GWYDIR VALLEY IRRIGATORS ASSOCIATION

Events

As flood waters continue to move along our river systems now reaching western communities such as Mungindi, Collarenebri and Walgett and spill operations for major storages continuing, including the recent addition of Menindee Lakes.  This flooding is occurring as the NSW Upper House report into Floodplain Harvesting[1] declared the historical practice is legal and should be measured and licenced.  

“The community rightly expect, is that whenever industry has access to water, it is only to our share, that the limits are policed and that it is very transparent, even in floods when there is water everywhere” she said.

“We agree and that is why we’ve supported the licencing of Floodplain Harvesting -  a long-standing, historical form of take that happens when rivers and our floodplains are spilling, so that all forms of take are consistently managed in our valley” she said.

“Our position was supported by the Upper House Committee report which highlighted the need for measurement of storages and our rivers to properly account for water use and licencing to ensure all limits in state and Federal legislation could be achieved and monitored”.

“These are all key elements of the reform which the majority of stakeholders agree, it is what the community expects and should be implemented state-wide” she said.

[1] https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/lcdocs/inquiries/2818/Report%20no.%201%20-%20Select%20Committee%20-%20Floodplain%20harvesting%20-%20December%202021.pdf

The Gwydir Valley is currently experiencing a once in a decade event with Copeton Dam filling and spilling, along with most rivers and streams flowing naturally. 

Zara Lowien, Executive Officer of Gwydir Valley Irrigators Association who represents water users in the valley said whilst it is rare to see Copeton Dam this full and spilling, this signifies the region is at the start of the boom, of our historical boom and bust cycle here in the Gwydir Valley.

“Copeton Dam filling and our rivers constantly flowing, as they have for nearly a year now, is exactly what happens here when it finally does rain” she said.

“These conditions are a far cry from those a few years ago, when environmental water and high security deliveries were the only sources of water keeping parts of our rivers flowing, while others just didn’t flow at all” she said.

WaterNSW advised releases from Copeton Dam have decreased to 5,000ML/day.  Copeton Dam remains steady at 99% capacity, with all accounts at their maximum allocation. 

The water releases take 4-5 days before reaching Pallamallawa.

The Gwydir River at Yarraman remains at a minor flood level, with additional inflows below Gravesend combining with spill releases from Copeton Dam.  Keep an eye on the BOM weather warnings for any flood warning updates. 

From 1 December 2021, along with the last stage of new metering requirements for the Valley the NSW Government also kicks of new reporting needs.

These are for water users that use their work for multiple purposes and they require you to report the split in your licensed water and Basic Landholder Rights use, to ensure water is not deducted off your license.  Without reporting, all the water use measured will be considered licensed.  The rules also include self meter reads for those water users who do not have telemetry.  The rules are explained here https://www.industry.nsw.gov.au/water/metering-archive/new-reporting-rules .

The rules are rather Draconian for water users that do not use water for irrigation but have a licensed attached to the work and therefore have the potential to irrigate, as you need to add up the water used each month and report it as BLR.  We would encourage you to write with your first report, complaining about these requirements as you are not an active irrigator but want to use the work for Basic Landholder Rights.  We did provide a submission at the time which was clearly ignored. 

The attached approved form, which also has to be used is provided in the below link.

WaterNSW advised that releases from Copeton Dam were increased to 16,000 megalitres per day and again, to 20,000 megalitres per day to account for recent rainfall upstream at Bundarra and with the current forecast.  

These flows are now meeting with existing inflows and the the flows are larger and more sustained than the stream capacity of any system, downstream (West) of Moree township being: the Lower Gwydir and Gingham, Mehi, Moomin and the Carole and Gil Gil systems. Flooding in low lying areas or known chokes in these systems is likely as a result of these flows and that is before any further inflows.  Flooding is already occurring along the Lower Gwydir, Gingham and Carole systems from earlier this week and local inflows.  

For a comparison of past floods, their heights and flow rates please visit our webpage History of Flooding, whcih was updated to reflect the flood already this week. 

For the first time since July 2012, Copeton Dam has reached 99% and WaterNSW have had to release water to make airspace for inflows, which are the tail of the current event at Bundarra on the Gwydir River.  This is only the fifth time since construction the dam has reached this level. 

Releases at this stage are 5,000 megalitres/day for the next few days, depending on the weather. WaterNSW will aim to maintain Copeton at 100%, no more or no less.  These flows are well within the operational capacity of WaterNSW downstream near Moree. 

All accounts associated with Copeton Dam are now full, with some unallocated water. 

Releases are considered unregulated events and shared accordingly.

The Bureau of Meteorology have issued a moderate flood warning again for the Gwydir Valley, with Major flooding expected at Yarraman of 7m by Tuesday. 

