General Purpose Water Accounting Report 2009-2010 ... · Accounting Standards 1 (ED AWAS 1)’ which defines the structure for preparing a ‘General Purpose Water Accounting Report

Leading policy and reform in sustainable water management

General Purpose Water Accounting Report 2009–2010Murrumbidgee

Publisher

NSW Office of Water

Level 17, 227 Elizabeth Street GPO Box 3889 Sydney NSW 2001

T 02 8281 7777 F 02 8281 7799

[email protected]

www.water.nsw.gov.au

The NSW Office of Water is a separate office within the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water. The Office of Water manages the policy and regulatory frameworks for the State’s surface water and groundwater resources to provide a secure and sustainable water supply for all users. The Office of Water also supports water utilities in the provision of water and sewerage services throughout New South Wales.

General Purpose Water Accounting Report 2009-2010: MurrumbidgeeJanuary 2011

ISBN 978 0 7313 3479 7

A description of the Murrumbidgee catchment, Water resources and management overview: Murrumbidgee Catchment has been published in conjunction with this report.

Acknowledgment

Soil data for groundwater methodologies provided by the Natural Resources Data Programs (soils) unit of the NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water.

This report may be cited as:

Burrell M., Moss P., Green D., Ali A., Petrovic J. (2011) General Purpose Water Accounting Report 2009-2010: Murrumbidgee, NSW Office of Water, Sydney

Cover photo: Tumut River at Tumut (courtesy of Dayle Green)

© State of New South Wales through the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water, 2011

This material may be reproduced in whole or in part for educational and non-commercial use, providing the meaning is unchanged and its source, publisher and authorship are clearly and correctly acknowledged.

Disclaimer: While every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that this document is correct at the time of publication, the State of New South Wales, its agents and employees, disclaim any and all liability to any person in respect of anything or the consequences of anything done or omitted to be done in reliance upon the whole or any part of this document.

Maps: The maps are to be used as a general guide for regional and local scale natural resource planning and management only, not for the assessment of specific sites which can only be assessed by investigation specific to those sites.

The maps are published by the NSW Office of Water. While every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in the maps, you should only satisfy yourself as to the accuracy of the information before relying on it.

The State of New South Wales, its agents and employees, disclaim any and all liability to any person in respect of anything or the consequences of anything done or omitted to be done in reliance upon the whole or any part of this maps.

NOW 10_373.2

General Purpose Water Accounting Report 2009-2010: Murrumbidgee

Background

Following the intergovernmental agreement on the National Water Initiative, the Water Accounting

Standards Board (WASB), which operates as an independent advisory board to the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) was formed with the task of implementing a national standard for water accounting. This process has resulted in the production of the ‘Exposure Draft of Australian Water

Accounting Standards 1 (ED AWAS 1)’ which defines the structure for preparing a ‘General Purpose Water Accounting Report (GPWAR)’, and following a consultation and review phase will transition to the Australian Water Accounting Standard (AWAS)

This document is a water account for the regulated component of the Murrumbidgee River, and the groundwater aquifers of the Murrumbidgee Catchment (the Entity), prepared by the NSW Office of Water, under the ED AWAS 1 framework for the 2009-10 water year. This GPWAR aims to provide a

consolidated and informative summary of the water resource and water management that occurred within the valley for the reporting period.

A General Purpose Water Accounting Report prepared in accordance with the ED AWAS 1 contains:

A contextual statement – detailing the climate and water management in place for the reporting period (2009-10)

A statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities for 2009-10

A statement of Change in Water Assets and Water Liabilities for 2009-10

A statement of Physical Water Flows for 2009-10

Disclosures/Notes – A section of notes referenced to line items within the above

statements that explain in detail the source of the data, how the number was derived and the expected uncertainty associated with the number. This section also contains reconciliation statements required by the ED AWAS 1

An assurance statement

An accountability statement

i | NSW Office of Water, January 2011


Contents

Background .............................................................................................................................................i

1 Contextual statement .................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 The Murrumbidgee Catchment ........................................................................................... 1 1.3 Geographic extent of the Murrumbidgee General Purpose Water Accounting

Report Entity ....................................................................................................................... 2 1.4 Climate ................................................................................................................................ 4 1.5 Policy................................................................................................................................. 13 1.6 Management ..................................................................................................................... 13

