Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024C00760:front:0:p67
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024C00760
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 183498–186846

watering priorities

8.23 Obligation to identify annual environmental watering priorities
(1) A Basin State must, in relation to each water accounting period, identify annual environmental watering priorities for surface water in each water resource plan area (annual environmental watering priorities).
(2) A single instrument may identify:
            (a) the annual priorities for one year; or
            (b) the annual priorities for 2 or more years.

8.24 Content of annual environmental watering priorities

Identification of priorities
(1) Annual environmental watering priorities must identify priorities for the watering of priority environmental assets and priority ecosystem functions in the water resource plan area.
(2) Annual environmental watering priorities must identify, to the extent possible, the assumptions upon which the priorities were based, including:
            (a) expected holdings of held environmental water, including quantities, reliability, security class, licence type, limitations, and other characteristics of that water (including who holds that water); and
            (b) expected quantities of planned environmental water and the associated rules and arrangements relating to that water (including who manages that water).

Identification of possible co‑operative arrangements
(3) Annual environmental watering priorities must identify possible co‑operative arrangements (including possible co‑operative watering regimes) that:
            (a) may be made among any of the following:
                (i) holders of held environmental water;
                (ii) managers of planned environmental water;
                (iii) owners or managers of environmental assets; and
            (b) may deal with either or both of:
                (i) the delivery of environmental water within the water resource plan area;
                (ii) the delivery of environmental water between that area and upstream and downstream water resource plan areas; and
            (c) support the delivery of environmental water in accordance with the priorities identified in the Basin State's annual environmental watering priorities.

Incorporation of other material
(4) The annual environmental watering priorities may provide that a specified instrument or text, or specified part of an instrument or text, is part of the priorities.
Note: The level of detail in annual watering priorities may vary according to local conditions, and statutory and other arrangements prevailing in the water resource plan area.

8.25 Preparation of annual environmental watering priorities

Basin State must apply principles and use method in Part 6
(1) When identifying annual environmental watering priorities, a Basin State must apply the principles and use the method in Part 6.

Matters to which Basin State must have regard
(2) When identifying annual environmental watering priorities, a Basin State must have regard to:
            (a) the Basin‑wide environmental watering strategy (Division 2); and
            (b) any register of held environmental water maintained under the rules of the water resource plan for the water resource plan area; and
            (c) any register of held environmental water maintained by the Director of Meteorology; and
            (d) any environmental watering schedules to which the Authority