monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the Basin Plan. Together, these frameworks establish some guiding principles for best practice MERI in the context of environmental water. Consistent methods that enable synthesis of outcomes across different time scales (immediate, intermediate and longterm) and spatial scales (site, catchment and basin). Partnerships that are collaborative, complementary and (where possible) build on existing programs. Multiple lines of quantitative and qualitative evidence, including the best available scientific, local and cultural knowledge. Efficient and costeffective approaches that provide timely and relevant results. Meaningful evaluation, open access to information and feedback loops to facilitate transparent reporting and genuine adaptive management. The following sections discuss the extent to which this guidance is being put into practice. Monitoring and evaluation must focus on outcomes, not just flows The NWI is clear that the focus of monitoring and evaluation should be on environmental and other public benefit outcomes. Consistent with the principles outlined above, this means looking not only at the immediate hydrological results from flows, but also at the intermediate and longerterm ecological responses, at both local and basin scales. Ecological complexity makes monitoring environmental outcomes inherently difficult. Flow scenarios can be hard to replicate, responses take time to become evident, and it can be difficult to distinguish the contribution of environmental flows from other flows and waterway management issues. The costs involved in monitoring mean that effort must be commensurate with the risk to, and value of, these outcomes to the community. Jurisdictions such as Tasmania and the Northern Territory, which have not identified any overallocation, generally face a lower level of risk to their water resources. As a result, they have had less need to monitor the outcomes of flow delivery than jurisdictions with water resources that are under stress. Western Australia has focused its monitoring effort on highvalue locations that are under pressure, such as the Gnangara, Jandakot and Pilbara groundwater areas. A greater focus in such areas is appropriate, but even in locations where the risk is low, some monitoring of outcomes is needed to ensure planning arrangements remain sufficient to maintain the desired benefits over time. In higherrisk areas with shared water resources, such as the MDB, monitoring of outcomes is critical to ensure these resources are being managed sustainably. Where governments have sought to address overallocation and overuse by moving water from the consumptive pool to the environment, monitoring is particularly important to ensure that the water is used as effectively as possible and assess whether the costs have been justified.
Table B.6 State and territory government water registers a The NWI specifies registers should include both permanent and temporary trades. b 201516 trade volumes. .. Not applicable. Sources: ABARES (2017, fig. maps 1-5, 1-6, 1-9, 1-10); DELWP (Vic) (2017c); DENR (NT) (2017d); DPI (NSW) (2017b); DPIPWE (Tas) (2016b); DWER (WA) (2017b); EPSPD (ACT) (2017); Queensland Government (2016, 2017a); South Australian Government (2015, 2017b); Tasmanian Irrigation (2017b). Neither Victoria or New South Wales provide both the trade contract date and registration date, and it is not clear which date measure is used for the Queensland trade summaries. South Australia’s register does list two dates — a registration date and date transferred. The National Water Market System (NWMS) project, which commenced in 2008, sought to enable seamless data transfer between water registers (interoperability) and to provide uptodate water market information that was easily accessible. More than $30 million was invested in the NWMS, but the project was terminated in 2014. The NWC (2014c, p. 41) reported that ‘it is unclear which actions have been implemented and what, if any, objectives have been achieved’. One consequence of the NWMS being abandoned is that some planned improvements to state registers were not implemented. The NWMS developed a design for a common registry system that would have involved a national portal linked to high performance state registers. Some States delayed work on improving their own systems expecting that the NWMS would deliver useful results (NWC 2014c). The Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment reported that with the sudden withdrawal of Australian
Table B.35 Stakeholder engagement and consultation in water planning As at June 2017 a For the MurrayDarling Basin Plan. b For the development of Regional Waterway Strategies and Sustainable Water Strategies. c While the Water Act 1992 provides for the formation of water advisory committees, there is no legal requirement for consultation in preparing plans. d For the drafting of Environmental Flow Guidelines. e For the development of the ACT Water Strategy 2014–44. Sources: MDBA (nd); NWC (2014d); Responses to State and Territory information requests. States and Territories provide information to communities and stakeholders on the progress of water planning arrangements in their jurisdictions. For example, jurisdictions report progress on plan implementation and outcomes relative to the social, economic and environmental objectives set out in water plans (NWC 2014c). Reporting is done through various avenues such as: annual reports, evaluation reports and plan reviews. The timing and the detail of the reporting varies across jurisdictions (NWC 2011d). In 2014, the NWC noted, however, that ‘reporting on progress was rarely done well in practice’ and that this affected the transparency of decision making (NWC 2014c, p. 27). For example, the NWC found that in New South Wales and Tasmania the achievement of plan