1.6.1 Surface water........................................................................................................ 13 1.6.2 Groundwater ......................................................................................................... 15

1.7 Environmental Water ........................................................................................................ 16

General Purpose Water Accounting Report Statements ...................................................................... 18 Water Accounting Statement Descriptions.................................................................................. 19 Other Statement Descriptions ..................................................................................................... 22 Accountability Statement............................................................................................................. 23 Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities........................................................................ 24 Statement of Change in Water Assets and Water Liabilities ...................................................... 25 Statement of Change in Water Assets and Water Liabilities ...................................................... 26 Statement of Change in Water Assets and Water Liabilities ...................................................... 27

Disclosures ........................................................................................................................................... 30 Reconciliation and future prospect descriptions ......................................................................... 31 Reconciliation of change in net water assets to change in physical storage.............................. 31 Reconciliation of closing water storage to total surface water assets......................................... 31 Water assets available to settle water liabilities and future commitments within 12 months of reporting date.............................................................................................................. 32 Surface water storage ................................................................................................................. 33 River channel storage ................................................................................................................. 34 Intervalley Trade Account (IVT) .................................................................................................. 35 Groundwater storage................................................................................................................... 38 Allocation accounts ..................................................................................................................... 40 Storage inflow.............................................................................................................................. 42 Gauged inflow ............................................................................................................................. 44 Ungauged inflow.......................................................................................................................... 45 Return flows (including re-credit) ................................................................................................ 46 Ground water balance methodologies ........................................................................................ 47 Environmental provisions ............................................................................................................ 51 Snowy Borrow ............................................................................................................................. 53 Internal trading ............................................................................................................................ 54 Storage evaporation and storage rainfall .................................................................................... 55 River Evaporation and river rainfall ............................................................................................. 56 End of system flow ...................................................................................................................... 57 Diversions to Lowbidgee ............................................................................................................. 59 Uncontrolled flow......................................................................................................................... 61 Supplementary extraction............................................................................................................ 62 Basic rights.................................................................................................................................. 63

ii | NSW Office of Water, January 2011


Available Water Determination (AWD) – Regulated River.......................................................... 64 Unaccounted volume................................................................................................................... 69 Extractions................................................................................................................................... 71 Held environmental water............................................................................................................ 72 Storage releases ......................................................................................................................... 74 River inflow from storage releases.............................................................................................. 75 Snowy-Tumut Required Annual Release (RAR)......................................................................... 76

Assurance Statement ........................................................................................................................... 78

References .......................................................................................................................................... 79

Tables Table 1: Opening announcements for 2009-10 water year (1 July 2009)........................................... 14 Table 2: Water made available 2009-10 ............................................................................................. 14 Table 3: Environmental uses of water in 2009-10............................................................................... 17 Table 4: Summary of significant water accounting policies................................................................. 20 Table 5: Water account data accuracy estimates key......................................................................... 22

Figures Figure 1: Surface water geographical extent of the accounts ............................................................... 2 Figure 2: Groundwater area included in accounts ................................................................................ 4 Figure 3: Rainfall total for 2009-10 ........................................................................................................ 5 Figure 4: 2009-10 rainfall variation from comparative historic period (1961-1990)............................... 6 Figure 5: Monthly rainfall during 2009-10 compared with long term quartiles and long term

median at Queanbeyan (length of record: 1870-2010).......................................................... 7 Figure 6: Monthly rainfall during 2009-10 compared with long term quartiles and long term

median at Wagga Wagga (length of record: 1898-2010)....................................................... 8 Figure 7: Monthly rainfall during 2009-10 compared with long term quartiles and long term

median at Hay (length of record: 1878-2010) ........................................................................ 9 Figure 8: Mean maximum temperature for 2009-10............................................................................ 10 Figure 9: 2009-10 Mean maximum temperature variation from long term record............................... 11 Figure 10: Annual inflows to Burrinjuck Dam with the reporting period shown in red......................... 12 Figure 11: Monthly inflows to Burrinjuck dam for 2009-10 compared to long term monthly

quartiles and median (1890-2010) .................................................................................... 12 Figure 12: Groundwater levels near Narrandera................................................................................. 16

iii | NSW Office of Water, January 2011


iv | NSW Office of Water, January 2011

Abbreviations Acronym Description

AWAS Australian Water Accounting Standard

AWD Available Water Determination

BoM Bureau of Meteorology

CAIRO Computer Aided Improvements to River Operations

CIA Coleambally Irrigation Area

DECCW NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water

DISV Dry Inflow Sequence Volume

DRB Daily Release Balance

ED AWAS 1 Exposure Draft of the Australian Water Accounting Standards 1

EWA Environmental Water Allowance

GIS Geographic Information System

GMU Groundwater Management Unit

GPWAR General Purpose Water Accounting Report

IQQM Integrated Quantity and Quality Model

MDBA Murray-Darling Basin Authority

MIA Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area

MIL Murray Irrigation Limited

ML Megalitres (1,000,000 litres)

