Warrumbungle Shire Council Drought Management Plan [Type text] Warrumbungle Shire Council – Drought Management Plan January 20, 2019 Table of Contents 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY......................................................................................................... 4 1.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 4 1.2 Operating Environment ................................................................................................... 4 1.3 History of Past Droughts ................................................................................................. 4 1.4 Drought Management Plans ........................................................................................... 4 2 OPERATING ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................................ 6 2.1 Summary of Council Operated Water Supplies ............................................................... 6 2.2 Villages and Properties without a Council Water Supply ................................................. 7 2.3 Essential Service Customers .......................................................................................... 8 2.4 Businesses Relying on Water Supply for production purposes ....................................... 8 2.5 Water Demands .............................................................................................................. 9 2.5.1 History of Treated Water ........................................................................................... 9 2.5.2 Comparison of Treated and Metered Water Volumes. ...............................................10 2.5.3 Minimum Requirements during Extreme Drought ......................................................11 2.5.4 Additional Water Sources ..........................................................................................11 2.6 Climate ..........................................................................................................................12 2.6.1 Temperatures ............................................................................................................12 2.6.2 Rainfall ....................................................................................................................13 2.6.3 Possible Impacts of Future Climate Change..............................................................15 2.6.4 Future climate and runoff projections (~2030) for New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory CSIRO Study. ...............................................................18 2.7 Catchment Characteristics and Environmental Considerations ......................................18 2.8 Water Sharing Plans ......................................................................................................19 2.8.1 Castlereagh River – Upstream of Binnaway ..............................................................19 2.8.2 Talbragar River .........................................................................................................19 2.8.3 Namoi Catchment .....................................................................................................19 2.9 Water Licences ..............................................................................................................20 2.9.1 Groundwater Licences ..............................................................................................20 2.9.2 Surface Licences ......................................................................................................20 3 HISTORY OF PAST DROUGHTS ..........................................................................................22 3.1 Overview .......................................................................................................................22 3.2 Baradine ........................................................................................................................22 3.3 Binnaway .......................................................................................................................22 Warrumbungle Shire Council – Drought Management Plan January 20, 2019 3.4 Bugaldie ........................................................................................................................22 3.5 Coolah ...........................................................................................................................22 3.6 Coonabarabran ..............................................................................................................22 3.7 Dunedoo ........................................................................................................................26 3.8 Kenebri ..........................................................................................................................26 3.9 Mendooran ....................................................................................................................26 3.10 Merrygoen ....................................................................................................................27 4 DROUGHT MANAGEMENT PLANS ......................................................................................28 4.1 Restrictions and Management Actions across all Water Supplies ..................................28 4.2 Restrictions Policy ........................................................................................................30 4.2 Restrictions Policy ........................................................................................................31 4.2 Restrictions Policy ........................................................................................................32 4.2 Restrictions Policy ........................................................................................................33 4.2 Restrictions Policy ........................................................................................................34 4.2 Restrictions Policy ........................................................................................................35 4.2 Restrictions Policy ........................................................................................................36 4.2 Restrictions Policy ........................................................................................................37 4.2 Restrictions Policy ........................................................................................................38 4.3 Drought Management Plans—Site Specific ...................................................................39 4.3.1 Baradine .................................................................................................................39 4.3.2 Binnaway ................................................................................................................39 4.3.3 Bugaldie ..................................................................................................................39 4.3.4 Coolah ....................................................................................................................39 4.3.5 Coonabarabran .......................................................................................................40 4.3.6 Dunedoo .................................................................................................................41 4.3.7 Kenebri ...................................................................................................................41 4.3.8 Mendooran ..............................................................................................................41 4.3.9 Merrygoen ...............................................................................................................42 APPENDIX 1 GLOSSARY OF TERMS ...................................................................................43 APPENDIX 2 REFERENCES ..................................................................................................44 APPENDIX 3 TIMOR DAM ......................................................................................................45 APPENDIX 4 MAPS OF SERVICE AREAS ............................................................................46 APPENDIX 5 Rainfall records ................................................................................................54 Baradine ................................................................................................................................54 Warrumbungle Shire Council – Drought Management Plan January 20, 2019 Binnaway ...............................................................................................................................58 Coolah ...................................................................................................................................66 Coonabarabran .....................................................................................................................70 Dunedoo ................................................................................................................................76 Mendooran ............................................................................................................................80 Warrumbungle Shire Council – Drought Management Plan January 20, 2019 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 Introduction The purpose of this Drought Management Plan is to provide guidance on how best to provide the maximum degree of security for