Canberra
Water access

Water rights, entitlements, allocations and restrictions

a. Introduction

This note provides information about the water access rights granted by jurisdictions to the users of the region's water resources and the associated allocation announcements, diversions and forfeitures – adjustments. Information about restrictions to water access rights is also included in this note.

Information about restrictions to urban consumers is not included in this note, but rather in the Urban System's Interactions with the region note and the contextual information, in Water Rights, Operating rules and constraints.

Other arrangements, contracts or inter-basin agreements that may or may not result in the creation of water assets and water liabilities are not reported here. These can be found in the Surface water note, groundwater note and the urban system note.

The 2011 Account acknowledges the varying jurisdictional legislative water resource management frameworks related to Australian rights to water that support water resource management in Australia. The legislative water resource management frameworks vary greatly between jurisdictions, sometimes making comparisons difficult. To facilitate meaningful comparison between the water accounting reports included in the 2011 Account, the Bureau of Meteorology has developed and applied an accounting concept to classify and report water rights within a water-asset/water-liability framework

Surface water rights are categorised broadly into:

  • water rights that may not create a water liability: 32.1 Other statutory surface water rights and 32.2 Surface water access entitlement for direct diversion, or
  • water rights that may create a water liability: 32.3 Surface water access entitlement  for allocation diversion.
  • Groundwater rights are categorised broadly into:
  • water rights that may not create a water liability: 33.1 Other statutory groundwater rights and 33.2 Groundwater access entitlement for direct extraction, and
  • water rights that may create a water liability: 33.3 Groundwater access entitlement for allocation extraction.

In the National Water Account 'Other statutory water rights' are defined as water rights conferred by water legislation (a water act or water sharing plan), for which there is no individual entitlement.

b. Surface water rights

Tables 1 summarises, for the surface water resource, the annual volumes of the water right (entitlement on issue or estimation of the other statutory water rights), the allocations announced, the actual abstractions and use of allocation, and the forfeiture and adjustments of allocations, during the 2010–11 year.

The total water allocation announcement for urban purpose (line item 21.2) is assumed to equal 100% of the annual entitlement (line item 32.3).

Table 1. Summarised information on surface water rights, allocations, abstractions and forfeiture, adjustment for the Canberra region during the 2010–11 year

Water rights (at 30 June 2011)

Water allocation (2010–11)

Water abstraction/use (2010–11)

Forfeiture, adjustment (2010–11)

Reporting line item

Volume (ML)

Reporting line item

Volume (ML)

Reporting line item

Volume (ML)

Reporting line item

Volume (ML)

32.1 Other statutory surface water rights

 –

n/a 

 n/a 

17.6

–

n/a 

n/a 

32.2 Surface water access entitlement for direct abstraction

–

n/a 

 n/a 

17.7

1,188

n/a 

n/a 

32.3 Surface water access entitlement for allocation abstraction

 71,000

21.2

71,000

17.12

40,944

13.2

30,056

Total

 

 

71,000

 

42,132

 

30,056

– = no data available; n/a  = not applicable

Note that water allocations (21.2), abstraction/use (17.12) and forfeiture, adjustment (13.2) shown in the Tables 1 for the urban water systems, do not appear in the water accounting statements because they are transactions that occurred within the region. These transactions did not impact the region's water assets and water liabilities.

More information about the items presented in Table 1 is provided in the linked line item notes.

c. Groundwater rights

Tables 2 summarises, for the groundwater resource, the annual volumes of the water right (entitlement on issue or estimation of the other statutory water rights), the allocations announced, the actual abstractions and use of allocation, and the forfeiture and adjustments of allocations, during the 2010–11 year.


Table 2. Summarised information on groundwater rights, allocations, abstractions and forfeiture, adjustment for the Canberra region during the 2010–11 year

Water rights (at 30 June 2011)

Water allocation (2010-11)

Water abstraction/use (2010-11)

Forfeiture, adjustment (2010-11)

Reporting line item

Volume (ML)

Reporting line item

Volume (ML)

Reporting line item

Volume (ML)

Reporting line item

Volume (ML)

33.1 Other statutory groundwater rights

 –

n/a

n/a

18.7

 435

n/a

n/a

33.2 Groundwater access entitlement for direct extraction

2,860

n/a

n/a

18.8

 335

n/a

n/a

Sub-total

 2,860

 

 

 

 770

 

 

– = no data available; n/a  = not applicable

Water market activity

a. Water market activity

Purpose of the note

This region note reports on water market activities that occurred in the Canberra region during the 2010–11 year.

