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Diversion Formula Register for MDBA

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Diversion Formula Register for MDBA Diversion Formula Register for the Murray-Darling Basin A protocol established under paragraph 4(1) (b) to Schedule E (former Schedule F) of the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement for the recording of water diversions from the river system of the Murray-Darling Basin. Version 5 Approved by MDBA decision D11/32219 – 08 November 2011 D09/11583 Page i Diversion Formula Register History of Register Register of Diversion Definitions in the Murray-Darling Basin Technical Report 2000–02 Edition 1: August 2001 Edition 2: Approved MDBC Meeting 70 — 10 December 2002 Diversion Formula Register – A protocol established under paragraph 4(1)(b) of Schedule E (former Schedule F) to the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement. Version 1: Approved by MDBC Meeting 93 — 4 September 2007 Version 2: Approved by MDBC Meeting 95 — 22 April 2008 Version 3: Approved by MDBA Decision D09/10589 — 7 July 2009 Version 4: Approved by MDBA Decision D09/18263 — 12 October 2009 Version 5: Approved by MDBA decision D11/32219 – 08 November 2011 Murray-Darling Basin Authority GPO Box 1801, Canberra ACT 2601 Tel: (02) 6279 0100 Fax: (02) 6248 8053 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://www.mdba.gov.au Diversion Formula Register Page ii Version 5 Contents 1. INTRODUCTION 1 2. DEFINITION OF DIVERSION 4 2. NEW SOUTH WALES 6 2.1 BORDER RIVERS 6 2.2 INTERSECTING STREAMS 8 2.3 GWYDIR 9 2.4 NAMOI 11 2.5 MACQUARIE / CASTLEREAGH / BOGAN 13 2.6 BARWON / UPPER DARLING AND LOWER DARLING 15 2.7 LACHLAN 19 2.8 MURRUMBIDGEE 20 2.9 MURRAY – NEW SOUTH WALES 22 3 VICTORIA 24 3.1 GOULBURN / BROKEN / LODDON 24 3.2 CAMPASPE 31 3.3 WIMMERA-MALLEE 33 3.4 KIEWA / OVENS / MURRAY - VICTORIA 35 4 SOUTH AUSTRALIA 44 Diversion Formula Register Page iii Version Diversion Formula Register 4.1 METROPOLITAN ADELAIDE WATER SUPPLY SCHEME AND ASSOCIATED COUNTRY AREAS 44 4.2 LOWER MURRAY SWAMPS 45 4.3 COUNTRY TOWNS 46 4.4 WATER USE FOR ALL OTHER PURPOSES FROM THE RIVER MURRAY IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA 47 5 QUEENSLAND 49 5.1 CONDAMINE AND BALONNE 49 5.2 BORDER RIVERS 52 5.3 MOONIE 55 5.4 WARREGO 57 5.5 PAROO 59 5.6 NEBINE 61 6 AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY 63 6.1 MURRUMBIDGEE - AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY 63 GLOSSARY 64 APPENDIX A 67 Diversion Formula Register Page iv Version 5 INTRODUCTION 1. INTRODUCTION The Cap on diversions agreed by the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council (Council) in 1995 is a critical policy measure to achieve healthy rivers and sustainable consumptive uses. The Cap was finalised in July 1997. The Independent Audit Group (IAG) performed its first audit in June 1998. The IAG concluded that there was a need for “a clear statement of what diversion components (and returns) constitute the cap for a particular valley and that Model development should ensure that all components are simulated” (Auditing Cap Models under Schedule F, Bewsher Consulting Pty Ltd, October 1998) The Council formalised the Cap in August 2000 by adopting Schedule F to the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement. Subsequently Schedule E (former Schedule F1) was amended by the Council in 2008. At the time of adopting Schedule F, the Council agreed to the recommendations of the Review of the Operation of the Cap, which included: • all forms of water use be incorporated in Cap management arrangements as they are recognised and can be quantified (Recommendation 12); • diversions from floodplain and overland flows be included in Cap accounting arrangements as a matter of priority (Recommendation 14). • farm dam water use should be included in Cap accounting arrangements as soon as practicable and all future administrative arrangements should support this outcome (Recommendation 15); • water use by tree plantations eventually be considered for inclusion in the Cap where it is found to be significant (Recommendation 16); This Register of Diversion Definitions was developed in response to the above decisions. The role of the Register of Diversion Definitions was formalised as the Diversion Formula Register which was established as a protocol to Schedule E (former Schedule F) of the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement under amendments made to the Schedule at Murray- Darling Basin Ministerial Council Meeting 43 — 12 October 2007. The first version of the Diversion Formula Register was approved by Murray-Darling Basin Commission Meeting 93 — 4 September 2007. The purposes of the Diversion Formula Register are twofold: • qualitative - to define in-principle what a diversion is: and 1 In 2008, the amended Murray-Darling Basin Agreement was appended to the Commonwealth Water Act 2007. As part of the amendment, Schedule F was renamed as Schedule E. Diversion Formula Register