This work is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth), no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be directed to the Regional Director, Natural Resources SA Murray-Darling Basin, PO Box 2343, Murray Bridge SA 5253. The South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board and the Government of South Australia, their employees and their servants do not warrant, or make any representation, regarding the use or results of the information contain herein as to its correctness, accuracy, currency or otherwise. The South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board and the Government of South Australia, their employees and their servants expressly disclaim all liability or responsibility to any person using the information or advice herein. Aboriginal Cultural Knowledge No authority is provided by First Peoples of the River Murray and Mallee, Peramangk and Ngarrindjeri nations for the use of their cultural knowledge contained in this document without their prior written consent. ii Water Allocation Plan FOR THE RIVER MURRAY PRESCRIBED WATERCOURSE iii iv v Acknowledgement The South Australian Government acknowledges and respects Aboriginal people as the state’s first peoples and nations, and recognises Aboriginal people as traditional owners and occupants of land and waters in South Australia. Aboriginal peoples’ spiritual, social, cultural and economic practices come from their lands and waters, and they continue to maintain their cultural heritage, economies, languages and laws which are of ongoing importance. It is acknowledged that the lands and waters of the River Murray Prescribed Watercourse forms part of the traditional Country of the First Peoples of the River Murray and Mallee Region (Ngaiawang, Ngawait, Nganguruku, Erawirung, Ngintait, Ngaralte, and Ngarkat peoples), Peramangk and Ngarrindjeri nations and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. Whilst native title determinations have been made that give legal recognition to the First Peoples of the River Murray and Mallee and Ngarrindjeri native title holders over parts of the area of the Plan, the area that is currently recognised as the traditional country of Peramangk is not currently the subject of a native title claim. Should a claim be made the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board (the Board) will have regard to the native title claimants. The Board pays its respects to Aboriginal culture and to Elders both past and present. The recognition of the aspirations that the Aboriginal nations have to legal rights to Aboriginal water interests in this Plan was a starting point in 2018 for ongoing commitment to engage with Aboriginal nations in water planning. Aboriginal people should be aware that this document contains names of people who have since passed away. The term “Aboriginal” is used throughout this plan instead of “Indigenous” as endorsed by the former SA Aboriginal State-wide Advisory Committee. “Aboriginal nations” is also used throughout the Plan and is defined for the purposes of the Plan as a group or community of Aboriginal people who identify as descendants of the original inhabitants of the Plan area and may share a single common territory, or may be located as a nation within another larger nation. Where a native title determination has been made the native title holders will have native title interests within the nation and is the body that the Board will deal with for native title. It may also be the legal entity that represents the nation for other purposes or be included as a member of a wider group representing a nation (e.g. a Regional Authority). Nations are recognised as holding traditional authority and responsibility to speak for Aboriginal culture and heritage within their traditional country. The three nations whose traditional country is within this water allocation plan area have distinct culture and identities and do not necessarily identify with the words ‘Aboriginal’ or ‘cultural’ as these are non-Aboriginal terms that do not capture the complexity of their culture and identity. Therefore, where possible, we identify nations and their objectives as either First Peoples of the River Murray and Mallee, Peramangk or Ngarrindjeri. vi Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ................................................................................................................................ V CONTENTS ................................................................................................................................................ VII FIGURES ................................................................................................................................................. IX TABLES .................................................................................................................................................. X 1 THE WATER ALLOCATION PLAN ..........................................................................................................1 1.1 Objectives of the Water Allocation Plan ..................................................................................................... 1 1.2 History of Water Management for the River Murray Prescribed Watercourse ............................. 1 1.3 Review Process ..................................................................................................................................................... 2 1.4 Future Plan Reviews ........................................................................................................................................... 3 2 THE RIVER MURRAY PRESCRIBED WATERCOURSE ..........................................................................4 2.1 Aboriginal Lands and Waters ......................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Aboriginal Water Interests ............................................................................................................................... 7 2.3 Overview of the South Australian River Murray .................................................................................... 13 2.4 Assessment of Demand on Water Resources .......................................................................................... 28 2.5 Health and Condition of the System .......................................................................................................... 43 2.6 Climate Change Impacts ................................................................................................................................ 46 3 NEEDS OF WATER-DEPENDENT ECOSYSTEMS ............................................................................... 61 3.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................... 61 3.2 Background ......................................................................................................................................................... 61 3.3 South Australia’s Environmental Water Planning Framework ......................................................... 63 3.4 Environmental Water Requirements Assessment .................................................................................. 64 3.5 Capacity of the Resource to Meet Environmental Water Requirements ....................................... 70 3.6 Environmental Water Provisions ................................................................................................................. 75 3.7 Alternative Practices to Support Dependent Ecosystems .................................................................... 79 3.8 Environmental Outcomes Expected from Plan Provisions ................................................................. 79 3.9 Achieving Best Ecological Outcomes through Plan Implementation ............................................. 80 4 EFFECTS ON OTHER WATER RESOURCES ........................................................................................ 81 4.1 Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges Prescribed Water Resources Area ....................................................... 83 4.2 Western Mount Lofty Ranges Prescribed Water Resources Area ..................................................... 84 4.3 Marne Saunders Prescribed Water Resources Area .............................................................................. 85 4.4 McLaren Vale Prescribed Wells Area ......................................................................................................... 85 4.5 Tintinara Coonalpyn Prescribed Wells Area............................................................................................ 85 4.6 Tatiara Prescribed Wells Area ...................................................................................................................... 86 4.7 Mallee Prescribed Wells Area ....................................................................................................................... 86 4.8 Peake, Roby and Sherlock Prescribed Wells Area.................................................................................. 87 4.9 Clare Valley Prescribed Water Resources Area .....................................................................................