Follow the BOM Flood Warning updates here.

Follow and check in with river heights along the river via the BOM river network here.  WaterNSW systems (WaterInsights - the preferred platform, WaterLive app and Realtime data) are overloaded and at times have delayed data or cannot be displayed.

The Gwydir Valley is a distributary river system, which spreads our rivers and creeks across the Gwydir Floodplain which acts as a large inland delta. Our rivers spill out naturally to these floodplains when they are full and spilling.  Not every flood is the same, they range in magnitude of height and duration and can occur from locally generated rain or from rainfall further upstream of the catchment. 
Recent flood warnings in December 2020 were predicted because of upstream rainfall and inflows.  This was a short, sharp and small flow which has created limited flooding.  For example, the height at Pallamallawa was half of that experienced in 2011 and 2012 when the entire north-west was in flood. This flow also didn't contain a lot of water but its peak flow rate at Pallamallawa of 33,000 ML/day was still higher than the operating capacity of the regulator and cannot be managed.  Rather this water flows naturally, unmanaged by WaterNSW to the watercourse the lowest point of our inland delta and towards the Gwydir Wetlands.

DPIEW have updated the Metering Guidance Tool with a number of new questions to better guide you through the metering requirements.  We recommend everyone step through this process to help them work out whether they need to call a Duly Qualified Person or not about needing a meter.

Have your work approval and licence conditions on hand - you will need them to complete many of the questions.  Remember to watch our videos via Vimeo https://vimeo.com/showcase/8853111  which step through how to find these numbers and the information your need. 

Copeton Dam is currently at 95% capacity with inflows still occurring from recent rainfall above the Dam - the dam storage levels can be checked via WaterInsights. Copeton only needs to get to 96% capacity before all licences have full allocations, meaning that at 100% capacity there is unallocated water that sits until there is account space for it to be allocated.

However, for context, Copeton Dam has only reached 99% capacity for an extended period on four occasions since it was finished full construction in 1976. Being 1978, in 1984, 1998 and most recently in 2012.   

Please note, WaterNSW are not making airspace releases from Copeton Dam at this stage but this is occuring for Keepit Dam in the Namoi Valley.

With minor flooding in the Gwydir Valley, WaterNSW has issued an update to the 9 November supplementary announcement, today the 12 November 2021, increasing access to 100% of allocation for those interested with updated pumping volumes provided.

Anyone who did not participate in the EOI earlier this week and would now like to participate must call WaterNSW to discuss, do not just put in a water order you must email riveropsnorth@waternsw.com.au.

Reminder to place water orders via iWas or using the form and emailing water.orders@waternsw.com.au. 

The BOM have revised the Flood Warning for the Gwydir Valley down to minor via their updates here.  

Whilst the flood level has reduced.  The flow rate in the Gwydir River is currently above the safe operating level of the infrastructure at Tareelaroi Weir - this means that the gates are fully lifted, allowing the river to flow in its natural direction which temporarily limits the ability for WaterNSW to direct flows down the Mehi River. That is why there has been a drop in the Mehi River below the regulator late yesterday as the gates were required to be opened, the levels will rise with further water flows and/or when WaterNSW can close some of the gates on the regulator. 

River heights can be viewed via WaterInisghts and selecting the Gwydir Regulated River, below find your location.

Contact WaterNSW if you have any further questions.

The Bureau of Meteorology have issues a flood warning for moderate to major flooding of the Gwydir and Mehi Rivers, for the weekend.

The rainfall activity is storm based and very difficult to predict but its important to keep watch of updates vis the SES or the BOM websites.  

For an assessment of past floods and their heights including the most recent events in December 2020 and March 2021, visit our webpage History of Flooding. We will update this page with any new flood predictions if they occur.

Stay safe.

In the interests of keep our staff and community safe at the busy and important time, our office in Moree remains temporarily closed given the current COVID outbreak.  

Members can call the office to arrange a teleconference or video conference meeting for any inquiries.

Please stay safe.

The NSW Government has announced an additional 4.8% increase in general security and environmental contingency accounts following inflows into Copeton Dam.  Copeton Dam is sitting at 86% capacity, and on average general security accounts have 135% in accounts made up of 78.4% allocation provided this year plus carryover from previous years.  General security accounts have a maximum account limit of 150% this account limit is reached prior to Copeton Dam being at full capacity due to unallocated water.  

WaterNSW indicated during our recent Customer Meeting and River Operations meeting that any customer interested in supplementary water was to contact the  RiverOpsNorth@waternsw.com.au with ongoing unregulated flows downstream and limited interest, they will not be making announcements until further notice. 

