GWYDIR VALLEY IRRIGATORS ASSOCIATION
In May the GVIA completed our submission to the NSW connectivity program.
We have significant concerns about this program and the implications it has for members and the communities we live in.
The concept of connectivity should not be pursued by NSW in isolation from Queensland. This is a whole of basin concept and should be
facilitated by balanced conversations with the MDBA.
GVIA members will be provided update in the coming weeks.
The GVIA recently completed a submission for WaterNSW pricing to IPART. Our overall requests were as follows:
1. GVIA supports a 5% annual price cap (plus inflation), consistent with IPART's WAMC pricing decision and to balance affordability pressures facing irrigators already under significant net margin strain.
a. We do NOT support the proposed 10% increase.
2. A fundamental review of WaterNSW's operating model, regulatory framework and funding arrangements should be undertaken during the draft 3-year price determination period.
3. No further WaterNSW pricing proposal(s) or IPART determination(s) be undertaken until the review is completed.
Included is a link to the NSWIC may
newsletter.
The topics covered in the newsletter include;
FPH compliance update and NRAR media
IPART pricing review
Northern NSW connectivity program
Easements inundation Bill and Changes to water take: attestation requirements
Environmental flows are currently being released targeting the Gingham. These will last for approximately 6 weeks, or until the Gingham waterhole has filled.
The embargo has been temporarily lifted as the upper
Lakes at Menindee are above 250 GL
The WSP states under Clause 51: Taking of water under floodplain harvesting (regulated river) access licences
(3) The Minister must not announce that the taking of overland flow water is permitted if the volume of water stored in Menindee Lakes
Storage is less than 195 gigalitres.
This means that if your works approvals are fully compliant you are free to access FPH entitlement.
The WSP can be accessed here.
On Monday the NSW government released their "Non -urban metering Stage 2 Regulation amendments" for Public Exhibition.
There will be a webinar on proposed changes on 3 June 2026 – click
here to learn more and register.
The public exhibition perior will close at 10am on Monday 15th June 2026.
Attitional information is available on the department website.
The main area of concerns is associated with the introduction of a requirement for access licence holders whose access licence has
3,000 or more unit shares or ML at the commencement of the water year to attest by 30 September to the volume of water taken in the previous
water year. We cannot support this regulation as we see it as unjustified and are actively working on this aspect of the draft
regulation.
I suggest members have a look at the fact sheet and that they attend the webinar.
The Easement Inundation Amendments went through NSW parliament this week, coming into effect on Monday the 18th May 2026.
Water NSW has provided the following information.
"We recognise the potential for impacts to some landholders in the Gwydir, and are committed to operating
in good faith and providing adequate advance notification of any future environment water releases that may
affect landholders.
The environmental water holders will also continue to liaise with potentially impacted landholders, and
provide information on the extent, timing, duration and purpose of their watering events.
To receive notifications from WaterNSW, please sign up to receive ‘environmental water release’ alerts through our Early
Warning Network (EWN) platform. "
Please find included Media from the shadow water minister Steph Cooke MP and our local member, shadow agricultural minister Brendan Moylan MP.
The media is related to the Water Management Amendment (Easements for Inundation) Bill 2026.
The Opposition moved an amendment to provide for a statutory Deed of Release pathway as an alternative to enduring easements. This would have provided landholders with a more flexible, negotiated and reviewable mechanism, while still allowing environmental watering outcomes to be delivered responsibly. This amendment was not supported by Labor or the Greens. The Bill was rushed through the Legislative Council with the Greens' support on 7 May 2026.
The Bill is now awaiting consideration by the Legislative Assembly, anticipated it may be brought on for debate in the coming days.
The GVIA have just completed their submission to the Menindee Review; The high level requests were as follows.
1. The GVIA do not support any proposals that would impact on the reliability of allocation upstream or downstream of Menindee Lakes
without comprehensive modelling of the benefits from any such proposal, supporting cost benefit analysis and full compensation.
2. Any proposed changes such as connectivity reforms, operating rule changes, or structural reconfiguration are considered
changes in Government policy, as such will be fully compensable.
3. The MDBA prioritise investment in infrastructure at Menindee Lakes including upgrading Pamamaroo inlet regulator, installing
a gated structure on weir 32 and implementing fish passage on main weir.
4. These essential infrastructure upgrades are public good and should be funded by government.
5. Climate change must be supported through adaptation rather than imposing prescriptive reductions in water reliability and
allocations.
The GVIA completed our submission to the MDBA discussion paper on Friday the 1st May 2026. The high level requests were as follows:
1. No more water from agriculture (by any means)
If the MDBA or Government decide that they want any additional water for the environment, they must purchase it from the open market.