MODFLOW Modular Three Dimensional Finite-Difference Groundwater Flow Model

NSW New South Wales

QLD Queensland

RAR Required Annual Release

WASB Water Accounting Standards Board

WSP Water Sharing Plan


1 Contextual statement

1.1 Introduction

This statement is prepared under the Exposure Draft of Australian Water Accounting Standards 1 (ED AWAS 1), as defined by the Water Accounting Standards Board (WASB).

“The Contextual Statement shall provide information that enables users to understand the physical and administrative aspects of the water report entity. It shall contain contextual information about the water assets and water liabilities of the water report

entity, including any conditions that have an impact on the management of those water assets and water liabilities” Paragraph 48 (ED AWAS 1).

The contextual statement descriptive text is specific to the period being presented in the accounts

(1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010)

1.2 The Murrumbidgee Catchment The Murrumbidgee Catchment in southern NSW is bordered by the Great Dividing Range to the east,

the Lachlan catchment to the north and the Murray catchment to the south. The Murrumbidgee River flows for almost 1,600 kilometres, rising in the Monaro Plains near Cooma and flowing westward

towards its junction with the Murray River near Balranald. The climate is extremely diverse ranging from alpine conditions in the Snowy Mountains where elevations are over 2,200 metres to semi-arid conditions on the Riverina plains where elevations are less than 50 metres.

With an area of 84,000 square kilometres, the Murrumbidgee Catchment supports a population of approximately 520,000 people. It includes the Australian Capital Territory and national capital

Canberra (314,000 people) and Wagga Wagga, the largest inland city in NSW (57,000 people). The catchment also supports numerous regional cities and towns including Cooma, Tumut, Narrandera, Griffith, Leeton, Hay and Balranald.

The Murrumbidgee River is regulated by Burrinjuck Dam at the junction of the Yass and Goodradigbee Rivers near Yass. The valley also receives water from the Snowy Mountains Scheme which is stored

in Blowering Dam on the Tumut River. In the middle reaches of the catchment a series of regulated effluents comprising the Yanco Creek system leave the river and flow southwest to eventually join the Murray River. The lower reaches of the Murrumbidgee River is known as the Lowbidgee, a broad

floodplain where the river degrades into a complex area of effluent channels and swamps.

Groundwater is also an important source of water for industry and agriculture in the catchment. The

groundwater and surface water systems in the catchment have a range of connectivity which vary from being highly connected, with the relationship changing seasonally, to longer term variations or permanently disconnected. The interaction is influenced by surface and groundwater use, climate and

flood frequency, significance and duration.

Major irrigation districts have developed around Griffith and Leeton producing fruit, vegetables, wine

and rice. Outside of these areas the dominant agricultural land uses are grazing and dryland cropping.

Supporting a complex range of natural ecosystems, the Murrumbidgee Catchment contains many

significant wetland habitats such as the extensive Lowbidgee wetlands, and Tuckerbill and Fivebough Swamps, listed under the Ramsar Convention for international ecological importance. Extensive areas of riparian river red gum forest along the middle and lower reaches of the river provide valuable

riparian habitat for waterbirds and a variety of threatened fauna species.

More detailed information on the catchment is available in Water resources and management overview – Murrumbidgee Catchment published in conjunction with this report is available on the NSW

Office of Water website at www.water.nsw.gov.au.

1 | NSW Office of Water, January 2011

http://www.water.nsw.gov.au/


1.3 Geographic extent of the Murrumbidgee General Purpose Water Accounting Report Entity

Surface Water

Inclusions

This report covers the areas as illustrated in Figure 1, which includes the Murrumbidgee Regulated

River System, from Burrinjuck and Blowering Dams, to its confluence with the Murray River downstream of Balranald, Billabong Creek to its junction with the Edward River downstream of Darlot, Yanco Creek and Colombo Creek. A full list of the water courses considered to be part of the

regulated Murrumbidgee River can be obtained in the Water Sharing Plan for the Murrumbidgee Regulated River Water Source 2003 available on the NSW Office of Water website at www.water.nsw.gov.au.