 

Content of the note

Only surface water trade is reported for the Canberra Region during 2010–11 as there were no ground water trades reported. Groundwater trade can occur, however no trades were reported for the 2010–11 year.

 

Surface water and groundwater trade


Table 1. Summarised information on the surface water and groundwater trade in the the Canberra region for the 2011 year

Line item

 Volume (ML)

Surface water entitlement trade

35.1 Trade of surface water entitlement within region

77.5

Groundwater entitlement trade

38.1 Trade of groundwater entitlement within region

–
– = not available

Water use

a. Environmental benefit

Introduction

Information on legislative, administrative and governing arrangements of environmental water in the Canberra region is available in the Environmental water management section of the Contextual information.

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate (ESDD) identifies and manages water for ecosystems under the Water Resources Act 2007 (ACT). The 2006 Environmental Flow Guidelines is a statutory instrument that is used to determine allowable volumes when licensing the taking of water. These guidelines are consistent with the Territory Plan 2008 and use the precautionary principle in accordance with the Intergovernmental Agreement on the Environment (1992). Throughout 2011–12 the 2006 Environmental Flow Guidelines will be reviewed and updated, the 2011 Environmental Flow Guidelines are available in draft form. 

In this note, the information, if available, is structured as follows:

  • Key ecological values that the environmental water regime is set to support.
  • Environmental water determinations: the environmental objectives. They are represented by Environmental Water Provisions (EWP) defining specific water levels and flow criteria at key representative sites that the water regime provided must meet.
  • Environmental water commitments: the instruments in place to achieve the environmental water determination, e.g. environmental water storage release rules, water access rules to limit abstractions, rules on diversion to wetlands and annual environmental watering plans.
  • Environmental water outcomes: the water regime that were provided and the extent of the compliance with respect to the criteria set in the EWP and the environmental water commitments.
Key ecological values

Table 3. Types of aquatic ecosystems and their location

Category of Aquatic Ecosystem1

Description

Management Goal

Water Bodies2 in this Category

Natural ecosystems

(Conservation catchments)

Ecosystems that have persisted in a relatively pristine condition

Primary goal: maintain aquatic ecosystems in their pristine state, Secondary goals: Range of functions including recreation

Water bodies in Namadgi National Park, excepting the Cotter River catchment

Water bodies in Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve

Water supply ecosystems

(Water supply catchments)

Ecosystems in catchments designated to provide the ACT water supply

Primary goal: provide water supply
Secondary goals: Range of functions including conservation and recreation

Water bodies in the Cotter River catchment

The Googong Foreshore Area and the Queanbeyan River downstream of Googong Dam3

Modified ecosystems

(Conservation catchments)

Ecosystems modified by catchment activities (land use change, discharges) or by changes to the flow regime

Range of functions including recreation, conservation and irrigation

All water bodies not included in the other three categories. Includes the Murrumbidgee and Molonglo Rivers, and Lake Burley Griffin

Created ecosystems

(Drainage and open space catchments)

Ecosystems in urban lakes, ponds and streams that have developed as a result of urbanisation

Range of functions including recreation, conservation and irrigation

Water bodies within the urban area excluding the Molonglo River

 Source: ACT Government, ESDD

1 Both the terminology used to describe aquatic ecosystems, for environmental flow purposes, and in the Territory Plan are provided. The ecosystems specified in the Territory Plan are in parentheses.

2 Waterbodies include all streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, reservoirs, and aquifers.

3 Queanbeyan River and the Googong Foreshore are not identified as water supply catchments in the Territory Plan, but are considered water supply ecosystems for the purposes of setting environmental flow guidelines.



Table 4. Ecological objectives for the ACT aquatic ecosystems

Ecosystem and Reach

Objective

Indicators

Water supply catchment ecosystems

Corin Dam to Bendora Reservoir

To maintain populations of two-spined blackfish

Young of year and year 1+ ages classes comprise >40% of the monitoring catch and,

 Catch is >80 fish per standard monitoring effort as per the protocols in Lintermans (2004).

Corin Dam to Bendora Reservoir

Maintain population numbers and distribution of the Cotter River frog

Extant populations are maintained at current levels.

