus topic is a deep dive into some of our work under the Hydrometric Networks and Remote Sensing Program, following with an open question and answer session. 
Speakers from the Water Group at the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water include:

  • Mustak Shaikh, Principal Remote Sensing/Geospatial, Water Knowledge
  • Kilian Vos, Senior Remote Sensing Analyst, Water Knowledge
  • Antonia Morrow, Senior Advisor, Water Engagement team


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The most recent NSWIC newsletter provides details of some of the challenges being faced by water entitlement holders across NSW. The GVIA are working with NSWIC on the issues that will directly impact our region. Most critical at present is the Connectivity Panel report. Over the next few weeks we will provide you more insight into how or what actions we can progress. 

  1. Buybacks begin
  2. Cumulative threats to water access
  3. Northern Basin Connectivity Expert Panel report
  4. Coastal metering 
  5. Fish passage news update 
  6. Upper Murrumbidgee River Health Strategy 
  7. Coastal Sustainable Extraction Project

Moderate rainfall and constant river flows were experienced across the Gwydir catchment during 2023–24. Major flooding occurred across the Gwydir River floodplain during March and April 2023. 
Water managers used water for the environment during the 2023–24 water year to support fish communities in rivers and create connections to the Barwon River, the Mallowa Creek, and low flows into the Gingham Watercourse to fill waterholes by season’s end. 
In planning for 2024–25, water managers have applied: 

  • a set of principles and triggers to guide the watering of key water-dependent assets
  • an adaptive approach to support fish and downstream ecological connectivity.


As of June 2024, the El Niño–Southern Oscillation outlook is neutral. That is, neither La Niña nor El Niño conditions are favoured as oceanic and atmospheric indicators have returned to neutral levels. International climate models suggest neutral El Niño–Southern Oscillation conditions will persist through the southern winter, but there are some signs that La Niña conditions could form later in the 2024–25 water year.

WaterNSW has recently installed a new Hydrometric gauging station on Gurley creek at Tyrone road. This gauge will be able to provide river height data as soon as there is water in Gurley creek. There may be a delay in it's ability to provide accurate flow information.

On 4 July 2024, the Australian Government released the Framework for delivering the 450 GL of additional environmental water. 
The Framework sets out how the government will recover 450 GL of water for enhanced environmental outcomes. 
There are three programs:    

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) is hosting a 60 minute an online public webinar to provide an update at 12:00pm (AEST) on 17 July 2024, including representatives from DCCEEW and the Murray-Darling Basin Authority. More details and resources can be found here: https://linktr.ee/dcceew_water

General security (GS) licences and the Environmental Water Allowance (EWA)  in the Gwydir regulated river water source have received an allocation of 1% of their entitlement. Since the last assessment, rainfall has continued to elevate inflows above minimums and losses remain lower than the budgeted volume resulting in the 1% allocation increment. Inflows into Copeton Dam in June were 18.1 gigalitre (GL) and downstream tributary inflows added about another 3.0 GL to the system. Total essential supply demand was about 1 GL, and general security usage was approximately 1 GL. There were no EWA orders in June. Water currently available to GS water users totals 469.7 GL, or an average 92% of entitlement. The Environmental Water Allowance (EWA) account balance is about 89 GL or about 199% full.

The program outlines the proposed strategic purchasing framework for the $100mill available to purchase aboriginal water. It will be delivered under an interim governance arrangement. The Commonwealth will hold entitlements until an enduring governance mechanism is designed. This governance mechanism will eventually take over the management of water entitlements acquired during the interim period. The Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water will commence purchasing entitlements under an interim governance structure that includes an Advisory Group and a Directorate composed of aboriginal People. The structure aims to ensure decision-making is culturally and commercially informed

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