The accounts include the licence allocation systems of the regulated Murrumbidgee River, including available water determinations, extractions, trading, forfeit and carryover.

Exclusions

The water accounting statements do not consider unregulated water sources (other than runoff to regulated reaches), storage reserves and dead storage (only total storage volumes are considered for the account statements). While storage reserves and dead storage are not considered in the water

accounting statements, they do however form part of the reconciliations presented in the disclosures section.

Figure 1: Surface water geographical extent of the accounts




Groundwater

Inclusions

Areas for groundwater included in this General Purpose Water Accounting Report are illustrated in

Figure 2. It should be noted that the methodologies used within the defined area, and also the number of water balance parameters able to be defined vary considerably and is dependant upon:

• Whether a groundwater model is available for the area (Method A)

• For areas where a model is absent, the availability of monitoring bore data for 2009-10 (Method B

or Method C)

Groundwater balances for the 2009-10 reporting period utilised data from two different methods (method A and method C). Areas covered by method A allow a full water balance to be achieved and include the following parameters:

• assumed groundwater volume asset (twice licensed share component on 30 June 2006)

• recharge (rainfall, irrigation, flood)

• aquifer gain from river

• aquifer loss to river

• lateral flows

• pumping

• evapotranspiration

In the areas covered by method C, data is extremely limited and as a result only a simple balance can be achieved, with the assumption that the groundwater volume remains steady state. The parameters included in the account for these areas are:

• recharge

• an estimate of pumping

• a loss or gain adjustment to maintain steady state (no volume is considered as an asset)

Further information on the selected methods can be located in Note 10.

The Lower Murrumbidgee groundwater model applies to the area defined by the Lower Murrumbidgee Groundwater Management Unit (GMU) which extends beyond the Murrumbidgee Catchment

boundary into the Lachlan catchment.

Exclusions

Groundwater areas other than that illustrated in Figure 2 are excluded. All non-physical transactions

(e.g. available water determinations, trade) have been excluded.



Figure 2: Groundwater area included in accounts

1.4 Climate

The highest rainfall in 2009-10 (Figure 3) occurred in locations to the south east of the Murrumbidgee including the Snowy Mountains where over 1000 mm occurred for the year. East of Wagga Wagga rainfall generally exceeded 700 mm. In the far west of the catchment towards the junction with the

Murray near Balranald the annual rainfall was much lower ranging between 350 and 400 mm.

When compared to the long term trends (Figure 4), the 2009-10 rainfall patterns were generally in line, or slightly below (0-100 mm) the averages of a selected reference period (1961 to 1990). Areas to the

south east of Balranald and immediately north of Wagga Wagga experienced a wetter season generally receiving 100 to 200 mm more than the comparative reference period. The Snowy Mountains and the immediate surrounding areas, which are significant to the water resource situation

for the Murrumbidgee Catchment received rainfall below the historic reference period, with the anomaly for 2009-10 ranging from 100 to 400 mm lower than the comparative sequence.



Figure 3: Rainfall total for 2009-10

Layer source: CSIRO



Figure 4: 2009-10 rainfall variation from comparative historic period (1961-1990)

Layer source: CSIRO, Bureau of Meteorology



The quartile plots following (Figure 5 to Figure 7) provide an insight to monthly rainfall patterns for the reporting period compared to long term historic data. Common to all locations was a significantly wet

period throughout February and March of 2010.

March 2010 rainfall at Wagga Wagga was in fact the wettest March on record with 153 mm recorded. Interestingly, this sequence followed one of the lowest recorded monthly rainfalls, with falls in January

2010 totalling just 2.2 mm. While Queanbeyan experienced lower than normal rainfall in January, the severity was not as pronounced as in Wagga Wagga. January rainfall in the lower western end of the catchment was close to the long term median as indicated by the data at Hay.

Winter and spring rainfall tended to be below the long term medians in Wagga Wagga and Hay, while in the more eastern location of Queanbeyan, the rainfall was very close to the long term median.

