2019-2020 Water sharing plan reviews

Water sharing plans prescribe how water is managed in NSW. They must first provide for the environment, and also support social and economic outcomes.

These plans are developed by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment - Water (DPIE-Water) and typically apply for a period of ten years. At the end of this period, the Minister responsible for the Water Management Act 2000 may decide to replace or extend a plan. To inform the Minister’s decision, the Commission has a role under s.43A of the Act to independently review plans to:

• determine if outcomes are being achieved
• recommend if a plan should be extended or replaced
• identify recommended changes to Plan provisions if the plan is to be replaced.

The process to replace plans is undertaken by DPIE-Water.

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Submissions on the following inland water sharing plans have now closed:

• Lower Murray-Darling Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2011
• Murray Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2011
• Intersecting Streams Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2011.

The Commission will consider all submissions in undertaking the review of these plans. A report on the Commission's reviews will be provided to the Minister in mid-2021.

Final review reports provided to the Minister

• Final report - Central Coast WSP review (April 2020) Report summary
• Final report - Coffs Harbour WSP review (April 2020) Report summary
• Final report - Hunter WSP review (May 2020) Report summary
• Final report - Lower North Coast WSP review (April 2020) Report summary
• Final report - Peel Valley WSP review (May 2020) Report summary

The Commission provided five final review reports to the Minister and recommended that the water sharing plan for the:

• Central Coast be extended for two years until June 2022 to allow enough resources to make required plan improvements, and replaced by June 2022 to address the Commission's recommendations
• Coffs Harbour be extended for two years until June 2022 to allow enough resources to make required plan improvements, and replaced by June 2022 to address the Commission's recommendations
• Hunter be extended for two years until June 2022 to allow enough additional time for the completion of studies and to make required plan improvements, and replaced by July 2022 to address the Commission's recommendations
• Lower North Coast be extended for two years until June 2022 to allow enough resources to make required plan improvements, and replaced by June 2022 to address the Commission's recommendations.

The water sources for the Peel Valley will be split across four water sharing plans in July 2020. The Commission recommended that priority issues carried over to the Water Sharing Plan for the Peel Regulated River 2020 be addressed by July 2020. Other issues should be addressed in the new plans by July 2022 to allow time for additional studies and consultation.

What other plans are currently being reviewed?

Currently, the Commission is conducting reviews of the following water sharing plans.

The Commission held a public submissions process to hear feedback on these plans, which has now closed. We will now consider this feedback and other evidence, and provide a review report to the Minister.

More information is available on the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment website.

Related web pages

2018-2019 Water sharing plan reviews
2017-2018 Water sharing plan reviews
2015 Water sharing plan reviews
2012 Water sharing plan reviews
Lower Lachlan Groundwater Sharing Plan