Supplementary access usage and the updated rolling roster is available via our website.  To see a break down of supplementary events and sharing arrangements visit  https://waterinsights.waternsw.com.au/11985-gwydir-regulated-river/allocation 

Want to find our for yourself what the new NSW Metering Rules mean for you? The NSW Government is holding two virtual metering field days to help you understand the rules and what you need to do to be compliant.

You will be able to ask questions to a panel from the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment - Water group, WaterNSW and NRAR staff.   Fee free to ask these questions when registering. 

Metering suppliers will also be presenting information on their products and available to answer your questions.

Session 1
Thursday 28 October
Session1: 12:30pm – 3.00pm

Session 2
Friday 29 October
Session1: 12:30pm – 3.00pm

Copeton Dam is a 86% percent capacity and General Security allocations including for the ECA and environmental water holders for this year  equal 73%, including carryover there is on average 126% in accounts.  This is a stark contrast to conditions 18-months ago for our region and others.  For all NSW northern valleys storages are on average at 83% of capacity, the central valleys have 91% and the southern valleys on 94%. There actually isn't a lot of room for more inflows.

The NSW Government has released excess licenses in some water sharing plan areas of NSW under a controlled allocation.  These areas include the fractured rock and GAB groundwater water source areas within our region if interested. 

This process sets a minumum price per megalitre and a total volume of unit shares available for each listed water source and/or zone. 

The majority of licenses are being released in coastal areas following the water sharing plan processes in those regions. 

For members who have transitioned, multi-sensor MACE series 3 meters and cannot currently connect a suitable Local Intelligence Device (telemetry) to this meter, please use this Ministerial Exemption request.  Action this request with the Department to (1) highlight the extent of the issue within the industry, (2) highlight the market failures in coming up with a solution (3) executing all your effort to be compliant before the next round of metering compliance updates.  

For businesses with multiple sites, please just provide a table of the key pieces of information being the work approval, the type of meter, the number of sensors and the water sharing plan region. 

Request this information is marked on the DQP portal for record keeping. 

For members who do not have network coverage to connect their telemetry device to the DAS, please use this letter to request a Ministerial Exemption.  This must be formalised to DPIE, so they (1) have a clear indication of how many sites do not have connectivity and (2) provides you a clear pathway post 1 December 2021 for compliance.  Ensure this request is noted in the DQP portal for record keeping.

For inactive water users who do not need to use their work for stock and domestic purposes, or water users without any infrastructure installed you can mark your site inactive, to remove the requirement for metering obligations. 

The form required to be lodged with WaterNSW is the Application to amend approval as inactive or active works.  All inactive sites are charged for their water use on a one-part tariff, even though you are not using the water. 

To use this work for irrigation purposes, you will need to upgrade the site to meet all regulatory obligations like metering and also apply to mark the site active again. In some cases this may requirement further assessment by WaterNSW and will incur fees. 

This option is explained in our video, 'Making Administrative Changes to my Work Approval' via vimeo https://vimeo.com/showcase/8853111

NSW Policy Clarification

NSW Government announced a clarification for water users who's works installed on the ground are less than the dimensions on their final work approval, which will mean no amendment to the work approval is required in these circumstances.  You will need to make an administrative change to nominate your installed works as well as, what you are approved to have, allowing you in the future, to upgrade the works to this approved capacity. 

This is a great outcome for those water users who do not want to amend their works.  For those that are happy to amend and adjust their work approval, or are required to because the work is greater than their approval then continue to action this with WaterNSW.

WaterNSW will inform customers regarding this new process in the future. 

To pump water allocation from work you must have a water access license (WAL) and have it attached to the work approval (work), which can be a river pump or bore or well. However, if you are not an active user of water for irrigation (your license) you can remove the WAL from the work, which in some circumstances will remove your requirement to need a meter as a non-active irrigation user without an attached WAL - this is done using the form 'Application to subdivide, or to subdivide and make changes to a water access license - section E4'.   This may suit sites where you use the work for stock and domestic purposes.  

This means you still own both a license for water and a work but they are no longer linked.  

You can continue to trade allocation off this license or sell it permanently if you choose. 

You can reattach the WAL or another WAL, at a later date but this may incur an assessment and will incur fees and charges. 

This is explained in our video 'Making Administrative Changes to a Work Approval' via vimeo https://vimeo.com/showcase/8853111

Understanding the changes to the NSW Metering Rules for non-urban water users can be a challenge and often the information is spread across a number of Department and industry sources.  We have found, the most central point to visit is WaterNSW Metering page https://www.waternsw.com.au/customer-service/water-licensing/metering#stay

It has the three steps you should take and all the links to the forms, the rules and the Departments Metering Guidance tool which we encourage you to use. But importantly, its WaterNSW who manage the implementation and integration of the new rules on the ground, they collect information from your Duly Qualified Persons and they administer the licensing database if you determine you need to make amendments.  In most cases it is WaterNSW you will need to speak with about metering as they are the customer liaison group, plus they have a customer hotline 1300 662 077. 

