Translucency Rules in NSW Inland Rivers
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SCOPING REVIEW Translucency rules in NSW inland rivers Effectiveness and alternative scenario review Department of Industry—Water | water.nsw.gov.au Review of translucency rules in NSW inland rivers Published by the NSW Department of Industry—Water Review of translucency rules in NSW inland rivers. Effectiveness and alternative scenario review First published: February 2018 More information Department of Industry—Water. water.nsw.gov.au Acknowledgments Cover image: Wyangala 103% 5th March 2012 – Casey Proctor, Lachlan Land Services. INT17/48024 © State of New South Wales through the Department of Industry, 2016. You may copy, distribute and otherwise freely deal with this publication for any purpose, provided that you attribute the NSW Department of Industry as the owner. Disclaimer: The information contained in this publication is based on knowledge and understanding at the time of writing (July 2016). However, because of advances in knowledge, users are reminded of the need to ensure that information upon which they rely is up to date and to check currency of the information with the appropriate officer of the Department of Primary Industries or the user’s independent adviser. 2 Review of translucency rules in NSW inland rivers Contents Summary ..................................................................................................................................................6 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................10 2. Policy background ..............................................................................................................................12 2.1. Classes of environmental water ...............................................................................................12 2.2. Types of planned environmental water ..................................................................................... 12 2.2.1 Limits on extraction ......................................................................................................13 2.3. Current mix of consumptive and environmental water .............................................................. 13 2.4. Murray Darling Basin Plan .......................................................................................................14 3. Ecological basis ................................................................................................................................. 16 3.1. Basic approach ........................................................................................................................16 3.2. Ecological purpose ..................................................................................................................17 4. Operational considerations .................................................................................................................19 4.1. Licensed water versus planned environmental water................................................................ 19 4.2. Flooding concerns ...................................................................................................................20 4.2.1 Murrumbidgee .............................................................................................................20 4.2.2 Cudgegong ..................................................................................................................21 4.3. Water availability .....................................................................................................................21 5. Ecological evidence of effectiveness ..................................................................................................23 5.1. NSW Border Rivers .................................................................................................................24 5.2. Macquarie and Cudgegong ......................................................................................................25 5.3. Lachlan ...................................................................................................................................26 5.4. Murrumbidgee .........................................................................................................................28 5.5. Counterfactual modelling and ecological effectiveness ............................................................. 31 6. Long term river flow modelling ............................................................................................................33 6.1. Modelling approach .................................................................................................................33 6.2. Modelling results for selected valleys .......................................................................................33 6.2.1 Lachlan Valley .............................................................................................................33 6.2.2 Macquarie Valley .........................................................................................................36 6.2.3 Murrumbidgee Valley ...................................................................................................37 7. Valley status and stakeholder considerations ..................................................................................... 39 7.1. Stakeholders considerations ....................................................................................................39 7.2. Review of translucent flows to date and recommended next steps ........................................... 40 8. Discussion of translucent rules ...........................................................................................................45 8.1. Environmental implications ......................................................................................................45 8.2. Basin Plan implications ............................................................................................................45 8.3. Operational and related social implications .............................................................................. 45 8.3.2 Fixed rules vs. discretionary water ............................................................................... 45 8.3.3 Flooding concerns .......................................................................................................45 8.3.4 Water availability..........................................................................................................45 8.4. Issues raised by water users ....................................................................................................46 9. The way forward ................................................................................................................................47 3 Review of translucency rules in NSW inland rivers 9.1. Integrated approach.................................................................................................................47 9.2. Consultation ............................................................................................................................47 9.3. Communication........................................................................................................................4 7 9.4. Simplification ...........................................................................................................................47 9.5. Evaluation ...............................................................................................................................47 10. References ........................................................................................................................................51 Appendices .............................................................................................................................................56 A1. NSW Border Rivers Regulated River ................................................................................................57 A1.1 WSP rules ...............................................................................................................................57 A1.2 Stakeholder issues ..................................................................................................................57 A1.3 Progress to date ......................................................................................................................58 A2. Macquarie and Cudgegong Regulated Rivers ................................................................................... 59 A2.1 WSP rules ...............................................................................................................................59 A2.2 Stakeholder issues ..................................................................................................................60 A2.2.1 Cudgegong ..................................................................................................................60 A2.2.2 Macquarie....................................................................................................................60 A2.3 Progress to date ......................................................................................................................61 A2.4 Case Study – Macquarie-Cudgegong 2010 & 2012 Translucent Release Events ..................... 62 A3. Lachlan Regulated River ...................................................................................................................65