South Coast Water Reserve and Limeburners Creek Catchment Area Water Source Protection Plan
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SOUTH COAST WATER RESERVE AND LIMEBURNERS CREEK CATCHMENT AREA WATER SOURCE PROTECTION PLAN Albany Water Supply WATER RESOURCE PROTECTION SERIES WATER AND RIVERS COMMISSION REPORT WRP 44 2001 WATER AND RIVERS COMMISSION HYATT CENTRE 3 PLAIN STREET EAST PERTH WESTERN AUSTRALIA 6004 TELEPHONE (08) 9278 0300 FACSIMILE (08) 9278 0301 WEBSITE: http://www.wrc.wa.gov.au We welcome your feedback A publication feedback form can be found at the back of this publication, or online at http://www.wrc.wa.gov.au/public/feedback/ Cover photo: Entrance to Princess Royal Harbour (taken by Peter Helsby) SOUTH COAST WATER RESERVE AND LIMEBURNERS CREEK CATCHMENT AREA WATER SOURCE PROTECTION PLAN Albany Water Supply Water and Rivers Commission Policy and Planning Division WATER AND RIVERS COMMISSION WATER RESOURCE PROTECTION SERIES REPORT NO WRP 44 2001 i Acknowledgments Contribution Personnel Title Organisation Program Direction Tony Laws Manager, Water Quality Protection Water and Rivers Commission Supervision Ross Sheridan Program Manager, Protection Planning Water and Rivers Commission Report Preparation Jade Coleman Senior Water Resources Planner Water and Rivers Commission Hydrogeology / Hydrology Wen Yu Hydrogeologist Water and Rivers Commission Drafting Nigel Atkinson Mapping Consultant McErry Digital Mapping Pty Ltd For more information contact: Program Manager, Protection Planning Water Quality Protection Branch Water and Rivers Commission 3 Plain Street EAST PERTH WA 6004 Telephone: (08) 9278 0300 Facsimile: (08) 9278 0585 Reference details The recommended reference for this publication is: Water and Rivers Commission 2001, South Coast Water Reserve and Limeburners Creek Catchment Area Water Source Protection Plan: Albany Water Supply, Water and Rivers Commission, Water Resource Protection Series No WRP 44. ISBN 0-7309-7546-0 ISSN 1326-7442 June, 2001 ii Foreword Water source protection plans Water quality protection framework Water Source Protection Plans establish the level of The Water and Rivers Commission is responsible for protection required within Water Reserves and managing and protecting Western Australia’s water Catchment Areas. Catchment protection of water resources. The Commission has developed policies for sources is considered a fundamental part of ensuring the protection of public drinking water source areas the provision of a safe drinking water supply. (PDWSAs) that include three levels of priority classification. Water Source Protection Plans identify sources of contamination that should be investigated and set out Priority 1 (P1) source protection areas are defined to programs for management of the resource. The plans ensure that there is no degradation of the water source. are developed in consultation with affected landowners P1 areas are declared over land where the provision of and industry groups and relevant government agencies. the highest quality public drinking water is the prime beneficial land use. P1 areas would typically include Proclaiming Water Reserves and Catchment Areas land under Crown ownership. P1 areas are managed in under the Country Areas Water Supply Act 1947 accordance with the principle of risk avoidance and so protects the quality of water sources in country land development is generally not permitted. Western Australia. The Act’s by-laws enable the Water and Rivers Commission to control potentially polluting Priority 2 (P2) source protection areas are defined to activities, to regulate land use, inspect premises and to ensure that there is no increased risk of pollution to the take steps to prevent or clean up pollution. water source. P2 areas are declared over land where low intensity development (such as rural) already The Water and Rivers Commission aims to work pro- exists. Protection of public water supply sources is a actively with planning agencies to incorporate water high priority in these areas. P2 areas are managed in protection in the land planning process. Decisions on accordance with the principle of risk minimisation and land use zoning and subdivision applications have a so some conditional development is allowed. significant impact on the protection of water sources. The Commission supports the amendment of Town Priority 3 (P3) source protection areas are defined to Planning Schemes and Development Strategies that manage the risk of pollution to the water source. P3 reflect land use compatible with Water Source areas are declared over land where water supply Protection Plans. sources need to co-exist with other land uses such as residential, commercial and light industrial This Water Source Protection Plan provides a basis for developments. Protection of P3 areas is achieved establishing