Figure 5: Monthly rainfall during 2009-10 compared with long term quartiles and long term median at Queanbeyan (length of record: 1870-2010)

Monthly rainfall at Queanbeyan

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Figure 6: Monthly rainfall during 2009-10 compared with long term quartiles and long term median at Wagga Wagga (length of record: 1898-2010)

Monthly rainfall at Wagga Wagga

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Figure 7: Monthly rainfall during 2009-10 compared with long term quartiles and long term median at Hay (length of record: 1878-2010)

Monthly rainfall at Hay

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The mean maximum temperature across the Murrumbidgee Catchment for 2009-10 displays a pattern decreasing with elevation, and increasing along an east to west gradient (Figure 8). Mean maximum

temperatures were highest in the far northwest of the catchment around Balranald (between 25-26°C) and lowest around the peaks of the Snowy Mountains (9-10°C).

When the 2009-10 mean maximum temperatures are compared to a long term comparative period

(1961-1990) it is evident that almost all areas in the Murrumbidgee experienced higher mean maximum temperatures (Figure 9). The most extreme impact can be seen in the central Murrumbidgee, south of Griffith, where the mean maximum 2009-10 temperature was 3.0°C above the

reference period. These warmer conditions, located around the main irrigation areas of the Murrumbidgee would be expected to cause increased evapotranspiration rates, and associated higher water demand from the crops.



Figure 8: Mean maximum temperature for 2009-10

Layer source: CSIRO



Figure 9: 2009-10 mean maximum temperature variation from long term record

Layer source: CSIRO, Bureau of Meteorology

Annual inflows to Burrinjuck Dam (Figure 10) for 2009-10 (463,752 ML) were significantly lower than the annual average inflow of 1,246,000 ML (based on inflows produced from combining historical backcalculation inflows with rainfall runoff modelling for the period 1 July 1890 to 30 June 2010).

Figure 10 also illustrates the ongoing effect of drought conditions, with 2009-10 being the 11th consecutive year of below average inflows to Burrinjuck.

When comparing the monthly inflows for Burrinjuck Dam in 2009-10 against the long term quartiles

and median (Figure 11), it can be seen that the only significant variation to the below average trend (and corresponding to the previously documented rainfall trend), occurred in February and March 2010. Inflows during July to November 2009, the period where historically the dam receives the

highest inflows, were well below the median inflow, with all but one month (October) recording inflows in the lowest quartile.



Figure 10: Annual inflows to Burrinjuck Dam with the reporting period shown in red

Long-term Burrinjuck Inflows (Simulated + Backcalculated)

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Figure 11: Monthly inflows to Burrinjuck dam for 2009-10 compared to long term monthly quartiles and median (1890-2010)

Monthly Burrinjuck Inflows (logarithmic scale)

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1.5 Policy

Due to the extreme drought conditions experienced in the catchment in recent years the water sharing plan for the Murrumbidgee Regulated River was suspended in 2006 and continued to be suspended

for the reporting period. While every effort was made to operate the system in accordance with the water sharing plan, catchment conditions dictated that divergence would be necessary in some areas. The water sharing plan will be reinstated at the Minister’s discretion when climatic conditions allow.

Replenishment flows that were originally required to be made available to Forest Creek below Warriston Weir annually under the water sharing plan are no longer required due to work carried out under the ‘Water for Rivers’ program. This work involved firstly the reduction of replenishment flows

below Warriston Weir and secondly the provision of an alternative stock and domestic water supply piped from Billabong Creek.

1.6 Management

1.6.1 Surface water

The 2009-10 water year commenced with critically low water availability. Much of the volume available in the major storages as of 1 July 2009 (927,000 ML) was private allocation carryover, or water set-

aside for essential future requirements. As such there was very little ‘new water’ available in either storage.

Table 1 illustrates the opening announcements for the regulated Murrumbidgee River on 1 July 2009.

An available water determination (AWD) of 50 percent was announced for domestic and stock licences, local water utilities and town water supply with conveyance licences receiving an AWD equivalent to 50,000 ML. The supplementary water announcement was maintained at 1 megalitre per

share. No other licence categories received additional AWD volumes to begin the year, however high security and general security licences were permitted to carry forward a volume of up to 30 percent of the licence share component for unused water in the 2008-09 water year. The carry forward volume

for high security was subsequently cancelled later in the season when the high security AWD reached 0.95 megalitres per share.

