The Draft Gwydir Alluvium Water Resource Plan is one of the 20 Water Resource Plans that New South Wales will be publically exhibiting, and is now open for public comment.
Director Planning – Lands and Water Division Department of Industry, Vanessa O’Keefe, said the draft Gwydir Alluvium Water Resource Plan, which includes a new draft water sharing plan, covers groundwater within the main alluvial deposits associated with the Gwydir River approximately 20km downstream of Copeton Dam, continuing north-west through Bingara to Biniguy to approximately 45km west of Moree.
“Water resource plans are a key requirement of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan with 20 water resource plans currently being developed in NSW. Consultation with communities is an essential part of developing and finalising these plans. This has included consultation with First Nations within the plan area,” Ms O’Keefe said.
“Gwydir groundwater users can now go online, review the draft plan and provide feedback. They are also encouraged to attend any of the two public information and feedback sessions happening next month.
“Previous consultation on water resource plans included the opportunity for community feedback on a status and issues paper, targeted consultation with water user groups and the statewide Groundwater Stakeholder Advisory Panel.
“Water resource plans outline how each region aims to achieve community, environmental, economic and cultural outcomes and ensure that state water management rules meet the Basin Plan objectives.”
The draft Gwydir Alluvium Water Resource Plan, including the draft water sharing plan, will be on public exhibition until 14 December 2018.
Lauren ‘LJ’ Butler is the Assistant Editor of Utility magazine and has been part of the team at Monkey Media since 2018.
After completing a Bachelor of Media, Communications and Professional Writing at the University of Wollongong in 2014, and prior to writing about the utility sector, LJ worked as a Journalist and Sub Editor across the horticulture, hardware, power equipment, construction and accommodation industries with publishers such as Glenvale Publications, Multimedia Publishing and Bean Media Group.