compatible land uses within the through management guidelines rather than restrictions Limeburners Creek Catchment Area and South Coast on land use. If the water source does become Water Reserve and is a mechanism for practical contaminated, then water may need to be treated or an implementation of the Commission’s protection alternative water source found. strategies. Local government decision-makers, State planning authorities and operational staff are In addition to priority classifications, wellhead encouraged to recognise this document as a basis for protection zones are defined to protect the water source ensuring the long term protection of these water from contamination in the immediate vicinity of resources for generations to come. production wells. Wellhead protection zones are usually circular, with a radius of 500 m in P1 areas and 300 m in P2 and P3 areas. These zones do not extend outside Water Reserves and special conditions apply. iii Contents Summary 1 9.3 Land use planning 22 1. Introduction 2 9.4 Emergency response 22 1.1 Existing water supply system 2 9.5 Surveillance and by-law enforcement 22 1.2 Existing water source protection 2 9.6 Land use, potential water quality risks and 1.3 Future water supply 2 recommended strategies 23 1.4 Water resource allocation 6 Recommendations 28 2. Physiography 6 Implementation strategy 29 3. Climate 6 References 35 4. Hydrogeology and hydrology 8 Glossary 36 4.1 Water quality 8 Appendices 38 4.2 Water treatment 8 Appendix 1. Land use compatibility in Public Drinking Water Source Areas 39 5. Existing and proposed land use 8 Appendix 2. Priority classification decision process 49 5.1 Crown land 8 Appendix 3. Extractive industries within Public Drinking Water Source Areas 51 5.2 Private land 9 Appendix 4. Toxic and chemical storage in Public 6. Groundwater modelling 9 Drinking Water Source Areas 57 6.1 Capture zone modelling of the existing water Figures supply 9 Figure 1. Albany locality map.......................................3 6.2 Potential future water supply 10 Figure 2. Existing Limeburners Creek Catchment Area4 7. Proposed proclaimed areas and Figure 3. Existing South Coast Water Reserve .............5 Figure 4. Albany Groundwater Area.............................7 priority classifications 10 Figure 5. Existing land use and tenure in Limeburners 7.1 Limeburners Creek Catchment Area 10 Creek Catchment Area and South Coast Water Reserve .............................................14 7.2 South Coast Water Reserve 10 Figure 6. Differentiation of proposed Priority 7.3 Wellhead protection zone (WHPZ) 16 classification areas ......................................15 8. The impact of water source Figure 7. Proposed Limeburners Creek Catchment Area.............................................................19 protection planning 16 Figure 8. Proposed South Coast Water Reserve..........20 8.1 Common areas of concern about the impact Tables of water source protection planning 16 Table 1. Discussion on justification of each priority 8.2 Specific issues raised during consultation 16 classification and considerations for land use 9. Management of potential water planning ....................................................... 11 Table 2. Consideration of issues raised by consultation quality risks 21 ..................................................................... 17 9.1 Potential water quality risks 21 Table 3. Land use, potential water quality risks and recommended strategies............................... 24 9.2 Best management practices 22 iv Summary This plan reviews existing protection boundaries for the southern portion of the Sandpatch sub-area where the water supply sources of the South Coast Water the aquifer is unconfined and clay layers found Reserve and Limeburners Creek to better reflect elsewhere in the system are absent. recharge areas and public water supply bore capture zones. Computer modelling of the groundwater has The boundaries and priority classifications of the South been used to scientifically define drinking water Coast Water Reserve have been reviewed and modified protection boundaries. Existing priority classifications to align with the capture zones of the existing public have been reviewed to ensure consistency with the supply bores and recognise current land uses. The new Commission’s framework for public drinking water protection area also allows for future expansion of the source protection. wellfield and removes unnecessary constraints on areas not required for public drinking water source This plan follows the release of South Coast Water protection. Reserve Community Newsletter No. 1 and Draft South Coast Water Reserve and Limeburners Creek The Limeburners Creek Catchment Area has been Catchment Area Water Source Protection Plan; Albany reviewed and modified to align with the surface and Town