In order to ensure critical needs were maintained it was necessary to temporarily suspend a proportion

of account water for some licence categories, with the suspended water to be given back during the year when resources allowed. This suspension was applied as 20 percent of the account water for conveyance, general security, high security and high security (aboriginal culture) access licences. The

volume that was suspended is displayed in the ‘Non Available’ field of Table 1.



Table 1: Opening announcements for 2009-10 water year (1 July 2009)

Individual Announcement

EntitlementAllocation

Volume (ML)

% of Entitlement

Balance Available

(ML)

Non Available

(ML)

Total (ML)

1,050 0 1,050Drought Critical Water AWD 10000.0 ML Volume 130,000 10,000 7.7% 11,050 0 11,050Drought Suspension 20.0 % 130,000 8,840 2,210 11,050

AWD 50.0 % 22,266 11,133 50.0% 11,124 0 11,124

AWD 50.0 % 245 123 50.1% 123 0 123

AWD 50.0 % 13,412 6,706 50.0% 6,706 0 6,706

AWD 50.0 % 23,586 11,793 50.0% 11,793 0 11,793

Carried Forward 46,306 0 46,306Drought Critical Water AWD 40000.0 ML Volume 243,000 40,000 16.5% 86,306 0 86,306Drought Suspension 20.0 % 243,000 69,045 17,261 86,306

Carried Forward 590 0 590Drought Suspension 20.0 % 2,968 472 118 590

Carried Forward 220,652 0 220,652Drought Suspension 20.0 % 1,888,097 176,329 44,323 220,652

Carried Forward 1,924 0 1,924Drought Suspension 20.0 % 356,831 1,539 385 1,924

Drought Suspension 20.0 % 500 0 0 1

320 0 0 0

AWD 50.0 % 19,769 9,884 50.0% 9,884 0 9,884

AWD 1.0 ML per Share 198,780 198,780 100.0% 198,780 0 198,780SUPPLEMENTARY WATER

REGULATED RIVER (HIGH SECURITY)

REGULATED RIVER (HIGH SECURITY)(ABORIGINAL CULTURAL)

REGULATED RIVER (HIGH SECURITY)(RESEARCH)

REGULATED RIVER (HIGH SECURITY)(TOWN WATER SUPPLY)

LOCAL WATER UTILITY

MURRUMBIDGEE IRRIGATION (CONVEYANCE)

REGULATED RIVER (CONVEYANCE)

REGULATED RIVER (GENERAL SECURITY)

COLEAMBALLY IRRIGATION (CONVEYANCE)

DOMESTIC AND STOCK

DOMESTIC AND STOCK(DOMESTIC)

DOMESTIC AND STOCK(STOCK)

Detailed information on total volumes of water allocated throughout the year can be obtained in the statements and associated notes of this report. A summary of the water made available to be

extracted in the reporting period is illustrated in Table 2. It should be noted that supplementary water can only be accessed during specific flow events and therefore it is not represented in the table as having a volume of water made available.

Table 2: Water made available 2009-10

Licence Category

Carried Forward

from 2008-09

Available Water

Determination 2009-10

Water Made

Available 2009-10

COLEAMBALLY IRRIGATION (CONVEYANCE) 1,050 114,688 115,738

DOMESTIC AND STOCK (9) 21,155 21,146

DOMESTIC AND STOCK [DOMESTIC] 0 240 240

DOMESTIC AND STOCK [STOCK] 0 12,747 12,747

LOCAL WATER UTILITY 0 22,407 22,407

MURRUMBIDGEE IRRIGATION (CONVEYANCE) 46,306 172,373 218,679

REGULATED RIVER (CONVEYANCE) 590 801 1,392

REGULATED RIVER (GENERAL SECURITY) 220,602 509,804 730,405

REGULATED RIVER (HIGH SECURITY) 0 338,999 338,999

REGULATED RIVER (HIGH SECURITY) [ABORIGINAL CULTURAL] 0 475 475

REGULATED RIVER (HIGH SECURITY) [RESEARCH] 0 304 304

REGULATED RIVER (HIGH SECURITY) [TOWN WATER SUPPLY] 0 18,781 18,781

SUPPLEMENTARY WATER 0 198,780 N/A



Water trade was closely administered throughout the 2009-10 season, with inter-valley trade of water out of the Murrumbidgee being restricted to a number of volumetric capped ballets throughout the year. Under the water sharing plan it was specified that high security trades must be submitted by 1

September, however with the plan suspended this restriction was not applicable for the 2009-10 season.