It is this website that features heavily in our video series on metering.

When water availability is higher than requirements for critical needs, the WMA Act 2000 and local water sharing rules provide a framework to share that additional water between industry and the environment.  Allocations are the physical water that maybe provided under these sharing rules. The volume of allocation made available to an individual  is determined by the total volume available to be shared. This volume is divided by the number of shares that individual is licenced for.  
Water is allocated based on these principles and is not allocated to a specific crop. Individuals make the decision on what crop to grow with the allocation they receive.
There is a range of different irrigated crops grown in the Gwydir Valley, including cotton, horticulture and lucerne. We are home to the largest pecan farm in the Southern Hemisphere and one of Australia's largest juicing orange orchards.   Farmers have even tried hemp, it is not currently a viable option, but may be in the future.

The NSW Water Minister today announced the NSW Government will exempt up to 500 small water users who take water under a domestic and stock water access licence from non-urban metering rules, fixing an inconsistency in the NSW Government’s metering policy .  The announcement details are accessed below. 

Zara Lowien from the GVIA said while welcomed for some water users, the decision to not extend this exemption to groundwater sources such as the Lower Gwydir and the NSW Great Artesian Basin, will mean the majority of the region's stock and domestic groundwater works are still required to be metered in the Gwydir Valley.  This means many lifestyle blocks on the outskirts of towns like Moree and dryland farms still need a water meter by 1 December 2021.  This is over-reach by the metering reforms which should focus on water being actively used for irrigation and as such, the exemptions should be extended to these other water sources.

We are also calling on the NSW Government to prioritise solutions for land owners who hold a water access licenses but are not active irrigators before the deadline of 1 December 2021.  Again a large number of lifestyle blocks have small licenses that are inactive for irrigation but that may be used for stock and domestic or basic landholder rights, who without intervention are required to have a meter by December 2021.  

To assess if you need a meter, see our video series via https://vimeo.com/showcase/8853111

The NSW Select Committee Inquiry into floodplain harvesting has had an explosive start to public hearings this week with hearings due to wrap up on Friday, 24th September with the NSW Water Minister.

Zara Lowien, from the Gwydir Valley Irrigators Association said the next few days will be interesting as mainly stakeholders who are vocal against the licencing proposal and irrigation in the northern valleys, present their cases.

 “Since the drought we’ve seen floodplain harvesting which is water taken during a flood when rivers and streams are full and spilling onto the floodplains, being criticised as the cause of all the problems with water management and the environment during the drought”.

 “Everyone agrees current conditions are good – our rivers are flowing freely, with many storages including the Menindee Lakes full, which is in stark contrast to the recent drought, when our rivers stopped flowing.”

“With many these mistruths blown out of the water and some stakeholders refusing to accept the real facts.  Those destined to undermine this process have fallen back on highly nuanced and often contradictory arguments on what is the long-term legal limit and disputes on modelling results”.

“The analysis being used to support the claim that NSW is trying to update Cap without due process during this inquiry is not correct, nor is the claim that Cap is being increased.”

“The analysis used to make the claims, isn’t even comparing apples with apples” said Mrs Lowien.

Food and fibre production in the northern Murray Darling Basin is worth more than $6 billion a year, according to a report by leading Australian economic analysis company Macroplan. The report, commissioned by the Northern Valley Irrigators groups of which the Gwydir Valley contributed, sets out the value and flow-on benefits of investment in irrigated agriculture in the northern Basin.

“The report shows the economic and social value of irrigated and other agriculture in in the northern Basin,” explained Michael Drum, Executive Officer of Macquarie River Food and Fibre.

“Regional communities dominated by agriculture are circular economies, each sector relies on the other to be successful. Much of the irrigated product both primary and secondary uses, goes to feeding a highly valuable livestock industry as well the food we eat and the clothes we wear”.

