Tatiara Water Allocation Plan adopted in South Australia

The Water Allocation Plan for the Tatiara Prescribed Wells Area in South Australia was adopted by the Minister for Environment and Conservation on 7th June. The new plan includes policy for the volumetric conversion of existing area-based allocations and the recalculation, where eligible, of existing volumetric licences. In addition, it includes a method to reduce volumetric allocations where required, new and more flexible water trading rules, and policy to protect groundwater dependent ecosystems. The Plan also incorporates the ability to adjust water allocations if the volume of available groundwater changes as a result of scientific review and/or policy changes during the life of the Plan.

The Tatiara Prescribed Wells Area (PWA) is located approximately 200 kilometres north of Mount Gambier, and covers an area of some 350,000 hectares. The PWA includes the Hundreds of Stirling, Pendleton, Cannawigara, Shaugh, Senior, Tatiara, Wirrega, Willalooka, and a small part of McCallum. It incorporates the major towns of Keith in the west and Bordertown in the east, both of which lie on the main Adelaide-Melbourne highway.

About South Australian Water Planning

In South Australia, a water allocation plan outlines the rules for allocation, use and transfer of water from prescribed water courses. They are prepared under the authority of the Natural Resources Management Act 2004, which provides a listing of the prescribed waters in South Australia. Plans are prepared by the Natural Resource Management Boards of individual areas. Each plan is then adopted by the Minister of Environment and Conservation in order to become government policy.

The Natural Resources Management Act 2004 states that both the needs of the natural environment, and human demands be considered in determining appropriate limits on the amount of water which can be diverted from the water course for all uses. This involves careful investigation of the water resource capacity and sustainability.

The new Water Allocation Plan for the Tatiara region incorporates a number of different requirements from the South Australian Natural Resources Management Act 2004 and the National Water Initiative, including the conversion of area-based water allocations to volumetric water allocations and addressing over-allocation.

Key issues addressed through the Plan include:

a method for reduction of volumetric allocations over time to a target management level to address over-allocation and resource stress
eligibility criteria for the delivery supplement for flood irrigation
policy that ensures compliance with the Border Groundwaters Agreement
policy for the protection of groundwater dependent ecosystems.

Community Consultation on the Plan

A first community consultation on issues and options for the review of the WAP was carried out in September 2005. A second round of community consultation occurred in November 2007. The statutory community consultation on the contents of the draft Water Allocation Plan was held 25 and 26 of November 2009. A report of all of the comments made at these community consultation meetings was sent out to all meeting attendees. In addition, community members were provided with the opportunity to make written comment. The closing date for written submissions was 5 February 2010.

The Board considered at its 3rd March 2010 Meeting the issues raised in each of the submissions received during the consultation period. All written submissions as well as verbal comments made at the community consultation meetings held in November 2009, were considered in the preparation of the Board's report to the Minister on the 16th April 2010. All community members who sent in written submissions received a written reply outlining the Board's response to their comments.

The South East Natural Resources Management Board's General Manager, Mr Hugo Hopton said previous community feedback received as part of the earlier consultations had resulted in many useful changes to the draft Water Allocation Plan, including changes to policy to address over-allocation:

The Board has taken into consideration the comments made by the community, creating a refined Plan that creates a better balance between Tatiara's economic, social and environmental needs, while still effectively managing the groundwater resource.

Download the Tatiara Water Allocation Plan