Macquarie–Castlereagh Water Quality Management Plan
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Them too!The MACQUARIE–CASTLEREAGH SURFACE WATER RESOURCE PLAN Macquarie–Castlereagh water quality management plan Schedule H industry.nsw.gov.au Published by the NSW Department of Industry Macquarie–Castlereagh water quality management plan First published November 2018 INT18/151611 More information industry.nsw.gov.au Acknowledgments NSW Department of Industry would like to thank the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, NSW Department of Primary Industries—Agriculture, Fisheries and Local Land Services. The NSW Government proudly acknowledges the Aboriginal community of NSW and their rich and diverse culture, and pays respect to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge Aboriginal people as Australia’s First Peoples, practising the oldest living culture on earth and as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands and waters on which we rely. We acknowledge the people of the Gomeroi, Ngemba, Ngiyampaa, Wailwan and Wiradjuri Aboriginal Nations hold the land and waters of the Macquarie–Castlereagh area to be of spiritual, cultural, customary and economic importance. We recognise the intrinsic connection of Traditional Owners to Country, and acknowledge their contribution to the management of the Macquarie–Castlereagh landscape and natural resources. NSW Department of Industry understands the need for consultation and inclusion of Traditional Owner knowledge, values and uses in water quality planning to ensure we are working towards equality in objectives and outcomes. We thank the Elders and representatives of the Gomeroi, Ngemba, Ngiyampaa, Wailwan and Wiradjuri Aboriginal Nations and the First Nations communities who provided their knowledge throughout the planning process. Notes on terminology ‘Gomeroi’, as recommended by the Gomeroi Nation Organiser and used for Native Title, is the name for the people and nation consulted during the planning process. Although this term was accepted throughout most of the nation, those in Walgett prefer ‘Gamilaraay’. Historically, ‘Kamillaroi’ has been used. © State of New South Wales through the Department of Industry 2018. You may copy, distribute, display, download and otherwise freely deal with this publication for any purpose, provided that you attribute the Department of Industry as the owner. However, you must obtain permission if you wish to charge others for access to the publication (other than at cost); include the publication in advertising or a product for sale; modify the publication; or republish the publication on a website. You may freely link to the publication on a departmental website. Disclaimer: The information contained in this publication is based on knowledge and understanding at the time of writing (November 2018) and may not be accurate, current or complete. The State of New South Wales (including the NSW Department of Industry), the author and the publisher take no responsibility, and will accept no liability, for the accuracy, currency, reliability or correctness of any information included in the document (including material provided by third parties). Readers should make their own inquiries and rely on their own advice when making decisions related to material contained in this publication. Macquarie–Castlereagh water quality management plan Contents 1 About this plan ......................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Purpose ........................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 What water does this plan apply to? ................................................................................................ 1 1.3 The Basin Plan 2012 (Water Act 2007) ............................................................................................ 1 1.4 NSW water quality legislative context .............................................................................................. 4 2 Developing water quality management plans in NSW ........................................................................... 5 2.1 Water quality .................................................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Salinity ............................................................................................................................................. 6 2.2.1 How is salinity assessed?................................................................................................... 6 2.3 NSW water quality index .................................................................................................................. 6 3 Water quality condition and issues in the Macquarie-Castlereagh ...................................................... 8 3.1 Key causes of water quality degradation .......................................................................................... 8 4 Managing water quality in the Macquarie-Castlereagh ....................................................................... 18 4.1 Basin Plan water quality objectives ................................................................................................ 18 4.2 Measures that contribute to achieving Basin Plan water quality objectives .................................... 19 4.3 Strategies to address risks of water quality degradation ................................................................ 21 5 Water quality targets.............................................................................................................................. 29 5.1 Water quality targets for water resource plans ............................................................................... 29 5.1.1 Water quality targets for water-dependent ecosystems .................................................... 29 5.1.2 End of valley targets for long-term salinity planning and management ............................. 31 5.1.3 Water quality targets for irrigation water ........................................................................... 32 5.1.4 Water quality targets for raw water for treatment for human consumption ........................ 32 5.1.5 Water quality targets for recreational water ...................................................................... 32 6 Additional reading ................................................................................................................................. 33 Attachment A. List of water quality terms ................................................................................................... 35 Attachment B. HGL units of the Macquarie-Castlereagh ........................................................................... 37 Attachment C. WaQI method ........................................................................................................................ 38 Attachment D. Risk assessment summary ................................................................................................. 39 Attachment E. Strategy decision tree logic ................................................................................................. 41 NSW Department of Industry | INT18/151611 | i Macquarie–Castlereagh water quality management plan Tables Table 1-1. Basin Plan requirements for water resource plans ........................................................................... 3 Table 3-1. Key causes of water quality degradation in the Macquarie-Castlereagh area, based on Schedule 10 of the Basin Plan ............................................................................................................................................. 11 Table 4-1. Basin Plan water quality objectives for the Macquarie-Castlereagh ................................................ 18 Table 4-2. Measures that contribute to achieving Basin Plan water quality objectives in the Macquarie- Castlereagh .................................................................................................................................................... 19 Table 4-3. Strategies to address risks of water quality degradation in the Macquarie-Castlereagh water resource plan area. ......................................................................................................................................... 22 Table 5-1. Water quality targets for water dependent ecosystems objective for all aquatic ecosystems. ......... 31 Table 5-2. Salinity targets for purposes of long term salinity planning ............................................................. 31 Table 5-3. Water quality targets for water extracted by irrigation infrastructure operators for irrigation ............ 32 Table 5-4. Blue-green algae targets for recreational water .............................................................................. 32 Table 9-1. Summary of risk outcomes for water dependent ecosystems from poor water quality .................... 39 Table 9-2. Summary of risk outcomes for suitability of irrigation water from salinity......................................... 40 Table 9-3. Summary of risk outcomes for recreational water quality with algal response in place. .................. 40 Figures Figure 1-1. SW11 Macquarie-Castlereagh water resource plan area ................................................................ 2 Figure 1-2. Flow diagram illustrating the components of the Macquarie-Castlereagh water resource plan ........ 3 Figure 1-3. Summary of major water quality legislation