—— 2017a, Sustainable water strategies, (accessed 5 April 2017). —— 2017b, Victorian Planning Provisions. —— 2017c, Victorian Water Register, http://waterregister.vic.gov.au/ (accessed 28 August 2017). —— 2017d, Victorian Waterway Management Program, https://www.water.vic.gov.au/ (accessed 26 July 2017). —— 2017e, Water Reporting: Groundwater June 2017. —— 2017f, Yarra River Protection. DENR (NT) (Department of Environment and Natural Resources (Northern Territory)) 2017a, About us, https://denr.nt.gov.au/about (accessed 16 August 2017). —— 2017b, Strategic Plan 2013–17, Palmerston. —— 2017c, Submission to the Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing in the Northern Territory, https://frackinginquiry.nt.gov.au/?a=429384 (accessed 6 June 2017). —— 2017d, Water licensing portal, (accessed 24 August 2017). Department of Industry (New South Wales) nd, Resources for Regions, (accessed 29 August 2017). DEPI (Vic) (Department of Environment and Primary Industries (Victoria)) 2013, Improving Our Waterways: Victorian Waterway Management Strategy, Melbourne. DEWNR (SA) (Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (South Australia)) n.d, Release of Unallocated Water Policy, Adelaide. —— 2013, Overallocation: Policy and Decision Support Framework, Adelaide, (accessed 1 September 2017). —— 2015a, Annual report 2014-15, Adelaide. —— 2015b, 2015-16 Annual Environmental Watering Plan for the South Australian River Murray, Adelaide. —— 2016a, A Guide to the Water Allocation Plan - Southern Basins and Musgrave Prescribed Wells Areas. —— 2016b, Natural Resources SA Murray-Darling Basin Wetland and Floodplain Program: Environmental watering review 2014–15, Adelaide. —— nd, Regional demand and supply statements, https://www.environment.sa.gov.au (accessed 18 July 2017).
—— 2016b, Replacement, Merged and New Water Sharing Plans Commenced 1 July 2016, http://www.water.nsw.gov.au/water-management/water-sharing/replacement-merged-new (accessed 11 April 2017). —— 2016c, Summary of Key Issues Considered in Coastal Water Sharing Plans Commenced or Replaced on 1 July 2016, http://www.water.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/ pdf_file/0008/660536/Summary-of-changes-to-coastal-plans.pdf (accessed 1 September 2017). —— 2017a, Controlled allocations, (accessed 19 March 2017). —— 2017b, NSW Water Register, http://www.water.nsw.gov.au/water-licensing/registers (accessed 19 April 2017). —— 2017c, Safe and Secure Water Program, (accessed 14 July 2017). —— 2017d, Snowy Water Initiative, (accessed 29 August 2017). —— nd, Aboriginal Communities Water and Sewerage Program, http://www.water.nsw.gov.au /urban-water/aboriginal-communities (accessed 8 June 2017). —— nd, Dam safety, (accessed 5 June 2017). —— nd, Frequently asked questions, (accessed 23 August 2017). —— nd, Regional Water and Waste Water Backlog Program, (accessed 9 June 2016). —— nd, Water Security for Regions, (accessed 9 June 2016). DPIPWE (Tas) (Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (Tasmania)) 2001, Emission Limit Guidelines for Sewage Treatment Plants that Discharge Pollutants into Fresh and Marine Waters, (accessed 1 September 2017). —— 2005a, Lakes Sorell and Crescent Water Management Plan, Hobart. —— 2005b, River Clyde Water Management Plan, Hobart. —— 2010, Tasmanian Environmental Flows (TEFlows) Project Technical Report, Report no. 9, Water Assessment Aquatic Ecology Report Series, Hobart. —— 2016a, Review of the implementation of Ministerial Policy 2015/1 Water Resource Management During Extreme Dry Conditions during 2015-16.
Hughes, N., Gupta, M. and Rathakumar, K. 2016, Lessons from the Water Market: The Southern Murray–Darling Basin Water Allocation Market 2000–01 to 2015–16, ABARES Research Report, 16.12, Canberra. Hunter, S. 2017, Independent Review of the Water Trigger Legislation, Australian Government. Hunter Water 2016, Paxton Catchment Improvement Program - Hunter Water, (accessed 26 May 2017). IA (Infrastructure Australia) 2015, March Assessment Brief, (accessed 24 May 2017). ICRC (Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission) 2013, Regulated Water and Sewerage Services: 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2019, Canberra. IES (Indigenous Essential Services) 2016, Annual Report: 2015-16. —— 2017, Drinking Water Quality Report: 2015-16. IFWG (Infrastructure Finance Working Group) 2012, Infrastructure Finance and Funding Reform, Infrastructure Australia, Canberra. IPA and WSAA (Infrastructure Partnerships Australia and Water Services Association of Australia) 2015, Doing the important, as well as the urgent: reforming the urban water sector. IPART (Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal) 2008, Review of Prices for Sydney Water Corporation’s Water, Sewerage, Stormwater and Other Services. —— 2016a, Licence Compliance Under the Water Industry Competition Act 2006 (NSW). —— 2016b, Review of prices for Hunter Water Corporation: from 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2020, Sydney. —— 2016c, Review of Prices for Sydney Water Corporation: From 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2020, Sydney. —— 2016d, Review of Prices for the Water Administration Ministerial Corporation from 1 July 2016, Water: Final Report, Sydney. —— 2016e, Review of prices for WaterNSW: from 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2020. —— 2017, Review of Prices for Rural Bulk Water Services from 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2021, Final Report, Sydney. —— Setting water prices, (accessed 30 August 2017). IWG (Interagency working group) 2016, Providing Water Information to the Commonwealth, Bureau of Meteorology, Canberra. Kirby, M. 2011, ‘Chapter 8: Irrigation’, in Prosser, I (ed), Water : science and solutions for Australia, CSIRO, Collingwood, Victoria.