Bendora Dam to Cotter Reservoir

To maintain populations of Macquarie perch

Young of year and year 1+ ages classes comprise >30% of the monitoring catch, and

 >40 fish captured per standard monitoring effort as per the protocols in Lintermans (2004)

 Bendora Dam to Cotter Reservoir

To maintain populations of two-spined blackfish

Young of year and year 1+ age classes comprise >40% of the monitoring catch, and

 Catch is >80 fish per standard monitoring effort as per the protocols in Lintermans (2004)

Below Cotter Dam

To maintain populations of Macquarie perch

Young of year and year 1+ ages comprise >30% of the monitoring catch, and

 >40 fish captured per standard monitoring effort as per the protocols in Lintermans (2004).

All reaches

To maintain healthy aquatic ecosystems in terms of biota

Macroinvertebrate assemblages are maintained at AUSRIVAS band A level assessed using protocols in the ACT AUSRIVAS sampling and processing manual (http://ausrivas.canberra.edu/au/ausrivas)

 Non-dominance (<20% cover) of filamentous algae in riffles for 95% of the time. Assessed using standardised collection and processing methods as per Norris et al (2004).

To prevent degradation of riverine habitat through sediment deposition

Sediment deposition is limited to <20% of total depth of pools measured at base flow using techniques as per Ecowise Environmental (2005).

 

Natural ecosystems

All reaches

To maintain healthy aquatic ecosystems in terms of biota see above

Macroinvertebrate assemblages are maintained at AUSRIVAS band A level. Assessed using protocols as per the ACT AUSRIVAS sampling and processing manual (http://ausrivas.canberra.edu/au/ausrivas)

 Non-dominance (<20% cover) of filamentous algae in riffles for 95% of the time. Assessed using standardised collection and processing methods as per Norris et al (2004).

To prevent degradation of riverine habitat through sediment deposition

Sediment deposition is limited to <20% of total depth of pools measured at base flow using techniques per Ecowise Environmental (2005) methods

 

Modified ecosystems

All reaches

To maintain healthy aquatic ecosystems in terms of biota

Macroinvertebrate assemblages are maintained at AUSRIVAS band A level. Assessed using protocols as per the ACT AUSRIVAS sampling and processing manual (http://ausrivas.canberra.edu/au/ausrivas)

 Non-dominance (<20% cover) of filamentous algae in riffles for 95% of the time. Assessed using standardised collection and processing methods as per Norris et al (2004).

To prevent degradation of riverine habitat through sediment deposition

Sediment deposition is limited to<20% of total depth of pools measured at base flow using techniques per Ecowise Environmental (2005) methods.

To prevent degradation of macrophytes in urban lakes and ponds

Extent of emergent macrophyte beds are maintained at current levels or enhanced.

  

Created ecosystems

All reaches

To maintain healthy aquatic ecosystems in terms of biota

Macroinvertebrate assemblages are maintained at AUSRIVAS band A level. Assessed using protocols as per the ACT AUSRIVAS sampling and processing manual (http://ausrivas.canberra.edu/au/ausrivas)

 Non-dominance (<20% cover) of filamentous algae in riffles for 95% of the time. Assessed using standardised collection and processing methods as per Norris et al (2004).

To prevent degradation of riverine habitat through sediment deposition

Sediment deposition is limited to<20% of total depth of pools measured at base flow using techniques per Ecowise Environmental (2005) methods.

To prevent degradation of macrophytes in urban lakes and ponds

Extent of emergent macrophyte beds are maintained at current levels or enhanced.

 Source: ACT Government, ESDD

 Environmental water determination

Water for environmental benefit in the region is provided as 'planned partly regulated surface water'. The dominant feature of environmental water management in this scenario is the ability to control or influence flow by operational releases from storage.

In the ACT, environmental flows are based on the recognition that aquatic ecosystems are adapted to natural levels of flows. Environmental flow requirements in the Canberra region have been defined for each type of ecosystem at specific reaches within the water supply catchments as shown in Table 5, extracted from the 2006 Environmental Flow Guidelines. Different flow regimes and requirements have been established to correspond to the level of water restrictions that can be imposed by ESDD.

It should be noted that percentile flows within the Environmental Flow Guidelines refers to the flow at which a certain percentage of the measured data exceeds. For example, the 80th percentile is defined as the flow that is exceeded at least 80% of the time.

