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All Current and Past Media Releases
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Media Release - Department of Water and Energy Date: 1 July 2008 FULL ALLOCATIONS FOR HUNTER AND CENTRAL COAST WATER USERS The NSW Department of Water and Energy today announced Available Water Determinations for the Hunter and Central Coast regions which includes the Regulated Hunter River, Glennies Creek, Paterson River, unregulated rivers and groundwater for the commencement of the 2008-2009 water year. Based on current storage levels, general security access licence holders on the Regulated Hunter River and Glennies Creek will receive 100 per cent of their share component, while high security holders will receive 1 megalitre per share unit. General security water users are also able to carry over 10 per cent of their unused entitlements from last year. All other categories of access licences, except for supplementary water access licences, on the Regulated Hunter River and Glennies Creek will receive 100 per cent of their share component for the new water year. Similarly, access licence holders on the Regulated Paterson River, Wybong, Karuah, Jilliby Jilliby and Ourimbah Creek Surface Water Sources, together with Tomago-Tomaree-Stockton, Wybong and Kulnura-Mangrove Mountain Groundwater Sources, will also receive 100 per cent of their share component. While total storage capacities have shown a very pleasing upward trend over the last year, much of the rain in the catchment has fallen below the dams with combined storage levels currently sitting at around 55 per cent. This is a big improvement on the same time last year when storage totals were around 30 per cent, but more rain is needed to secure water entitlements in the coming years. Rainfall patterns over the last year have also provided Hunter farmers with some relief by replenishing soil moisture and lessening the need for irrigation water. Several good rainfall events below the storages have also allowed water users to access flood flows to replenish dams and irrigate without drawing water from the upstream storages. An initial Available Water Determination of 0.1 megalitre per share for supplementary water access licences on the Hunter Regulated River and Glennies Creek has also been announced for the 2008-2009 water year. This share will be increased during the year if river conditions permit. In the past year, good flows have resulted in supplementary licence holders being allowed to access 1.8 megalitres per share. Available Water Determinations are made for all water sources covered by a water sharing plan and provide licence holders with a share of the water available in the respective water source. Licence holders who access water from sources not covered by a water sharing plan are allocated full entitlement unless otherwise stated. Additional information is available on the Department’s website at www.dwe.nsw.gov.au Alternatively; licence holders can phone the Newcastle office on 4904 2572 for more information.
© NSW Department of Natural Resources
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