NSW Deputy Secretary Water Jim Bentley today announced the draft Water Resource Plan for Great Artesian Basin (GAB) Shallow Alluvial groundwater areas has been placed on public exhibition for community feedback.
"This water resource plan is a key requirement of the Commonwealth's Murray Darling Basin Plan. "It outlines how the NSW GAB Shallow groundwater resources will be shared sustainably into the future.
"Great Artesian Basin Shallow groundwater users are invited to submit any feedback on the draft plan online, and also to attend consultations on the plan in Bourke on 6 August and Lightning Ridge on 7 August," Mr Bentley said.
The NSW Government has spent the past two years developing draft water resource plans and updating state water sharing plans while seeking community feedback along the way.
Eleven draft water resource plans have been released for public exhibition by NSW since late 2018. This is one of the nine remaining draft plans being released for public exhibition over the coming months.
"The NSW Government is committed to improved management of our state's critical water resources to service the needs of our communities and agriculture sector," Mr Bentley said. "We also need to make sure we have a much stronger focus on the implementation of water resource plans.
"I am ensuring we have sufficient skilled resources to lead plan delivery and ongoing review."
It is important to note that this plan does not cover the artesian sandstone aquifers of the Great Artesian Basin from which many farms, towns and businesses in the west of NSW draw water.
This draft water sharing plan only covers the management of the relatively limited shallow groundwater resources overlying these vast artesian resources.
To learn more about the draft GAB Shallow Water Resource Plan and how you can have your say on the plan please visit Draft NSW Great Artesian Basin Shallow Water Resource Plan.
Consultation sessions will be held at the following locations:
- Bourke: Wednesday, 6 August 2019, 9.30am - 12.00pm, Diggers on the Darling, 23-25 Sturt
Street.
- Lightning Ridge: Tuesday, 6 August 2019, 10.00am - 12.00pm, NSW TAFE Lightning Ridge
Campus, Kaolin Street.