Here is our third video in a NSW Metering Rules series - this is for active users, who want to work out if they need a meter and what type of meter, but also who they contact.
This video goes through some examples, for groundwater users and surface water users using the NSW Government Metering Guidance Tool.
It also then shows you how to find an approved expert to help provide you more specific advice, on what meter you may need and to install a new one or check the one you have via the Irrigation Australia database of Certified Meter Installers.
This video is available https://vimeo.com/610165753

Here is our second video in our NSW Metering Rules series - this is designed to help you make the administrative updates to your work approval.
1. For users who are not active users for irrigation or do not have infrastructure, we cover the steps to mark your site inactive.
2. For users who want to just pump stock and domestic or basic landholder rights water, we explain how you can remove your WAL and change the purpose of your work or just keep the works as they are but check if you need to install a meter.
3. For users who are active and there are differences between your on-farm infrastructure and the work approval, how to amend these.
You must not delay with undertaking these steps, there are price increases from 1 October 2021 for these applications. 
This video is available via vimeo https://vimeo.com/609659644

Within the IPART pricing review details revealed the metering reform policy established by the NSW Government in 2019, is not meeting its promised objectives.

“We’ve been watching the train-wreck that is the implementation and administration of the NSW metering policy and working on solutions, to iron out barriers to compliance[1]” said Mrs Lowien.

“Detail in the attachments of the IPART review has highlighted the policy is also failing to meet expected efficiency or cost savings too” she said.

“IPART has had to blend metering administration charges because it was going to be more expensive for customers to have telemetry ".

“The Government telemetry system is a complete farce, it’s not integrated properly within Government systems, water users cannot connect or utilise the data easily and now, IPART have also exposed there’s no financial savings or benefits either” she said.

 [1] Document in the comprehensive barriers to compliance document by NSWIC https://www.nswic.org.au/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/2021-09-01-NSWIC-Report-on-Barriers-to-Metering-Compliance-FINAL-.pdf

The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) NSW handed down their new pricing structure for water charges in NSW to start from 1 October 2021 with no good news for farmers, struggling to recovery from the drought and the reform costs for metering already.

“The details within the determination confirms that Gwydir water users will see significant pricing change increases across the valley for the next four years.”

“The only water user to see a reduction in overall charges are inland groundwater users, largely due to cost shifting between agencies.”

“High security and unregulated users are the hardest hit with 46% and 66% increase in some charges respectively.  General security and supplementary users are not free from increases, usage charges for them increase 34%[1]” she said.

“There are also significant increases in administration charges through WaterNSW which the GVIA warn anyone with a water approval to be aware of the increase” said Mrs Lowien.

The recent resource assessment has increased general security allocation to 69.3% for the Gwydir Valley.  Copeton Dam is at 82% capacity and rising. 
A stark contrast to this time last year, when Copeton Dam was at 16% capacity. 
Total water available for general security irrgators in Copeton is 496,000ML with  213,000ML for held environmental water accounts, including the ECA.  This water is in the bank, so to speak and can be carried over if it is not needed this year.   All high security and other essential supplies are 100% and fully secured for two years.

In a scathing investigative report released today [HERE], NSW Irrigators’ Council found the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment-Water (DPIE-Water) and WaterNSW had failed to execute their administrative and technical responsibilities effectively.
 
“The industry supports this reform, which requires water users to upgrade their meters to a new, world-leading standard,” NSWIC CEO Claire Miller said.
 
“But irrigators are fed up with being blamed for non-compliance by deadlines while DPIE-Water and WaterNSW get away with glossing over the scale and impact of their poor planning.

GVIA helped inform the report and has been advocating to various Department's now for years, to address these barriers.

Executive Officer Zara Lowien said "We've been collating and communicating these issues directly to government for years, trying to work constructively, encourage action and implement the reform".

"But now,  water users are receiving NRAR advisory letters becuase the government has failed to provide them an approved device to install".

"Its not good enough to tell us the market will respond or don't worry,  just "evidence" your effort."

"Water users are sick and tired of providing "evidence" on multiple occasions, to multiple NRAR employees that don't even seem to speak to each other or keep this "evidence".  

"Water users just actually want to be compliant but the government agencies are letting them down".

"Enough is enough, its time they step up if they want this reform to work" she said.

Here is our first video in our series NSW Metering Rules.  This video explains how knowing what your Work Approval is and that the NSW metering rules prioritise new metering rules based on your work approval, irrespective of whether you use your water licence or not.  It's important that your works on the ground, match the details of your work approval and that all details on the work approval are correct.  
The work approval is either a 90WA or 90CA number that WaterNSW or the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment - Water use when they write to you and the details, if you don't have them can be searched on the NSW Water Register using either option such as the work approval, your licence numbers or property lot and dp.  Watch this quick video to step through this process.
The video is available via vimeo https://vimeo.com/596433444. 

