RECOVERING WATER WITH TRIPLE-BOTTOM-LINE OUTCOMES

Making the Murrumbidgee Meters and key infrastructure Work Better for Everyone will be connected by telemetry to a computerised Leeton network giving Protection of Improved environmental measurement of real-time control flows irrigation offtakes of the river system. System-wide telemetry-connected RANKIN SPRINGS meters ensure certainty of water measurement River gauge Improved flow MIL measurements in management and HAY MIL MAIN CANAL real time less evaporation REDBANK LACHLAN RIVER WEIR GRIFFITH WEIR STURT CANAL GOGELDRIE LEETON WEIR BALRANALD

BALRANALD MAUDE MURRUMBIDGEE RIVER NARRANDERA HAY WEIR LOWBIDGEE MAUDE TOMBULLEN BUNDIDGERRY CREEK YASS TALA WEIR STORAGE LAKE BEREMBED CICL WEIR MURRAY YANCO YANGA GUNDAGAI WEIR OLD MAN RIVER LAKE YASS RIVER CREEK TUMUT RIVER HARTWOOD TARABAH BURRINJUCK WEIR DAM WEIR YANCO CREEK WAGGA WAGGA COLOMBO CREEK LAKE BEAVERS CREEK TUMUT URANA WEIR CANBERRA

BLOWERING DAM WARRISTON JERILDERIE WEIR JERILDERIE BILLABONG CREEK WEIR LEGEND System-wide Major towns River system telemetry delivers real time Major weirs Irrigation system outfalls data for better COOMA measurement and Reduced Improved flow Modelling and Water bodies Water canals monitoring transmission losses management and forecasting of tributary and improved flow less evaporation inflows to better Major dams Project boundary for Yanco Creek for Old Man Creek manage dam releases Telemetry Irrigation corporations

TRIPLE-BOTTOM-LINE BENEFITS The Murrumbidgee Computer Aided River Management (CARM) Environmental project is an upgrade of infrastructure and installation of new Greater than 40 GL in savings ✔ interactive river flow management technology throughout the river system, making control and measurement of water flows much more 100 GL plus benefit to improved environmental watering ✔ precise and responsive, delivering water at the right quantity, time and place. Establishes the Murrumbidgee River as the world’s most efficiently managed and operated computer This innovative flow control will achieve positive efficiency benefits aided river management system ✔ for all water users along the valley, including the environment. Assists in offsetting SDL impacts ✔ More precise control of flows through This is the first project of its type which is designed specifically to river system ✔ better manage river flows in the Basin. Economic It was developed by Water for Rivers in collaboration with the Vastly improved river management ✔ NSW Office of Water, State Water Corporation and river users. More security and certainty for every water user ✔ This partnership project has involved extensive ‘one-on-one’ A high percentage of total flow available engagement with water diverters along the river system, including for allocation ✔ all irrigator groups. Historical opportunity for irrigators to leverage on-farm water technology ✔ Improved on farm management delivering greater profitability and convenience ✔ Social Fairer distribution of available water ✔ For more information about Water Recovery Improved environmental outcomes ✔ using Computer Aided River Management Less wastage of water ✔ call Water For Rivers (02) 6058 6000 Whole-of-valley water recovery delivers regional benefits

The Murray Darling Basin Plan requires significant volumes of The integrated ‘whole-of-valley’ approach developed by Water consumptive pool water to be reallocated to the environmental for Rivers, built on the foundation of Computer Aided River pool. To-date, environmental water has been recovered via Management (CARM), provides project leverage that realises buyback and limited infrastructure projects aimed at giving further synergies for improved water efficiency. improved water efficiency. Using what we have better, can achieve greater water resource Water recovered by either method has tended to be on an management benefits and will minimise the future impact opportunistic basis resulting in a patchwork of varying levels of of recovery on the consumptive pool, and provide improved water efficiency across the southern Basin in particular. In fact, outcomes for the environment and regional community. buyback has increased the inefficiency of some irrigation areas by leaving fewer users to pay for the same amount of legacy It is expected that a Computer Aided River Management infrastructure that is often in dire need of upgrade. approach across the Basin will generate three different forms of water savings – savings from investment in best practice This patchwork effect is further exacerbated by State and network delivery and on farm water use (irrigation savings); district borders with different programs and focus or timing on savings from improved river operations (efficiency dividends); either side giving a less than optimum result. and, savings from implementing efficient environmental watering works and measures (SDL credits).

Efficient delivery networks Efficient Improved river with strategic environmental operations buybacks ‘works and measures’ Inputs

Efficiency SDL credits dividend Irrigation Total water savings savings savings recovery 800GL 675GL 985GL approx 2500GL

Smart water recovery Basin Plan Valley Targets

Outcomes

Greater Social regional Efficient outcomes with irrigation environmental community productivity delivery acceptance

A ‘future’ for irrigated Regional agriculture Community agreed benefits Improved environmental river operations recovery plans