2014 1 Gunbower National Park: Supply Measure Business Case Disclaimer This business case is one of nine Victorian environmental works projects. It was developed over two years ago and submitted for assessment in early 2015 by the Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Assessment Committee (SDLAAC) in accordance with the inter-jurisdictional governance procedures that pertain to the Murray Darling Basin Plan. This business case relies on assumptions, estimates and other variables that were considered true, accurate and the best available information at the time of development. As a result of queries raised during the SDLAAC assessment process, there have been changes to certain elements of some projects, including engineering designs, methods of water supply and future operation. These details have not been incorporated or encapsulated in this or any of the other eight business cases relevant to the Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism within the Murray Darling Basin Plan. There has, however, been no material changes to the environmental objectives and outcomes proposed to be achieved through these projects. All nine projects will be revisited for final development once Commonwealth funding is made available. The detailed cost estimates and other commercial-in-confidence information that originally formed part of this and the other eight business cases have been deliberately omitted from this version of the document. This is in recognition that this detail is no longer relevant given the time that has passed since these business cases were originally developed, new delivery methods are applicable in some cases and to ensure that value for money is achieved when these projects are issued for tender. I Gunbower National Park: Supply Measure Business Case II Gunbower National Park: Supply Measure Business Case Acknowledgement of Country The North Central Catchment Management Authority acknowledges Aboriginal Traditional Owners within the region, their rich culture and spiritual connection to Country. We also recognise and acknowledge the contribution and interest of Aboriginal people and organisations in land and natural resource management. North Central Catchment Management Authority PO Box 18 Huntly Vic 3551 T: 03 5440 1800 F: 03 5448 7148 E: [email protected] www.nccma.vic.gov.au © North Central Catchment Management Authority, 2014 The North Central Catchment Management Authority wishes to acknowledge the Commonwealth Government for providing funding for this publication through the Victorian Department of Environment and Primary Industries. This publication may be of assistance to you, but the North Central Catchment Management Authority and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind, or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on information in this publication. III Gunbower National Park: Supply Measure Business Case Document History and Status Version Date Issued Prepared By Reviewed By Date Approved Version 1 30 November 2014 North Central CMA Emer Campbell 30 November 2014 Version 2 19 December 2014 North Central CMA Emer Campbell 19 December 2014 Distribution Version Date Quantity Issued To Version 1 30 November 2014 1 DEPI Version 2 19 December 2014 1 DEPI Document Management Printed 19 December 2014 Last saved 19 December 2014 File name SDL Business Case - Gunbower Authors North Central CMA various staff Name of organisation North Central CMA Name of document Gunbower National Park Environmental Works Project – SDL Adjustment – Phase 2 Assessment – Supply Measure Business Case Document version Version 2 Document manager NCCMA-63-40060 IV Gunbower National Park: Supply Measure Business Case Foreword Gunbower National Park covers approximately forty-six percent of the Gunbower Forest and is part of the Gunbower-Koondrook-Perricoota Forest icon site under The Living Murray Initiative. The forest, which is listed as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, features a number of creeks, permanent and temporary wetlands, Black Box and Grey Box woodlands and River Red Gum forest. The forest is recognised as important due to the genetic and ecological diversity it sustains and its role in supporting large numbers of waterbirds during flood events. The Gunbower National Park Environmental Works Project (the Project), described in detail in this document, is a proposed supply measure designed to off-set water recovery under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan by achieving equivalent or better environmental outcomes on the ground. Current river operations have reduced the frequency of flooding from seven years in ten under natural conditions to four years in ten at present. Following extensive investigations to align ecology, hydrology and engineering, the project will fill the current hydrological gap via a package of works that will easily integrate with river and irrigation operations. The Project will deliver on ecological outcomes for the national park while generating water savings in the Murray-Darling Basin. A feasibility study into the proposed project was approved on 11 December 2013 and developed into this detailed business case over a 12-month period. The Project is now sufficiently advanced that subject to funding in the order of $12.8 million, pre-construction approvals will occur in 2015 with construction ready to commence in 2016. The upper Gunbower Forest is located in the Goulburn Murray Water-managed Torrumbarry Irrigation Area, downstream of the Torrumbarry Weir. The local community has a strong understanding of the benefits of achieving water-efficient environmental outcomes through environmental watering infrastructure. Consultation through community events and one-on-one discussions has been positive with the local community and landholders adjacent to the project area supportive of the initiative. The North Central CMA and its partners have established a strong track record in delivering environmental watering projects as demonstrated through the recent commissioning of large-scale infrastructure for watering the mid- and lower sections of Gunbower Forest, funded though The Living Murray program. This recent construction experience by the partners positions the region well to deliver on the stakeholder engagement, approvals, construction, commissioning and operation of the proposed new infrastructure. On behalf of the North Central CMA and our project partners, we commend this Business Case to you and emphasise that the region stands ready to proceed to the construction phase of the Project subject to funding. David Clark Damian Wells Chairman Chief Executive Officer V Gunbower National Park: Supply Measure Business Case Executive Summary The Gunbower National Park Environmental Works Project (the Project) is an environmental water infrastructure proposal that will contribute to achieving the ‘Sustainable Diversion Limit (SDL) Off-set’ element of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan (Basin Plan). The Project is a ‘supply measure’, designed to off-set the Basin Plan’s water recovery target of 2,750 gigalitres (GL) by achieving equivalent or better environmental outcomes on the ground. The Project is one of nine proposed infrastructure based supply measures being investigated within Victoria, and one of two within the North Central CMA region. The Gunbower National Park business base (the Business Case) sets out the ecological objectives, proposed infrastructure package, operating strategies, ecological risks and benefits and the costs associated with progressing the Project, from construction through to operation. It has been developed in partnership with the Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI), Parks Victoria and Goulburn Murray Water (GMW). The following provides an overview of the business case and main conclusions. Significance of the site Gunbower National Park (8,892 hectares) is located within the broader Gunbower Forest, on the mid-Murray floodplain of northern Victoria. It is recognised as internationally significant under the Ramsar Convention and as an ‘Icon Site’ under The Living Murray (TLM) Initiative; one of six environmental assets of the River Murray that have the highest priority for rehabilitation through water management. In 2010 the Victorian Government created the Gunbower National Park in recognition of the importance of the upper part of Gunbower Forest and its need for greater protection. This part of the forest features permanent wetlands, temporary wetlands, River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) forest and Black Box (E. largiflorens) and Grey Box (E. microcarpa) woodlands. The area also supports a range of communities and species - many of which are listed as rare or threatened under state and national legislation (e.g. Australasian Bittern (Botaurus poiciloptilus)). For its traditional owners, the Yorta Yorta people, Gunbower Forest is a significant cultural landscape. Scarred trees, earthen mounds, artefact scatters, shell middens and burial sites are present. In addition, the local community highly value the forest for the social and recreational values it supports. Vision and objectives The overall vision for Gunbower Forest is to: Maintain and improve Gunbower Island by enabling native plants and animals to flourish, restoring the floodplain’s health for future generations. The goal for water management in the Gunbower National Park is to: To reinstate a more