GWYDIR VALLEY IRRIGATORS ASSOCIATION

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"More water rights in the Murray-Darling Basin will be purchased from farmers and irrigators in a renewed push by the federal government to return 450 gigalitres of water to the environment.".....
"He also flagged that the government is closely considering purchasing water from the northern part of the basin for the first time.
"Recent advice from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority highlights the potential benefits of pursuing water recovery in the northern basin to contribute towards the 450 gigalitre target.
"While this is not an adopted policy of our government right now, I will work closely with my department in considering this advice.""

There is no allocation increment to general security (GS) licences in the Gwydir Regulated River Water Source at the end of October 2025.
The GS account balance is about 623 gigalitres (GL), or an average 122% of entitlement.
Environmental water allowance (EWA) remains the same as it has reached its maximum limit by 200%.
As of 31 October 2025, Copeton Dam received an estimated 8 GL of inflow, with downstream tributaries contributing a further 2 GL. These inflows were insufficient to support an increase in GS water allocations. The current resource assessment is based on system conditions observed up to 31 October 2025.

The New England North West AI Forum, in association with Telstra, and supported by Moree Business Chamber, is a must-attend event for regional businesses ready to harness the power of artificial intelligence. Hear from leading voices from across the region and beyond as they share their expertise and answer your questions. 
Unlocking AI: Tools, Tactics and Transformation 
Date: Wednesday, 19 November 2025 
Time: 10:45 AM to 2:00 PM (includes networking lunch) 
Venue: Social Co House, 157 Balo Street, Moree NSW 
Tickets: Register Here 

Cotton Australia recently released some information on what is required under the Fair Work Act 2009 with regards terminating an employee. It provides some interpretation of what is required by the Act from a procedural fairness perspective. 

“This was a missed opportunity for Minister Watt to put politics aside and send a strong message about refocusing the Basin Plan on outcomes, not just numbers” said NIC CEO, Zara Lowien. 
“At the MDBA’s invitation, Basin Leaders gathered in Adelaide to consider the recently released scientific evidence which found environmental priorities in the Basin have shifted and emboldened participants to work on solutions to move beyond ‘just adding water’”.
“Stakeholders were focusing on how to achieve environmental outcomes and considering options to reduce invasive species and improve native fish populations, better integrate broader catchment management principles into Basin management, and how to efficiently get water onto floodplains.”
“The announcement which targets additional environmental water, above Sustainable Diversion Limits and arguably with low environmental utility due to the uncertainty of constraints, was at odds the proactive and productive discussions”.

MDBA

The Murray Darling Basin Plan 2012 has achieved its goal to reduce diversions to Sustainable Diversion Limits delivering a healthy working basin with optimised social, economic and environmental outcomes. The Basin Plan Evaluation notes that flow-based outcomes have been achieved, there’s no need for more water as 72% of river flows are for environmental purposes.

There are still many non-flow outcomes needing to be achieved.  The focus must be on getting better outcomes from existing water, by addressing barriers to improve environmental outcomes, including carp management, riparian management, fish screens and fish passage. It is in Australia’s best interest for water policy to focus on shared outcomes not politics into the future. The next MDBP must be a management plan not a volumetric plan.

The Gwydir Unregulated WSP remains inactive. In early September the department released proposals for cease to pump restrictions on three water sources in the Gwydir. These were Copeton Dam, Moredun Creek and Tycannah Creek. These assessments were based on assertions that the water sources ecologically significant and under pressure from extraction. The assessments of the water sources considered only the potential risk (assumption of 100% of take being accessed) versus the actual risk. They failed to consider and metering data or inactive entitlements. For more information please read our submission. 

WAMC’s prices for water management services will increase by an average annualised rate of 5% plus inflation over four years to 2028-29.
They continue to apply water take charges to floodplain harvesting licences and have introduced an additional water management charge for floodplain harvesting to help recover WaterNSW’s incremental costs associated with floodplain harvesting.
As  introduction of new WAMC prices were deferred by 3 months (i.e. from 1 July 2025 to 1 October 2025), the water management component of a typical bill will increase by 7.5% and the MAC by 3.9% on 1 October 2025. Typical bills over the full 2025-26 year will be equivalent to what they would have been if new WAMC prices had been introduced on 1 July 2025.

Water Allocation Statement 5 Sept 25

General security (GS) licences and ECA in the Gwydir Regulated River have received an increase of 48% of entitlement. This takes the GS account balance to 607 gigalitres (GL), or an average 119%, and increases the ECA account balance to its maximum allowable 90 GL or 200% of entitlement. 
In August, Copeton Dam inflow was approximately 268 GL, with downstream tributaries contributing an additional 141 GL. 

To get concurrence from the environment minister the NSW DCCEEW are proposing changes to access rules on the Tycannah Creek.
* existing access rules prevent water being taken when there is no visible flow at an individual pump site.
* proposed new access rules will prevent water being taken when flow is 2 ML/day or less at the Tycannah Creek Horseshoe Lagoon Gauge (418032). This rule is proposed to apply to all access licenses in the water source.
Register to attend the in person meeting in Moree at 4:15 on Wednesday 10th September at Social Co in Balo St here.
Register for the general webinar here

To get concurrence from the environment minister the NSW DCCEEW are proposing rule changes to access entitlement in the Copeton Dam Management Zone.
* existing access rules prevent water being taken when there is no visible flow at an individual pump site.
* the proposal is to prevent water being taken when flow is 80 ML/day or less at the Gwydir River at Bundarra Gauge (418008). This rule is proposed to apply to all access licenses within the management zone.
Register for the Webinar here

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