GWYDIR VALLEY IRRIGATORS ASSOCIATION
General security (GS) licences and ECA in the Gwydir Regulated River have received an increase of 48% of entitlement. This takes the GS
account balance to 607 gigalitres (GL), or an average 119%, and increases the ECA account balance to its maximum allowable 90 GL or 200% of
entitlement.
In August, Copeton Dam inflow was approximately 268 GL, with downstream tributaries contributing an additional 141 GL.
To get concurrence from the environment minister the NSW DCCEEW are proposing changes to access rules on the Tycannah Creek.
* existing access rules prevent water being taken when there is no visible flow at an individual pump site.
* proposed new access rules will prevent water being taken when flow is 2 ML/day or less at the Tycannah Creek Horseshoe Lagoon Gauge (418032). This rule is proposed to apply to all access licenses in the water source.
Register to attend the in person meeting in Moree
at 4:15 on Wednesday 10th September
at Social Co in Balo St here.
Register for the general
webinar here
To get concurrence from the environment minister the NSW DCCEEW are proposing rule changes to access entitlement in the Copeton
Dam Management Zone.
* existing access rules prevent water being taken when there is no visible flow at an individual pump site.
* the proposal is to prevent water being taken when flow is 80 ML/day or less at the Gwydir River at Bundarra Gauge (418008). This rule is
proposed to apply to all access licenses within the management zone.
Register for the Webinar here
To get concurrence from the Environment minister, the NSW DCCEEW are proposing to change access rules in the Moredun Creek Water source.
* existing access rules prevent water being taken when there is no visible flow at an individual pump site.
* proposed access rules prevents water being taken when flow is 80 ML/day or less at the Gwydir River at Bundarra gauge (418008). This rule
is proposed to apply to all access licenses in the water source except for the single Domestic and Stock (Town Water Supply) subcategory
access license which is exempt from access rules and pool rules.
Register for the webinar here
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.”
Please join us for the 2025 GVIA Annual General Meeting.
This is also where we ask for nominations for the GVIA committee. The Committee is elected by members at the AGM, the only requirement is
that the nominated member is a financial member of the Association and that nomination is endorsed by two other members.
Please find included a link to the GVIA Committee Nomination Form. This form must be completed and returned to the GVIA by Tuesday
the 2nd September 2025. Click here to RSVP for this Event through our website
Please find included the latest updated on the three year supplementary volumes from WaterNSW as of Monday the 11th August.
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.
Please find included the DCCEEW webinar held on 16 July 2025. Dr Shahadat Chowdhury, manager of Water Allocations, discussed the opening water allocations for the 2025/26 year.
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.
This month's newsletter bids a farewell to outgoing CEO, Claire Miller and introduces new CEO Dr Madeleine Hartley.
Claire has done a wonderful job over the past five years helping to grow the membership and profile of the organisation and hence help get the voice of irrigators heard in the community, many of you will have heard her on the Country hour. Thank you for everything Claire.
The new CEO Madeleine will bring a different skill set, with a legal background, something that will no doubt be useful as the Council
navigates a path for members through the new NRAR enforcement bill introduced to the upper house last week. We look forward to working with
you in the years to come.
As of Tuesday the Gwydir Unregulated Water Sharing Plan has lapsed.
Water users are still required to operate in accordance with their existing licence and works approval conditions.
WaterNSW will continue to apply dealings (water trades) and approvals as per the current plan provisions, so license holders will still be
able to conduct trades.
* Local Water utilities and stock and domestic licence holders have received maximum (100%) allocation
* Regulated High security licences received usual full opening allocation
* Floodplain harvesting licence holders have received full opening allocations
* Supplementary access license holders have received full allocations in the Gwydir
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.
Save the Date
Thursday 24th July 2025, we will be celebrating 30 years of the GVIA.
More details to follow shortly.
The link is to the submission by the GVIA to the NSW Parliament’s Legislative Assembly Committee on Investment, Industry and Regional
Development
To the inquiry into the Impacts of the Water Amendment Act 2023 on NSW regional communities.
Within the GVIA submission we raise issues associated with
* Government Performance
* Impacts of Rules-based changes
* The Risk Assignment Framework
* Floodplain Harvesting regulations and
Other Water related matters such as
* Over-recovered water
* Water Resources Plans
* Wetlands
* NRAR and
* the NRC.
The NSW Irrigators Council April newsletter is now available. The Top issues discussed include.
|
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:
|
Please find links to the fact
sheet
and
video
detailing how to nominate a FPH event.
To take FPH entitlement in the Gwydir you must have Primary storage meters installed and validated by a DQP on all the storages in your
works approval.
Users looking to find out the storage levels on the DAS before starting an FPH event, and then at the end of an FPH event may find this video useful.
The primary storage meters record on approximately 15 minute intervals, but only upload onto the DAS once a day, so ensure you monitor your FPH take using a secondary storage meter or gauge boards.
To log onto the DAS you will need a username and password.
You should have received an email with this information on it. To find this email search WaterNSW+DAS, it may have landed in the junk
folder.
This link provides useful tools for water users