Table 5. Summary of Environmental Flow Requirements for the ACT

Flow

Ecosystem Category

Reach

Flow Requirement

Base flows

 

Water supply ecosystems

Above Corin Dam

Maintenance of all natural flows

 

 

Above Googong Dam and any impoundment on the Naas/Gudgenby Rivers

Maintenance of all natural flows except those needed for stock and domestic purposes, and that already provided for at the time these guidelines are listed.

 

 

Below Corin Dam

Maintain 75% of the 80th percentile of the monthly natural inflow, or inflow, whichever is less

 

 

Below Bendora Dam

Maintain 75% of the 80th percentile of the monthly natural inflow, or inflow, whichever is less

 

 

Below Cotter Dam

Maintain an average flow of 15 ML /day

 

 

Below Googong Dam

Maintain an average flow of 10 ML/day or natural inflow which ever is the lesser volume

 

 

Below any impoundment on the Naas/Gudgenby Rivers

Maintain an average flow of 10 ML/day or natural inflow which ever is the lesser volume

 

Natural ecosystems

All reaches in natural ecosystems

Maintain 80th percentile monthly flow in all months. Abstractions may not exceed flow rate.

 

Modified ecosystems

Murrumbidgee River

Maintain 80th percentile monthly flow November–May, and

90th percentile monthly flow June–October inclusive.

Abstractions may not exceed flow rate.

 

 

Other reaches in the ACT in modified ecosystems

Maintain 80th percentile monthly flow in all months.

Abstractions may not exceed flow rate.

 

Created ecosystems

All reaches in created ecosystems

Maintain 80th percentile monthly flow in all months. Abstractions may not exceed flow rate.

Riffle maintenance flows

 

Water supply ecosystems

Below Corin Dam

Maintain a flow of 150 ML/Day for 3 consecutive days every 2 months

 

 

Below Bendora Dam

Maintain a flow of 150 ML/Day for 3 consecutive days every 2 months

 

 

Below Cotter Dam

Maintain a flow of 100 ML/Day for 1 day every 2 months

 

 

Below Googong Dam

Maintain a flow of 100 ML/Day for 1 day every 2 months

 

 

Below any impoundment on the Naas/Gudgenby Rivers

Maintain a flow of 100 ML/Day for 1 day every 2 months

 

Natural ecosystems

All reaches in Natural ecosystems

Riffle maintenance flows are not required

 

Modified ecosystems

All reaches in Modified ecosystems

Riffle maintenance flows are not required

 

Created ecosystems

All reaches in Created ecosystems

Riffle maintenance flows are not required

 

Pool maintenance flows

 

Water supply ecosystems

Below Corin Dam

Maintain a flow of >550ML/day for 2 consecutive days between mid-July and mid-October

 

 

Below Bendora Dam

Maintain a flow of >550ML/day for 2 consecutive days between mid-July and mid-October

 

 

Below Cotter Dam

Not required

 

 

Below Googong Dam

Not required

 

 

Below any impoundment on the Naas/Gudgenby Rivers

Not required

Channel maintenance flows

 

Natural ecosystems

All reaches in Natural ecosystems

Protect 90% of the volume in events above the 80th percentile from abstraction

 

Modified ecosystems

All reaches in the ACT including the Murrumbidgee

Protect 90% of the volume in events above the 80th percentile from abstraction

 

Created ecosystems

All reaches in created ecosystems

Protect 90% of the volume in events above the 80th percentile from abstraction

Groundwater abstraction limits

 

Water supply ecosystems

All Reaches

Groundwater abstraction is limited to 10% of the long term recharge

 

Natural ecosystems

All reaches in natural ecosystems

Groundwater abstraction is limited to 10% of the long term recharge

 

Modified ecosystems

All reaches in the ACT including the Murrumbidgee

Groundwater abstraction is limited to 10% of the long term recharge

 

Created ecosystems

All reaches

Groundwater abstraction is limited to 10% of the long term recharge

Impoundment drawdown levels

 

Water supply ecosystems

Cotter Reservoir

An adaptive management program will be used to guide drawdown to protect habitat for Macquarie Perch

 

 

All other water supply impoundments

No limits are placed on drawdown levels

 

Natural ecosystems

All natural lakes or ponds

No abstraction is permitted from natural lakes or ponds

 

 

All other impoundments

Drawdown is limited to 0.20m below the spillway1

 

Modified ecosystems

All impoundments

Drawdown is limited to 0.20m below the spillway1

 

Created ecosystems

All impoundments

Drawdown is limited to 0.20m below the spillway1

 

Drought flows for water supply ecosystems

Stage 1 restrictions

Base flows

 

 

Above Corin Dam

Maintenance of all natural flows

 

 

Above Googong Dam and any impoundment on the Naas/Gudgenby Rivers

Maintenance of all natural flows except those needed for stock and domestic purposes, and that already provided for at the time these guidelines are listed.

