NSW Department are holding face-to-face consultation on proposed rules for floodplain harvesting in the Gwydir Valley for the regulated and
unregulated water sources, in Moree on Wednesday 24th February and Thursday 25th February. Due to COVID safe restrictions you must
register. Visit the Department website below.
We encourage all members and associated agricultural businesses to attend to hear about this historic reform and how NSW intends to manage
it into the future. Implementing floodplain harvesting will be a significant regulatory shift for our industry and will have
community impacts, ad water users adjust to new rules.
By releasing draft floodplain harvesting rules and updated modeling results for the Gwydir Valley the NSW Government took another small but
important step forward in transitioning this historical form of take into the current regulatory framework, 20-years in the making.
The process, won't be without impact but will have broad benefits as well. Volumetric licensing together with modern measurement and
compliance, is the only way to have greater transparency and accountability for everyone who shares in floods. Its why we have particpated
in it and its time to move forward from estimating such interceptions and start defining and managing them better.
The documenation is extensive and includes the modeling process applied to update models with the best information and better represent
floodplain harvesting, as well as, proposes new rules for Regulated and Unregulated Water Sharing Plans in the region. There are a range of
companion reports on environmental benefits and downstream outcomes and all of the reports are available from the Department's
website.
More information on floodplain havresting in the Gwydir Valley is available on our Floodplain Flow and Licensing page.
There will be an NDrip field day in Wee Waa, on Thursday 28th January from 10:00 to 11:00am. If you are interested in looking at this
gravity powered micro-irrigation system, Please RSVP to peter.birch@elders.com or phone 0428.669.157
GVIA digital technologies and automated Irrigation field day is being held on Wednesday 10th February 2021. Our Covid-19 plan required
participants to register to attend. Buses will be leaving Reynolds Fogarty at 7:30am
please also register for this.
Are you aware of pig damage in your crops or to livestock enterprises, but find it difficult to quantify the extent of the damage, and what
that equates to in dollar terms?
To answer this question, Local Land Services has worked with AgEcon to undertake a study that puts
figures on the real cost of feral pigs on several different enterprises and to compare control options.
Join the LLS online for our first webinar back for 2021. Register here.
When
11 Feb 2021 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Dont Forget the GVIA has funds available to support producers in our region with the control of feral pigs. For more information
contact the office; 02 67521399
WaterNSW have announced supplementary access in the Gwydir Valley which shares unregulated flows 50:50 between the environment and water
users. This is following recent localised rainfall below Copeton Dam between 100-200mm with more inflows expected as ungauged inflows are measured. Current announcement between 5-20% depending on on your location equalling approximately 14,000 megaltires. You must
place an eligible water order.
An operations update on current river flows is available from WaterNSW.
Recent localised rainfall in the Gwydir Valley means the region is fortunate enough to have generated local unregulated inflows below
Copeton Dam. The flow rate and volume means localised flooding will occur and moderate and minor flood warnings have been issues for some
sections of the river.
These natural inflows come at a time when general security users are on just 5% allocation and Copeton Dam is at 13%. Current interested
general security users were receiving their allocation in bulk to reduce losses, this has provided connectivity in most sections of the
river.
Our water sharing plan rules set a clear and transparent process to ensure flows for connectivity and our internationally recognised
wetlands, whilst sharing any surplus water to benefit our community, it’s people and it’s economy.
The BOM also provided flood warnings in the Gwydir Valley, on the Gwydir River at Gravesend a minor warning with moderate downstream of
Pallamallawa and minor warning for the Mehi River. Flows are estimated to be above the safe operating level of river infrastructure
and will be largely unmanageable. They will naturally flow towards the watercourse area to peak at this stage Friday evening.
Keep updated via the BOM flood watch and be safe.
If you become aware that your meter is not working or is faulty, it is your responsibility to register using a s.91i self reporting
process within 24 hours . You have 21 days then to have a Duly Qualified Person inspect your meter. This process is also to be used if you have recently
installed an approved local intelligence device (telemetry unit) as per the NSW non-urban Metering Rules and for some reason it is not
connecting to the Data Acquisition Service or functioning correctly.
Provided you have a fully functioning water meter with data logging capability or are keeping appropriate records according to your licence
conditions of water take, time, volume and purpose, you are not required to lodge a s.91i self report to access water ordered during this upcoming bulk delivery, even if you are awaiting final validation of your meter or install of your telemetry according
to the new NSW non-urban Metering rules.
This delivery presents an opportunity for water users with approved water orders, to undertake flow testing and operational checks required to finalise your validation process, please let your DQP know your delivery schedule.
You must keep records of your effort to be compliant by your required deadline according to NRAR's
Compliance Approach and
the proposed industry implementation schedule.
WaterNSW today advised that with low volumes of water available and continued hot, dry conditions, the single block release for 2020/21
general security deliveries in the Gwydir Valley will be brought forward.
The revised dates for the block release from Copeton Dam are:
Releases will commence on Friday 26 November 2020, and
Releases will cease around 24 December 2020.
Orders must be placed prior to 18 December 2020 via iWAS or calling the helpdesk via 1300 662 077. For users West of Moree place your
orders ASAP to help ensure effecient delivery.
As part of the NSW Government's commitment to regulating and measuring floodplain harvesting, changes to the Water Management (General)
Regulation 2018 to include floodplain harvesting requirements are being proposed.
The proposed changes aim to improve the management of floodplain harvesting across NSW and will:
allow for floodplain harvesting licences to be issued,
After not being able to plant our irrigation efficiency trial last season due to no water, it is great to now have crops in the ground for
this season. The trial will include a look at the new surface drip system from Netafim, a new EnviroNode Farm Automation Controller on the Smart Siphons, the lateral system, the original bankless system and the new fully automated bankless system with Padman Stops auto
winches.
-(1)_x240c.jpg)
.jpg)
