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The Adelaide region does not employ entitlement-based management of water for the environment; water management is plan-based. According to the Australian Environmental Water Management Report (2010), water provisions in South Australia are based on scientific evaluation of water quality and water requirements, with particular regard to conserving groundwater-dependent ecosystems. Through WAPs, the South Australian Department for Water (DFW) and the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management (AMLRNRM) Board have developed rules and principles for allocating water resources in the prescribed areas of the Adelaide region. The environmental objectives specified in each WAP are discussed in Environmental Water Management. Water-affecting activity permits are then used to regulate activities that may impact on the environment.

 

Environmental flows

The WAPs operational in the Adelaide region generally do not specify environmental flow objectives at particular sites (e.g. flow at a stream gauge). Only the Barossa PWRA WAP discusses target stream flow regimes; however, these regimes are not used for monitoring or compliance. Environmental targets are typically not monitored or assessed on a regular basis in the Adelaide region.

 

Environmental releases

SA Water is not currently required to make environmental water releases from their reservoirs. This is likely to change in the future with the development of the Western Mount Lofty Ranges WAP. Currently, SA Water provides some environmental water releases on a voluntary basis. In 2009–10, SA Water released approximately 800 ML, at a rate of approximately 2 ML per day, to the Little Para River from the Little Para Reservoir for environmental benefit.

In previous years, SA Water and AMLR NRM Board have conducted environmental flow trials on the Onkaparinga, Torrens and South Para rivers. In 2009–10, the Western Mount Lofty Ranges environmental flow trials continued to be suspended, while drought continued to impact water supply and water restrictions remained in place.

 

Surface and groundwater are used for urban potable, stock, rural domestic, irrigation, commercial and industrial purposes in the Adelaide region. The relevant water rights are detailed in Water Entitlements and Allocations.

 

Social and cultural uses are not typically covered by water rights, even in prescribed areas. Stock and domestic water use, including indigenous use, is considered a basic right. These rights are described in the NRM Act 2004, the Australian Native Title Act 1993 and the Notice of Authorisation to Take Water for Stock and Domestic Purposes and for Native Title Purposes (SA Government Gazette, 20 October 2005, pages 3736–3737).

 

Social and cultural water use has been licenced in specific instances. For example, stock and domestic groundwater use is licenced in the Northern Adelaide Plains PWA (NABCWMB, 2000). There are also a small number of water licences for recreational use in the Little Para PWC (AMLRNRMB, 2010) and Barossa PWRA (AMLRNRMB, 2009).