We cannot accept rule changes as they are a form of compulsory acquisition in direct conflict with property rights.
2. MDBA strongly reinforce the requirement that NSW government complete constraints in the Gwydir as required under the Northern Toolkit.
This must involve
a. Investigation of strategic implementation of infrastructure (including levees to channel water through private land to the Ramsar site)
in the Gwydir.
b. Proactive work with impacted community members to complete constraints.
3. MDBA urgently pursue a European Carp management strategy which ideally includes the use of Cyprinid herpesvirus-3, the Carp herpes virus.
4. The MDBA investigate mechanisms to support implementation of infrastructure such as fish passage in a practical, transparent,
cost-effective process.
5. The GVIA support the MDBA position that 320GL water recovery in the Northern Basin is sufficient to satisfy the Environmentally
Sustainable Level of Take (ESLT) requirements of the Water Act.
A CASE FOR STABILITY IN THE MURRAY DARLING BASIN: THERE’S NO NEED TO REDUCE WATER FROM FARMING
* 72% of inflows now remain in rivers for the environment,
* 1 in 3 Litres of water has been removed from farming since the 1990s
* MDBA data shows 92% of environmental indicators would not improve with further water recovery.
Today’s science shows that protecting river health is more than “just adding water”. There is no need for further reductions in the water for farming. It’s time to optimise existing investment and take practical, on ground action, including; tackling invasive species, restoring
habitat, improving fish passage, and targeting barriers to healthy rivers.
After decades of reform, communities and farmers need stability. This means no more changes to existing water limits (inc. SDLAM adjusted)
and no more water recovery by any means.
The pathway forward is a partnership with communities who live and work in the Basin - the Basin’s future depends on it.
The NSW DCCEEW announced s324 water restrictions are in place as of today the 17th April 2026.
These are designed to be extreme event policies, however the government have decided to apply the s324 as the active volume in the upper
Menindee lakes has fallen below 250GL.
We have argued against this and were able to get the relaxation triggers for FPH in line with those in the Gwydir WSP, a significant
win. The restrictions in the Gwydir are as follows:
Gwydir Regulated River Water Source
• floodplain harvesting (regulated river) access licences {The relaxation triggers for FPH licences (as per those already in the WSP, linked
to 195GL total storage)}
• supplementary water access licences
Gingham Watercourse Water Source
• floodplain harvesting (unregulated river) access licences
• unregulated river access licences
Mallowa Creek Management Zone in the Mehi River Water Source
• unregulated river access licences
Full details of the restrictions are available on the department website link included
Some members with FPH licences will not be using all storages in their works approvals to take water when the opportunity occurs. If this is the case you will need to make these storages inactive, now referred to as "classified as not taking licensed water".
These storages can be made active into the future if your situation changes. Please read the guide, and or watch the video.
Please follow the link included. Scroll down to the section Amend the works as not taking FPH water
Amend - To ensure your approval is correct, it's your responsibility to confirm that your approval matches the works
listed.
Select Works that are classified as not taking
licensed water
To classify your work as not taking licensed water (water supply work or floodplain harvesting), please login or register in the Customer
Portal and
complete the ‘Amend the status of your work’ form.
Please note: There may already be a pre-populated status for your work in the Customer Portal based on our records. If
there isn’t a status pre-populated or the status selected is incorrect, please select the correct classification to describe your work.
Further information:
Entitlement holders in the Gwydir will have received letters regarding works Classifications. We have requested that additional information be provided to you to assist in completing the classification of works. In preparation, we suggest you register on the WaterNSW customer portal.
Many members will have received letters in recent weeks regarding classification of works.
Any work that is unclassified will be assumed to need a meter by default. Many unclassified works however will not need a
meter, they will only need to be correctly classified.
Works can be correctly classified in the Water NSW customer Portal. The included links will help guide you through the portal.
The Gwydir Unregulated Water Sharing Plan were released and became active on Thursday 2nd April. We have significant issue, as many of the changes were not consulted in any way. Issues raised on several water sources were ignored, the wetlands
map
does not provide necessary detail for landholders, there still hasn't been consultation with impacted landholders, activities near
prescribed wetlands is being impacted and provisions have been added to allow changes for policy that is non government.
Details are available on the government website link included. A summary of changes is available on the attached
sheet.
The MDBA will be meeting with community outside Brookers Trading on Balo St for 2-4pm on Monday 30th March
The GVIA will be hosting the MDBA at our office at 10:00 am on Tuesday 31st March - Please join us.
