An Audit of Seven Environmental Bulk Entitlements – Recommended, Planned, and Actual Release of Environmental Water to Victoria’s Stressed Rivers A report for the Healthy Rivers Campaign, Environment Victoria Author: Matt Stafford, ME, University of Melbourne, 2008 . Page 1 of 53 Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................................................................................5 MAIN FINDINGS ....................................................................................................................................................................................6 STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT................................................................................................................................................................7 PART 1: INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................................................................................................8 1.1 A DEFINITION OF ‘ENVIRONMENTAL FLOWS’ ....................................................................................................................................8 1.2 ENVIRONMENTAL FLOWS AND THE VICTORIAN POLICY CONTEXT....................................................................................................11 1.2.1 MANAGEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL FLOWS................................................................................................................................13 1.3 IMPORTANT ISSUES TO CONSIDER WITH ENVIRONMENTAL FLOW AUDITING.....................................................................................13 PART 2: THE ENVIRONMENTAL FLOW AUDIT ...............................................................................................................................................15 2.1 MURRAY RIVER – FLORA AND FAUNA BULK ENTITLEMENT..................................................................................................16 2.1.1 BACKGROUND ...........................................................................................................................................................................16 2.1.2 RECOMMENDED RELEASE OF ENVIRONMENTAL WATER (2006/7)................................................................................................17 2.1.3 ACTUAL RELEASES OF ENVIRONMENTAL WATER (2006/7)..........................................................................................................17 2.1.4 ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL WATER RELEASES................................................................................................................17 2.2 BARMAH-MILLEWA FOREST ENVIRONMENTAL WATER ALLOCATION...............................................................................18 2.2.1 BACKGROUND ...........................................................................................................................................................................18 2.2.2 RECOMMENDED ENVIRONMENTAL FLOWS ..................................................................................................................................18 2.2.3 ACTUAL ENVIRONMENTAL WATER RELEASES - 2005-6 ...............................................................................................................19 2.2.4 ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL WATER RELEASES................................................................................................................20 2.3 WIMMERA AND GLENELG RIVERS....................................................................................................................................................21 2.3.1 BACKGROUND ...........................................................................................................................................................................21 2.3.2 RECOMMENDED ENVIRONMENTAL FLOWS ..................................................................................................................................21 2.3.3 ACTUAL RELEASES OF ENVIRONMENTAL WATER 2005/6 ............................................................................................................21 2.3.4 ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL WATER RELEASES................................................................................................................22 2.4 SNOWY RIVER..........................................................................................................................................................................................24 2.4.1 BACKGROUND ...........................................................................................................................................................................24 2.4.2 RECOMMENDED ENVIRONMENTAL WATER RELEASES .................................................................................................................25 2.4.3 ACTUAL RELEASE OF ENVIRONMENTAL WATER ..........................................................................................................................26 2.4.4 ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL WATER RELEASES................................................................................................................27 2.5 THOMSON RIVER ..............................................................................................................................................................................................28 2.5.1 BACKGROUND ...........................................................................................................................................................................28 2.5.2 RECOMMENDED ENVIRONMENTAL WATER RELEASES .................................................................................................................28 2.5.3 ACTUAL ENVIRONMENTAL WATER RELEASES 2005/6 .................................................................................................................28 2.5.4 ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL WATER RELEASES 2005/6....................................................................................................28 2.6 LODDON RIVER .................................................................................................................................................................................................30 2.6.1 BACKGROUND ...........................................................................................................................................................................30 2.6.2 RECOMMENDED ENVIRONMENTAL FLOWS ..................................................................................................................................30 2.6.3 ACTUAL ENVIRONMENTAL WATER RELEASES 2006/7 .................................................................................................................30 2.6.4 ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL WATER RELEASES................................................................................................................31 2.7 YARRA RIVER.....................................................................................................................................................................................................32 2.7.1 BACKGROUND ...........................................................................................................................................................................32 2.7.2 RECOMMENDED ENVIRONMENTAL FLOW RELEASES ...................................................................................................................32 2.7.3 ACTUAL ENVIRONMENTAL WATER RELEASES 2006/7 .................................................................................................................32 2.7.4 ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL WATER RELEASES................................................................................................................32 PART 3: CONCLUSION AND IMPORTANT OBSERVATIONS.......................................................................................................................34 Page 2 of 53 THE MURRAY RIVER FLORA AND FAUNA BULK ENTITLEMENT ...............................................................................................................34 THE MURRAY RIVER BARMAH-MILLEWA FOREST ENVIRONMENTAL WATER ALLOCATION ......................................................................34 WIMMERA-GLENELG RIVERS ..............................................................................................................................................................35 SNOWY RIVER ...................................................................................................................................................................................35 THOMSON RIVER................................................................................................................................................................................36 LODDON RIVER ..................................................................................................................................................................................36 YARRA RIVER ....................................................................................................................................................................................36 IMPORTANT LESSONS FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL FLOW AUDIT PROCESS...........................................................................................37