The NSW metering rules apply to all works and compliance will be assessed against your work approval - not what is in the ground and whether you use it or not.  If you do not actively use these works or do not have any infrastructure installed, you are not required to have a meter.
Before a work will be tagged as inactive, YOU MUST demonstrate the work is not physically capable of taking water and REGISTER your work as inactive.  This is done through WaterNSW.
Registering your work inactive will ensure you avoid being non-compliant to these rules by the relevant due date; either 1 December 2020 for larger than 500mm sites or 1 December 2021 for all other sites.   This applies to both surface and groundwater works. 
The form required is vailable here https://www.waternsw.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/142628/Application-to-amend-approval-for-inactive-or-active-works.pdf

Advisory letters from NRAR have started arriving in email and letterboxes this week.  We have written to NRAR and the Minister regarding concerns with some of the correspondence we have reviewed, particularly the incorrect request to apply for s91i application to self report (used for when your meter is not working or faulty),  for meters that do not meet the regulations or have yet to install telemetry. 
However, we have seen letters from members who have MACE series 3, multi-sensor sites or sites without network connectivity, that despite your best endeavors you are not compliant but NRAR are not taking action at this time.  I am sure that's little comfort seeing they later say "this letter do not preclude NRAR from taking further action in the future, if necessary".
We encourage all members who have received such a letter to swiftly reply to NRAR confirming again, the barriers out of your control but also using the attached letter, write to the Minister and formally request an exemption because there is no approved device available. Note the letter has an option (1) for members who have multi sensor meters and option (2) for members with network connectivity issues.  Remove the option you do not need and insert the required fields in red.  Request exemptions for each site/farm individually.

This guide has been developed for water users who are also ELIGIBLE FLOODPLAIN HARVESTERS and have participated in the Healthy Floodplains Project.

This is about adding your voice to the NSW Upper House Inquiry into floodplain harvesting via a submission.  We want you to explain the long process, the detailed investigations and the confusion you had when the NSW Parliament rejected the licensing program that would licence, reduce and meter your floodplain take.  That you do not see further delays as the solution and that licencing still needs to happen.

We have put this together to help you prepare a submission.  It is a guide only, it has a few key messages we hope you agree with and convey in your own words.  There is a sample submission, written as a letter which you can follow. 

Submissions are due by 13 August 2021.

This gude has been developed for BUSINESS OWNERS and COMMUNITY MEMBERS who are effected by changes in irrigation water availability and who want to see a sustainable future for our industry and community, and that are willing to add their voice to the floodplain harvesting licencing debate.

We ask that you encourage your suppliers and service industry businesses to consider providing a submission into the NSW Upper House Inquiry into floodplain harvesting.  The objective is for our community to  be factored into Government decision making while demonstrating the impact of changes in water have to our irrigation dependant communities, how important floods are to drought recovery and the value that certainty for industry brings to the related businesses and our broader community.

The attached guide provides some suggested key messages to convey but also an example submission which is designed to be entered directly into the online submission form. 

Submission are due 13 August 2021. 

This guide has been developed for those water users who hold SUPPLEMENTARY LICENCES and DO NOT FLOODPLAIN HARVEST. 

This is about adding your specific view to the NSW Upper House Inquiry into floodplain harvesting debate and the decision to not license floodplain harvesting resulting in, the Minister determining a 50% reduction to all supplementary users for 2021-22.  This guide could also be used by other water users who are not floodplain harvesters and do not want their water rights to be diminished by others. 

We ask that you take time to provide submission using this guide, which includes some key messages to convey in your own words.  We have also prepared an example submission which is designed to be either sent as a letter or pasted directly into the online submission option. 

Submission are due by 13 August 20201. 
 

The realities of metering statistics are very different to the story being communicated by NRAR.  

Valley based tracking of progress is available via NRAR and is presented on our new page below.  Here we also capture the key barriers encountered by different users in these different categories.  We thank everyone for their efforts to comply and despite some of the media coverage, we encourage you to keep up the good work. 

There will be significant challenges for Stage 2 - administratively, as well as in terms of resourcing with 7,601 istes in the northern inland required to be compliant to the new rules by 1 December 2021.  Please do not leave contacting a DQP if you are in this next stage to the last minute.

WaterNSW would like to remind customers that supplementary water is available with unregulated inflows occuring downstream of Copeton Dam.  

These flows are providing water right along our river systems, the first 500ML/day are being delivered to the wetlands but any flows greater than that are being shared 50:50 between the environment and customers.  WaterNSW indicated downstream tributary inflows greater than the minimum flow to the wetlands are being diverted away from this area where possible, unless ordered by customers.  These rules and this operations, are enabling sharing of flows along our rivers and and beyond with more than 40,000ML flowing past Collarenbri from the Mehi alone this last month.  

Contact WaterNSW via email at RiverOpsNorth@waternsw.com.au, or alternately by contacting Roger Hunt or Ken Gee.  

Copeton Dam has been rising since December 2020 since catchment wide rainfall began to fall with around 600GL of inflows over this time.  This rising  trend is being followed right around NSW, with the current state-wide storage capacity at 74% (Copeton Dam just below the state average at 63%).