Tan, P. and Jackson, S. 2013, ‘Impossible dreaming – does Australia’s water law and policy fulfil Indigenous aspirations?’, Environmental and Planning Law Journal, vol. 30, pp. Tasmanian Irrigation Pty Limited 2015, Swan Valley Irrigation District Overview Document, Tasmania. —— 2016a, 2015/16 Annual Report, Western Junction. —— 2016b, ‘Tasmania: Making a bright future with water’. —— 2016c, Water entitlement transaction fees, http://www.tasmanianirrigation.com.au/ uploads/docs/Water_Entitlement_transaction_fees_2016-17.pdf (accessed 9 August 2017). —— 2017a, Duck Newsletter April. —— 2017b, Irrigation Rights: Entitlement to an annual volume in an irrigation scheme, (accessed 24 August 2017). TasWater 2015, Price and Service Plan: 2015-18, Hobart. —— 2016, Corporate Plan: Financial Years 2017-19, Hobart. —— 2017, Boil water alerts, (accessed 4 September 2017). Utilities Commission (Northern Territory) 2017, Pricing, http://www.utilicom.nt.gov.au /WaterAndSewerage/Pages/Pricing.aspx (accessed 30 August 2017). VEWH (Victorian Environmental Water Holder) 2015, Reflections: Environmental watering in Victoria 2014-15, Melbourne. —— 2016a, Annual Report 2015-16, Melbourne. —— 2016b, Reflections: Environmental Watering in Victoria 2015-16, Melbourne. —— 2016c, Seasonal Watering Plan 2016-17, Melbourne. Victorian Auditor General’s Office 2000, Non-Metropolitan Urban Water Authorities: Enhancing Performance and Accountability. —— 2014, Effectiveness of Catchment Management Authorities, Victorian Auditor-General’s Report, Report 7 (2014-15), Melbourne. Victorian Government 2012, Victorian Government Gazette, vol. 42, pp. 2360–2366. Victorian Ombudsman 2011, Investigation into the Foodbowl Modernisation Project and Related Matters, Melbourne. WALAPAC (Western Australian Legislative Assembly Public Accounts Committee) 2011, Review of Selected Western Australian Infrastructure Projects, Report no. 14, Perth. Walker, D.J. 2002, The Behaviour and Future of the River Murray Mouth, Adelaide University, Adelaide.
Water Corporation 2017, Groundwater Replenishment Scheme, (accessed 24 July 2017). WaterNSW nd, Fact Sheet: Water Extraction Compliance, Dubbo. Watts, R.J., McCasker, N., Howitt, J.A., Thiem, J., Grace, M., Kopf, R.K., Healy, S. and Bond, N. 2016, Commonwealth Environmental Water Office Long-Term Intervention Monitoring Project: Edward-Wakool River System Selected Area Evaluation Report 2015-16, Charles Sturt University, Albury. WCMA (Wimmera Catchment Management Authority) 2014, Wimmera Waterway Strategy, Horsham. Webb, J., Watts, R., Allan, C. and Warner, A. 2017, ‘Principles for monitoring, evaluation, and adaptive management of environmental water regimes’, Water for the Environment, Academic Press, pp. 599–620. Webbe, S. and Weller, P. 2009, Brokering Balance: A Public Interest Map for Queensland Government Bodies, Brisbane. Western Australian Auditor General 2015, Delivering Essential Services to Remote Aboriginal Communities, Report no. 8. —— 2016, Ord-East Kimberley Development, Report no. 20, Perth. Western Australian Government 2003, Statewide Policy No 11 Management of Unused Licensed Water Entitlements. —— 2016, Resilient families, strong communities: a roadmap for regional and remote Aboriginal communities, Perth. WSAA (Water Services Association of Australia) 2014, The role of the urban water industry in contributing to liveability, Occasional Paper no. 30. —— 2016, National Urban Water Research Strategy. —— 2017, Next Gen Urban Water: the Role of Urban Water in Vibrant and Prosperous Communities. Pioneer Valley Water nd, Pioneer Valley Water, http://www.pvwater.com.au/ (accessed 21 May 2017).