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How do the New South Wales Water Reforms relate to Wetlands and their Management in NSW?

Introduction
River Flow Objectives
Environmental Flow Rules
Integrated Monitoring of Environmental Flows
References & Further Reading

Introduction

In 1997 the New South Wales Government announced a comprehensive water reform package which aims to improve the health of our rivers, and associated ecosystems including wetlands and groundwater systems, and deliver greater security for all water users and regional communities.

In the following section information is provided on three of the major water reform initiatives, the River Flow Objectives (RFOs), Environmental Flow Rules (EFRs) and the Integrated Monitoring of Environmental Flows (IMEF).

River Flow Objectives

Introduction

Over the last 100 years the river systems, wetlands and floodplains associated with the major regulated rivers in NSW have changed significantly from their natural state. At least part of this change is the result of water use for agriculture, recreation, industry and domestic needs. While these diversions generate significant economic benefits, there is clear evidence of increasing environmental stress within NSW regulated river systems.

The NSW Government recognised the need to strike a balance between the important natural processes of these rivers and their wetlands, while also continuing to supply industrial, agricultural and domestic users with the water and services that they need. The rules for this balance are being specified through statutory water sharing plans.

The policy basis for environmental water planning centres on the River Flow Objectives (RFOs).

The River Flow Objectives

The River Flow Objectives (RFOs) set out the key attributes of flow regimes and flow management that scientific research has shown to be important for maintaining healthy ecosystems. The objectives are listed below:

Protect natural water levels in pools of creeks and rivers and wetlands during periods of no flow.
Protect natural low flows.
Protect or restore a proportion of freshes, moderate and high flows.
Maintain or restore the natural inundation patterns and distribution of floodwaters supporting natural wetland and floodplain ecosystems.
Mimic the natural frequency, duration and seasonal nature of drying periods in naturally temporary waterways.
Maintain or mimic natural flow variability in all streams.
Maintain the rates of rise and fall of river heights within natural bounds.
Maintain groundwater within natural levels and variability, critical to surface flows and ecosystems.
Minimise the impact of instream structures.
Minimise downstream water quality impacts of storage releases.
Ensure that the management of river flows provides for contingencies.
Maintain or rehabilitate estuarine processes and habitats.

The last objective does not apply to the inland river systems.

The Purpose of the River Flow Objectives

The purpose of these RFOs is to produce certain environmental benefits. The intended environmental benefits of the RFOs are:

Improved survival of ecosystems and aquatic biodiversity.
Improved water quality.
Healthier wetlands.
Improved habitat quality and increased variability of habitat for native fish, frogs, waterbirds and other native fauna, including invertebrates.
More successful breeding of native birds, fish and other native fauna, which only breed in response to specific environmental triggers, for example, rising or falling water levels in the natural seasons.
More natural inundation of flood plains and wetlands, leading to better health and productivity (such as grazing), protection of endangered species, biodiversity and water quality.
Discouragement of alien pest species, such as carp, which favour regulated conditions.
Improved health of in-stream and riparian vegetation, leading to greater bank stability, improved efficiency of buffer strips in protecting water quality, and reduced erosion and turbidity.
Reduced frequency of algal blooms.

Environmental Flow Rules

Introduction

The river flow objectives are being implemented through the application of environmental flow rules in the water sharing plans which protect or provide water for the environment.

River Management Committees

In late 1997, River Management Committees (RMCs) were established for each of the major regulated river systemsa in NSW, and the Barwon-Darling River as part of the statewide water reform process. The committees were set up to begin the process of trying to strike a balance between the important natural processes of these rivers and their wetlands, while also continuing to supply industrial, agricultural and domestic users with the water and services that they need. They were charged with the task of recommending to the Government, environmental flow rules which would return to the environment a maximum of 10% of annual diversions on average.

The Environmental Flow Rules

Environmental Flow Rules (EFRs) were agreed to by the River Management Committees, endorsed by the Government and introduced in most of the major regulated river systems in NSW in 1998/99and the Barwon-Darling in 2000. These were the basis for the environmnetal flow rules that became part of the water sharing plans which commenced in most valleys on 1 July 2004.

While the environmental flow rules for the regulated rivers are about allocating water for the environment, they are not just about volumes. They are also about timing and quality considerations. The rules aim to move water flow closer to natural conditions and therefore vary widely from valley to valley. The rules provide for wetland needs as well as other river health purposes. For example, the rules may include set environmental allocations in the storage for various contingencies (algal bloom suppression, fish and bird breeding, forest and wetland watering), translucent dam releases, specific sharing arrangements for off-allocation water, and rules to protect low flows periods and end of system flows.

The current flow rules in the major regulated river systems and the Barwon-Darling are described in the "Wetlands and Activities in your Region" pages of this site.

^aRegulated rivers are those whose supply is controlled or augmented by releases from State owned dams and weirs operated by State Water

A note on the Macquarie and Gwydir Valleys

The Macquarie was the first catchment in NSW to have environmental flow provisions included in its river management arrangements. These rules were first established in the Macquarie Marshes Water Management Plan 1986.

Environmental flow provisions were initially introduced in the Gwydir River in the 1995/96 water year.

Integrated Monitoring of Environmental Flows

Introduction

The Department of Natural Resourceshas implemented since 1997 a major scientific project (IMEF: Integrated Monitoring of Environmental Flows) to provide an understanding of the response of major rivers and their associated wetlands to the provision of environmental water allocations.

Project Design

A hypothesis-based approach is used to test the likely effects of the environmental flow rules. Anchoring IMEF to hypotheses ensures that the program has clear aims, direction and focus. This states the ecosystem responses that may be recorded if the flow rules are achieving the environmental outcomes that are sought. The design of the project has been reviewed externally to ensure that the project is environmentally sound.

Aims and Outputs

The aims of the IMEF program are:

To measure changes in the hydrology, habitats, biota and ecological processes in the major regulated river systems (and the Barwon-Darling River) following the application of environmental flow rules,
As far as practical, to infer relationships between these changes and environmental flows, through statistical analysis and an understanding of ecosystem processes, and
To provide scientific information needed for the RFO review process.

The outcomes of the project are:

An understanding of the current state and trends over time in hydrology, morphology and ecology in the major regulated river systems,
An evaluation of the likely contributions of environmental flows to these changes, and
An informed process for the review of the water sharing plan rules.

The outputs of the project are:

Catchment reports summarising project findings for use in reviews and other programs;
A State-wide report, compiling regional information and providing inter-valley comparisons;
Input to "State of the Environment" reports.

The monitoring program is reviewed regularly by both the study personnel and an independent panel of distinguished scientists (the State Technical Advisory Committee). A flexible process is maintained so that the program can be revised as circumstances warrant.

Where to from here?

Sampling is underway across the regulated rivers and the Barwon-Darling River. Sites have been selected along most river stretches affected by the flow rules. Between 5 and 15 wetland sites are monitored in each major valley, except the Barwon-Darling and the Hunter.

An environmental monitoring program is being developed for the unregulated rivers.