Page 1 Version Diversion Formula Register • quantitative - to provide formulas that define how water diversions from the river system of the Murray-Darling Basin, (see Figure 1), are to be determined and reported for the purposes of the Murray-Darling Basin Cap on diversions. Chapter 2 of the Register provides the qualitative definition of the diversions. Chapters 3-6 of the Register provide the formulae for calculating diversions for each of the designated river valleys throughout the Murray-Darling Basin defined under Schedule 1 of Schedule E of the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement. The quantitative formulae given herein are the formulae to be used: • in determining the volume of water diverted in the relevant valley in any given water year (for current, future and for historical diversion records); and • in the estimation of diversions in analytical models of river systems that have been developed to determine Cap compliance. It is envisaged that the Authority will change the diversion formulae from time to time as it becomes practical or important to monitor certain items in more detail. For example, in several instances throughout this Register, system returns (return of water diverted back to the river system), have not been explicitly identified. System returns not already included may be included in future editions of this Register as the Murray-Darling Basin Authority identifies them as being significant. Because the Authority may amend the Register in the future, this Register is to be quoted where diversions have been calculated using the definitions herein, stating clearly the date of the edition of the Register used (e.g. Version 08 - November 2011). Appended to this Register is a description of the infrastructure supporting all transfers of water in and/or out of the Murray-Darling Basin (Appendix A). Diversion Formula Register Page 2 Version 5 INTRODUCTION Figure 1: The Murray-Darling Basin Diversion Formula Register Page 3 Version INTRODUCTION 2. DEFINITION OF DIVERSION What are diversions? The term “diversions” includes all forms of consumptive w ater use w hich may affect sur f ace w ater f l ow s. Diversions may be grouped into two broad categories: • watercourse diversions; and • land-surface diversions These two categories of diversions are illustrated in Figure 2. The total diversion in any valley is the sum of the watercourse diversions and land-surface diversions. Figure 2 Diversion components (Figure after Bewsher Consulting 2006) Watercourse diversions: Watercourse diversions are diversions directly from within the beds and banks of surface water sources eg rivers, streams, creeks, lakes and billabongs either through gravity or pumping. Diversions of this type, both on regulated and unregulated systems in all States, are usually covered by licenses. With some exceptions on the terminology used for different types of rights to surface water diversions, there is little ambiguity on what constitute watercourse diversions. The total watercourse diversion in any valley is the sum of all consumptive diversions which occur directly from the watercourses minus any water returned directly to the watercourses. Land-surface diversions Diversion Formula Register Page 4 Version Diversion Formula Register Land-surface diversions are all forms of surface water diversions for the purpose of consumptive use, that occur from beyond those which occur by the more traditional licensed extractions from within the beds and banks of surface water courses,(eg rivers, lakes, billabongs). In essence “land-surface diversions” are all surface water diversions other than the watercourse diversions. The total of land-surface diversions in any valley is the sum of individual components of land-surface diversions, as and when they are recognised and quantified including the following: • floodplains irrespective of whether such water originated as floodwater; overtopping the banks of a watercourse or was runoff on its way to a watercourse; • local runoff, irrespective of whether such runoff originated inside or outside a farm, or the bunded areas of a farm; • interception by hillside farm dams in upland catchments; and but excluding these diversions: • direct rainfall onto storages or roofs for rainwater tanks; • infiltration to groundwater; and • tail-water (the excess irrigation water that may be collected and returned to the On- Farm Storages). The components of Land-surface diversions as they are currently understood are illustrated in the following Table. As land-surface diversions form a very significant component of diversions in northern NSW southern Queensland (northern part of the Basin), the Table is illustrated with reference to these two States. However, the concept may apply to all States. No Component name Equivalent term Equivalent term (NSW) (Queensland) 1 Land-surface diversion (floodwater) Floodplain harvesting Overland flow take 2 Land-surface diversion (on-farm
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