 

 

Below Corin Dam

Maintain a flow of 40 ML/day

or 75% of the 80th percentile of the monthly natural inflow, or natural inflow whichever is lesser volume

 

 

Below Bendora Dam

Maintain a flow of 40 ML/day

or 75% of the 80th percentile of the monthly natural inflow, or natural inflow whichever is the lesser volume

 

 

Below Cotter Dam

Maintain an average flow of 15 ML /day

 

 

Below Googong Dam

Maintain an average flow of 10 ML/day or natural inflow, whichever is the lesser volume

 

 

Below any impoundment on the Naas/Gudgenby Rivers

Maintain an average of 10 ML/day or natural inflow, whichever is the lesser volume

Riffle maintenance flows

 

 

Below Corin Dam

Maintain a flow of 150 ML/day for 3 consecutive days every 2 months

 

 

Below Bendora Dam

Maintain a flow of 150 ML/day for 3 consecutive days every 2 months

 

 

Below Cotter Dam

Not required

 

 

Below Googong Dam

Not required

 

 

Below any impoundment on the Naas/Gudgenby Rivers

Not required

Pool maintenance flows

 

 

Below Corin Dam

Maintain a flow of >550ML/day for 2 consecutive days between mid-July and mid-October

 

 

Below Bendora Dam

Maintain a flow of >550ML/day for 2 consecutive days between mid-July and mid-October

 

 

Below Cotter Dam

Not required

 

 

Below Googong Dam

Not required

 

 

Below any impoundment on the Naas/Gudgenby Rivers

Not required

 

Drought flows for water supply ecosystems

Stage 2 restrictions or above

Base flows

 

 

Above Corin Dam

Maintenance of all natural flows

 

 

Above Googong Dam and any impoundment on the Naas/Gudgenby Rivers

Maintenance of all natural flows except those needed for stock and domestic purposes, and that already provided for at the time these guidelines are listed.

 

 

Below Corin Dam

Maintain an average of 20 ML/day

 

 

Below Bendora Dam

Maintain an average of 20 ML/day

 

 

Below Cotter Dam

Maintain an average of 15 ML/day

 

 

Below Googong Dam

Maintain an average of 10 ML/day or inflow, whichever is the lesser volume

 

 

Below any impoundment on the Naas/Gudgenby Rivers

Maintain an average of 10 ML/day or natural inflow, whichever is less

Riffle maintenance flows

 

 

Below Corin Dam

Maintain a flow of 150 ML/day for 3 consecutive days every 2 months

 

 

Below Bendora Dam

Maintain a flow of 150 ML/day for 3 consecutive days every 2 months

 

 

Below Cotter Dam

Not required

 

 

Below Googong Dam

Not required

 

 

Below any impoundment on the Naas/Gudgenby Rivers

Not required

Pool maintenance flows

 

 

Below Corin Dam

Maintain a flow of >550ML/day for 2 consecutive days between mid-July and mid-October

 

 

Below Bendora Dam

Maintain a flow of >550ML/day for 2 consecutive days between mid-July and mid-October

 

 

Below Cotter Dam

Not required

 

 

Below Googong Dam

Not required

 

 

Below any impoundment on the Naas/Gudgenby Rivers

Not required

Source: ACT Government, ESDD

Note 1: For urban lakes and ponds constructed after these guidelines the maximum drawdown as a result of abstraction is 0.20 m below spillway level, or a lower level if it can be demonstrated that a pond has been explicitly designed to fulfil its required water quality and ecological functions under the proposed drawdown regime.

 

Environmental water commitments

The water access rules and environmental water release rules are set to meet the environmental flow requirements specified in Table 5. In the ACT environmental flows are achieved by strategic releases or spills from storages or restricting the volume of water that can be abstracted form a subcatchment. 

 

Environmental water outcomes

Detailed information on environmental water outcomes is available in the 2006 Environmental Flow Guidelines.