GWYDIR VALLEY IRRIGATORS ASSOCIATION
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
The department released the latest Gwydir regulated Water allocation update on the 6th February. There has been no allocation to general security (GS) licences.
The GS account balance is about 479 gigalitres (GL), or an average 94% of entitlement. Of this 144GL is HEW.
The environmental water allowance (EWA) balance is about 73 GL, or an average of 162% of entitlement.
During January, total essential supply demand was about 3.8 GL, and GS usage was approximately 109.2 GL. Average GS account balance is 94%
Around 7.8 GL of EWA delivered during this period, resulting in an average account balance of 16@% as of 31st January.
All the forecast quantiles sit well below the historical flows, indicating that inflows from January to March 2026 will likely be lower than
historical levels.
The GVIA currently has three ground water parcels available for temporary trade. Please email Lou at gvia@gvia.org.au if you have any questions.
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:
Mallowa: Target in the east have been inundated, some western areas yet to be inundated. Deliveries expected to finish mid-April
2026.
Lower Gwydir: The 3 month delivery of E-water to Lower Gwydir ceased on 26 December 2025. A total of 7,550ML entered the watercourse at Millewa, including
3,200ML of managed E-water.
Gingham: Deliveries commenced early December 2025. Target flow rate is 100 ML/d connect through to Boyanga Waterhole. Delivery target
may continue past February.
Whittakers Lagoon: Orders have been placed to fill Whittakers Lagoon to fill the lagoon before the end of January 2026.
Mehi River flows: Delivery for fish to the lower Mehi commenced 13 December 2025. This flow will continue through Summer and into
Autumn.
Barwon River: In addition to the Mehi River flow releases from the Border Rivers and Gwydir valleys commenced over Christmas New Year. This event was designed to support base flows in the Barwon River between Mungindi and Walgett. Releases from Glenlyon and Copeton
Dams are expected to cease early February 2026.
National environment listing in MDB, just words not action
15 January 2026, Canberra, ACT: Today’s announcement to list parts of the Murray Darling Basin floodplains as “critically
endangered” under the updated Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) adds another layer of complexity to
already heavy regulation in the Basin – and will achieve little without real investment in addressing delivery constraints and major threats
like carp.