Revision 2045 – Water Strategy
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Revision 2045 A Water Strategy for the Barossa and Light Region Barossa and Light Regional Development Board ReVision 2045 Water Security for the Barossa and Light Region March 2010 Project Team Geoff Fisher Michael Manou Alison Cusack Yvonne Weir Alex Ward Australian Water Quality Centre EconSearch Wayne Phillips and Associates A ustralian ABN 17 485 960 719 1/198 Greenhill Road WATER EASTWOOD SA 5063 Environments Telephone: 08 8378 8000 Facsimile: 08 8357 8988 www.austwaterenv.com.au Barossa and Light Regional Development Board Australian Water Environments Foreword The critical importance of water to economic, environmental and social sustainability is well recognised, but how well is it really understood? We know we have less water than we want, probably less that we need. We therefore must modify our wants and manage our needs as well as respecting, valuing and managing our limited water resources. Revision 2045 is a step towards best practice management of this vulnerable resource. Understanding use and waste, understanding and respecting environmental water requirements, better technology for treatment and recycling, critical infrastructure investment in treatment and recycling will contribute to better resource management. Evaluating our use of water and movement away from habits of waste is critical. We have to relearn to use water wisely. We have to learn to meaningfully address this important consideration in plans for growth, both at an enterprise and community wide level. It is a complex subject. Many have contributed to this strategy development. In particular Peter Wall has been extremely generous in contribution of his time and knowledge to this project. The project advisory group has stayed with the project through its twists and turns as drought and emerging concerns about climate change, and then growth, have altered the course of considerations of future demand and supply. I acknowledge the excellent contribution of members Paul Shanks, Ian Baldwin, Leon Deans, Andrew Philpott and, at different stages of the project, Kym Goode, Marion Santich and Dr Gayle Grieger (all of the Adelaide & Mt Lofty Ranges Natural Resource Management Board), Councillor Patsy Biscoe and David Henderson. Specific input was received from Russell Johnson and Dr Michael McCarthy. To the many key regional business men and women who participated in the public consultation, thank you. Our environment is under much pressure, not only from a changing climate but land clearance, growth and development, pollutants and introduced ecological imbalances. Any proposal for water security must be holistic, adaptive and responsive. As well as support by government and industry, this strategy depends upon a whole of community engagement in a sustainable waterwise future. Importantly, it is to be understood in the context of the Water for Good Strategy for state wide water management. The financial contribution of the Government of South Australia through the Dept of Trade and Economic Development with support from the Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges Natural Resource Management Board, Light Regional Council and Barossa Council is gratefully acknowledged. On 1 January 2010 The Barossa & Light Regional Development Board became Regional Development Australia Barossa. I acknowledge the support of the former Board members in developing this project and the future support of our current Board and stakeholders in implementing its recommendations. Anne Moroney, Chief Executive, Regional Development Australia Barossa Inc (formerly, Barossa & Light Regional Development Board Inc.) March 2010. 47972a iii Australian Water Environments Barossa and Light Regional Development Board iv 47972a Barossa and Light Regional Development Board Australian Water Environments Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 MULTIPLE USES OF WATER ................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY ............................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 AIMS OF REVISION 2045 ....................................................................................................................................... 2 1.4 BAROSSA AND LIGHT REGION ............................................................................................................................... 3 2. BAROSSA AND LIGHT REGION: CURRENT AND FUTURE TRENDS .............................................. 7 2.1 POPULATION .......................................................................................................................................................... 7 2.2 REGIONAL SOCIO-ECONOMIC INDICATORS ............................................................................................................ 9 2.2.1 Labour Force .............................................................................................................................................. 9 2.2.2 Education Levels ....................................................................................................................................... 10 2.2.3 Employment and Income ........................................................................................................................... 12 2.3 DETAILED PROFILE OF THE ECONOMIC STRUCTURE OF THE REGIONAL ECONOMY ............................................. 14 2.4 WINE AND VITICULTURE INDUSTRIES ................................................................................................................. 21 2.4.1 Economic Contribution of the Wine Industry to the Regional Economy ................................................... 22 2.4.2 Growth Projections for the Wine Industry ................................................................................................ 25 2.5 TOURISM INDUSTRY ............................................................................................................................................ 26 3. WATER RESOURCE DESCRIPTION ....................................................................................................... 27 3.1 SURFACE WATER RESOURCES ............................................................................................................................. 27 3.2 SURFACE WATER QUALITY ................................................................................................................................. 33 3.3 GROUND WATER ................................................................................................................................................. 34 3.4 BASIN TRANSFERS ............................................................................................................................................... 37 3.5 WASTEWATER RECYCLING AND RECYCLE .......................................................................................................... 39 3.5.1 Community Waste Management Systems .................................................................................................. 39 3.5.2 Industry Wastewater .................................................................................................................................. 40 3.6 CLIMATE CHANGE ............................................................................................................................................... 41 4. CURRENT WATER USE ............................................................................................................................. 44 4.1 GROUNDWATER ................................................................................................................................................... 57 4.2 FARM DAMS ........................................................................................................................................................ 57 4.3 ENVIRONMENTAL WATER REQUIREMENTS ......................................................................................................... 59 4.3.1 Defining the environment? ........................................................................................................................ 59 4.3.2 What is a Water Dependent Ecosystem? ................................................................................................... 59 4.3.3 What is water for the environment? .......................................................................................................... 59 4.3.4 Approaches to Determining Environmental Water Requirements ............................................................ 60 4.3.5 Current Approach to EWR – time to move on? ......................................................................................... 61 4.3.6 Flow Band and Salinity ............................................................................................................................. 64 4.3.7 Environmental Water Requirements – An Alternative, More Effective Approach .................................... 65 4.3.8 Low Flow Bypass ...................................................................................................................................... 67 4.3.9 Knowledge Gaps ....................................................................................................................................... 68 4.3.10 Recommendations