The key messages are detailed in the attached file. In summary
- No Rule Changes, compulsory acquisition is not appropriate
- No more water from Agriculture, 72% of water is already for the environment
- Community supported constraints must be completed, the NSW government must be held accountable
- Complementary measures such as carp control must be implemented
- Infrastructure must be updated at Menindee and to provide critical needs
- Socio-economic impacts must be recognised appropriately
- The Gwydir SDL do not need adjusting
The MDBA will be meeting with the Gwydir CGA on Monday the 16th March. Some of the key people from the MDBA will be present to talk
through current issues and the Discussion Paper.
This will be at the Social Co-House in Moree on Monday 16 March at 3.00 pm to 4.00pm.
For more details and information please reach out to Georgina on secretary@gwydircotton.com.au
Gwydir CAG afternoon session: Tuesday 17 March 2026 – 1:00pm to 4:30pm At: Social Co House
Cate Barrett and Thomas Walters, Hydrogeologists from the Groundwater Management and Science, Water Science will be providing an update on the Lower Gwydir Ground water Source.
We encourage ground water entitlement holders to attend to be provided an update. This is important to help inform our understanding of the
risks for the water source.
Please find included our proposals regarding the Initial SDL Assessment Lower Gwydir Alluvium (GS24). Expectation that the trade
restrictions fully implemented across the water resource in 2023 will continue to show improvements in the recharge capacity or the resource
once they have been in place for a minimum of 10 years. The GVIA Request the following;
1. No change to SDL until management arrangements (trade restrictions) have had time to demonstrate that they are suitable.
2. Support maintaining the existing trade restrictions until 2035 (15 years) to enable their impact to be fully appreciated.
3. Support maintaining the existing carryover.
4. Users are actively engaged in consultation on the Water source between the MDBA and NSW DCCEEW before any changes to management are made.
The Menindee Lakes Review aims to define the issues with the current management the Menindee Lakes and explore options for
improved managing the Lakes for the health and resilience of Basin communities, industries and the environment. The GVIA want this to be for upstream and downstream communities, not just downstream as is currently occurring. The MDBA see it as an opportunity to strengthen
what is currently working and identify where change might be needed. The review, by the MDBA on behalf of the joint River Murray
governments, complements ongoing work by New South Wales to improve water resource management and environmental outcomes in the region as
outlined in the Menindee Review Consultation Paper.
Of most concern to GVIA members is that the review is focused downstream of the lakes in the lower Darling and Murray. Yet when
mismanagement leads to an outcome that politicians don't like, everyone expects the problem to be solved by restricting water sources
upstream. The GVIA will be ensuring that we do everything we can to raising our concerns. We will be pushing strongly for the Pamamaroo
inlet regulator to be fixed, as it is one of the areas where failure to address problems in a timely and efficient manner is having negative
impacts on northern basin entitlement holders and their communities.
Landholders can apply for a $1000 or $2000 reimbursement if they extract water from groundwater, or regulated or unregulated river sources in the Murray–Darling Basin and hold an annual entitlement of 100 ML or greater.
It’s also on offer farmers and landholders who have used 100 ML of water or more in any one year since 2023.
The cashback ensures water users who are required to install telemetry devices but choose to engage their own duly qualified person (DQP)
instead of participating in the program’s free device rollout, which is currently underway across inland regions of the state.
The recently released MDBA discussion paper identified in the initial assessment of Sustainable Diversion Limits (SDL) that there are risks
for us.
The Gwydir surface SDL
may not support Basin Plan environmental outcomes. This is primarily related to floodplain inundation and waterbird breeding in the ramsar sites. It is tightly linked to the Northern Toolkit Gwydir constraints project. The MDBA is supporting the completion of the reconnecting
water course country program. The GVIA will support community supported constraints' management as an overriding principle.
The Lower Gwydir
Alluvial SDL
was also identified as being at risk. This is primarily as the recharge has not occurred as would be ideal. Importantly we must accept that
as it is a large aquifer with high buffering it takes a long time for changes in recharge to affect overall levels, i.e. the
aquifer has low sensitivity to use or changes in recharge. Trade restrictions implemented from 2020 to 2023 are showing positive outcomes.
We will be supporting the existing trade restrictions put in place by DCCEEW for an extended time, 15 years, to enable time for changes to
be observed. As such the GVIA will be working towards no changes to SDL until 2035.
In early February the MDBA released the Basin Plan Discussion Paper. This is the four document which inform the review and the development of the next Basin Plan. The document suggests that we need more of a management plan now. There are however still some concerns. The assumptions informing the discussion paper are that SDLAM project will be completed and the whole 450GL for the southern connected system will be recovered. Of most concern is that 100GL of this will be from the north. The document also talks about creating connectivity in the north and the use of rule changes. Neither of which are acceptable to our members. We have consistently stated that