However, percentages don't tell the whole story in the context of total water available around the state. 

The northern basin has 71% availability equalling, 1,982GL of water, the central west is above the state average at 75% with 2,230GL of water available and the souther basin also above the state average at 77% full has 8,876GL of water available. We set up a new page on our website to explore this here.

Irrigators argue NRAR's statement was misleading given some works fell into that category due to factors outside their control - such as back-log in the supply and installation of government-approved meters and telemetry equipment.

Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR) announcing they were taking enforcement action after statewide inspections found 45 per cent of inspected pumps were still not fitted with compliant meters.

GVIA said: "Its hard to be compliant to new rules when in some instances there isn't an approved replacement meter available or if your still waiting for it to arrive after ordering it.  Many of these replacement meter jobs you cannot just buy a meter and stick it in a pipe, they're custom built and designed and take significant planning and lead time.
 We'd like to thank our local service providers for their perseverance with these new rules, your patience in trying to solve these complex problems bought about by a poorly formed set of rules.  We are grateful for all your effort for the industry so far. "

As a member of the GVIA, you are also a member of NSW Irrigators Council and they are undertaking their annual survey of what are member priorities.  They want to hear from you - not just the GVIA, about what are your priorities for water policy this year.  Help them out (and us) but undertaking this quick survey.

DPIE is currently seeking watercourse landholder input to develop business cases for the Lower Gwydir and Gingham Watercourses, Lower Mehi River and Ballin Boora Creek.

Over the next few months they will be working with the local community to develop the business case. There will be a series of community gatherings followed by local workshops to: discuss project objectives and opportunities, bring local knowledge and community needs into the scoping of potential measures, create strategies for on-ground outcomes.

Landholders in the project area should have received information in the mail however if you are located in the project area and did not receive a letter please contact us.    The community gatherings from next Monday 19 July – 22 Thursday July 2021

Find out more:

Online: environment.nsw.gov.au/nbtk/gwydircmp

Email: gwydir.cmp@environment.nsw.gov.au

The resource assessment for Copeton Dam up to 30 June 2021 was made available with the first allocation for the year being granted to general security water users and the ECA of 11.1%.  This bring the irrigation total water availability for this year, including carry over to 264,400ML while environmental accounts hold 125,600ML. 

Supplementary water announcements are also ongoing with inflows below Copeton Dam being shared 50:50 with the environment after the first 500ML are provided to the Gwydir Wetlands.  

Supplementary limits of 50% have now been enacted for all water users in the Gwydir Valley.  With the additional limits on take, it is important that everyone plays their role, to efficiently manage any supplementary announcements and share flows. Remember:
1. Opt in via the Expression of Interest process as early as possible.
2. Place a water order via iWas, once you have been informed of your allocation for that allocation amount.
3.Only pump water when you have placed a water order and only pump the volume you are approved for.
4. HOWEVER - if your circumstances change, be in contact with WaterNSW (Ken Gee) that is, if you change your mind, need less than your allocation or more than your original expression of interest, or want to opt back into the event just call him to discuss. Don't just pump or not pump, let him know. 

Following these rules are your responsibility but they also help WaterNSW to manage the allocation and apportioning of this water as efficiently as possible. We will monitor total take and provide communications if and when, the valley looks like nearing the 50% allocation threshold.

To opt in for the 2021/2022 water year, please follow the link and provide the form back to WaterNSW ASAP RiverOpsNorth@waternsw.com.au 

NSW DPIE - Water announced starting allocations for the 2021-22 water year, on 1 July 2021.
All groundwater and surface water users received their 1ML per unit share allocation, OTHER THAN general security users who are likely to receive a new resource assessment later this month and supplementary water users who received only 0.5ML per unit share.  This is the first time supplementary licences have been reduced below 1ML per unit share, and is in response to the recent disallowance of the government's proposed regulations to reduce, measure and account for floodplain harvesting in our water sharing plan see our previous media release.
General security carry over of  214,000ML from allocations previously will be available for this new year.

The Land's Olivia Calver reported: Gwydir Valley irrigators have hit out at the NSW Parliament after supplementary water users in the Gwydir and Border Rivers were informed their allocations would be reduced, as an apparent consequence of floodplain harvesting regulations being disallowed.

The floodplain harvesting regulations were disallowed by the NSW Upper House last month, with the opposition and cross-bench calling for downstream targets to be established before the government is given "a blank cheque" for floodplain harvesting legislation.


NSW Water Minister Melinda Pavey appeared to confirm the supplementary water restriction was a result of the disallowance in a statement from her office.

"Until floodplain harvesting licences and rules are implemented, any unmanaged growth in water use will have to be offset through reduced allocations for supplementary water licences, in line with Water Sharing Plan rules," the statement read.

"The FPH policy and regs apply to all water users across NSW."

“You don’t rob Peter, the supplementary licence holder to pay Paul, the floodplain harvester. It’s not a fair and equitable way to manage water and it’s not good policy”.  

This decision is in response to the failure of Minister Pavey to gain NSW parliament support of regulations to enable the licensing of a separate form of take, floodplain harvesting. Which in May 2021 the Legislative Council blocked regulation aimed at reducing floodplain harvesting to legal limits and ensuring all water taken from the floodplains was measured and accounted.  

GVIA, Executive Officer Zara Lowien said “we made it clear at the time that communities around the Murray Darling would be worse off without a floodplain harvesting licencing framework. We are now seeing the consequences of that misguided decision” she said.

Weir back up and operational

WaterNSW advises that Tareelaroi Weir on the Gwydir River is now operational.

Tareelaroi Weir was temporarily out of service as a result of the floods in late March. 

With the Tareelaroi Weir gates now operational, water in excess of the environmental provisions of the Water Sharing Plan may be diverted to the Mehi River.

Normal operations will resume, with downstream tributary flows expected to provide minor stock and domestic/riparian flows throughout the valley.

DPIE Water in the recent resource assessment to enact 'growth in use' strategies (within our regulated river WSP) starting 1 July 2021. A 0.5ML/unit share is a 50% reduction in starting allocations for supplementary take with total take from these entitlements to be limited to 90,500ML.

See the link below to review past supplementary access, there's been 6-years out the last 17-years where supplementary access is greater than 50%.  The most recent two are this year (100%) and 2016/17 (125% available but 98% accessed). 

DPIE Water provided the last resource assessment for the 2020/2021 water year, with a 0.9% general security allocation.  This brings the total allocation for this water year to 58%.  Essential supplies are secured for two-years in advance.

The assessment is available here.

Starting allocations will be announced on 1 July 2021 with the next resource assessment to be available on 7 June.

The irrigation efficiency and automation research at Keytah this year has seen a large number of new innovations tested at a fild level. At our field day this year we interviewed many of the research and commercial partners in this project. Over the next few months we will be releasing these videos and loading them onto the GVIA website as well as the Smarter Irrigation for profit website. Here is one of the latest releases. 

Moree Plains Shire Council are asking all rate payers their view on the feasibility of a potential levee around part of the town of Moree via a survey in the mail this week.  Information on the proposal is located on their website and a frequently asked question document has been prepared.  The proposal is summarised within the FAQ document and this letter.

Dryside Engineering are available for face-to-face one-on-one meetings this week in Moree.  We encourage you if you are available to discuss your thoughts with the engineers.

As there remains a gap in understanding the impacts to the rural landholders downstream of Moree (located on the Gwydir and Mehi systems), I have arranged for a targeted group session with impacted landholders will be hosted in the GVIA office.  This will help inform the final benefit cost ratio of the proposal and is important an accurate account of impacts is assessed. 

Draft entitlement submission

Submission on draft entitlements – originally due 3 June 2021, extended to 17 June 2021
This maybe the LAST opportunity (other than legal challenge) to put forward concerns, errors or omissions regarding your floodplain harvesting licences shares. If you have concerns, or you have outstanding issues that have not been addressed adn the recent flood provided you more evidence, you are encouraged to prepare a submission.  Have it drafted, ready to submit by the due date to ensure you can exhaust all your options of review. 

As there is growth in extractions everyone is going to have a reduction.  Some key questions that may help to identify if you have an outstanding issues are:

Question 1: What is your rate of in-take compared with your duration of flood?  The model is constrained by storage capacity, intake capacity and opportunity.  Is there a physical limitations and is this information correct.

Question 2: Do you extensively store water on fields or in other options? Historically and now? Has the model captured your full storage capability.

Question 3: If you had 500% allocation and no significant new development since 2008, could you fill your storages in this last flood event?  Consider reasons as to why not and prepare that in your submission. The policy impacts in a sequence of wet events, not  isolated events.

Question 4: what is the percentage reduction from your unrestricted 5-year maximum average modelled take to the licence shares?  This may help to understand the percentage of reduction you individually have encountered.  The average valley reduction is 32% reduction over the long-term (based on the rainfall runoff exemption applying).

I will note that the GVIA is pursuing outstanding valley-scale issues with the cap scenario, which we hope to inform you of the outcome of those efforts and/or share with you suggested wording for submissions, prior to the deadline.

We are seeking an opportunity to understand the differences between unrestricted model outputs and shares from the Department.

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