1.6.1.1 Snowy Required Annual Release

As defined in the licence conditions for Snowy Hydro Limited, a calculated volume of release must be passed through to the Murrumbidgee Catchment via the Tumut River each year. This volume is

referred to as the Require Annual Release (RAR). The nominal required annual release (1,026,000 ML for the Murrumbidgee and 1,062,000 ML for the Murray) was calculated with reference to historic inflow sequences.

If the Snowy storages receive inflows that are below the historic dry inflow sequence assumed in calculating the RAR, they will not be able to deliver the required volume without the system risking failure (i.e. running out of water). To address this situation, the required volume to be released is

reduced by a calculation known as the Dry Inflow Sequence Volume Reduction (DISV).

The RAR may also be reduced for water savings achieved within the Murrumbidgee for Snowy River environmental flows, riparian releases, bulk transfers to the Murray to offset an inter-valley trade

deficit, or settlements of irrigator deals whereby water had previously been released earlier than required (known as Snowy Borrow).

The water delivered for the 2009-10 water year accountable under RAR was 705,000 ML (which

includes 12,000 ML of water pre-released for the 2010-11 RAR). The calculated RAR for the Murrumbidgee was reduced by 200,000 ML (which was delivered to the Murray development to reduce the Intervalley Trade Deficit) and 17,449 ML (due to irrigator payback of Snowy Borrow water).

The payback of Snowy Borrow will vary from that presented by Snowy Hydro (3,000 ML) due to differences in reporting periods (The reporting period for Snowy Hydro Limited is from May to April).

More detailed information can be found in Note 27 of this document.

1.6.2 Groundwater

Monitoring bore data in the Narrandera area (western area of Mid Murrumbidgee GMU) indicates that groundwater levels in this area continued to decline with the ongoing drought conditions that led into the 2009-10 season. All groundwater licences in the Murrumbidgee were granted an equivalent

allocation of 100 percent, except for supplementary water access licences (within the Lower Murrumbidgee Deep Groundwater Source), which began the season with an equivalent allocation of 60 percent (under the terms of the Water Sharing Plan for the Lower Murrumbidgee Groundwater

Sources 2003, the volume of supplementary water is reduced 10 percent per year, until the announced volume is zero). This category of licence was introduced to return extractions within the aquifer to a sustainable limit.



Figure 12: Groundwater levels near Narrandera

Groundwater levels around Narrandera (GW025395)

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1.7 Environmental Water

Held environmental water

Held environmental water represents water that is held as part of a licensed volumetric entitlement. In

2009-10 held environmental water increased from a total share component of 122,578 ML to 261,508 ML (an increase of 138,930 ML, including 33,237 ML of supplementary entitlement on 30 June 2010).

In addition a net volume of 33,677 ML was traded into environmental licences (including

supplementary trade) during the 2009-10 season. For a detailed breakdown of held environmental water and traded water refer to Note 24.

Planned

The water sharing plan established various planned environmental water allowance (EWA) accounts that accumulate water in storage based on a range of flow triggers. These accounts are managed by the NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water and utilised in a discretionary

manner for environmental purposes. Although the water sharing plan remained suspended for the entire 2009-10 season every effort was made to deliver planned environmental water in 2009-10 in line with the water sharing plan rules, and some water was made available for use that was attributed

to the Environmental Water Allowance (EWA) accounts. Further to this, on 1 June 2010, the NSW Office of Water re-instated the accrual accounting of the EWA accounts, with the accrued volume to be made available for use when high security access licences reach an allocation level of 50 percent.

The water sharing plan also sets in place rules for translucent and transparent flows from Burrinjuck and Blowering Dams to protect low flows and ensure some degree of natural flow variability. With recommencement of the EWA accounts it was also agreed that operational under-releases of

transparency and translucency water for Burrinjuck Dam would now be set-aside in an account that could be called upon for discretionary environmental watering (as opposed to being automatically released when possible).



In 2009-10 the EWA2 account increased by 16,560 ML and decreased by 35,009 ML. The balance as of 30 June 2010 was 13,925 ML, while the balance of EWA1 water was 50,000 ML. Detailed information of planned environmental water and the 2009-10 balances can be obtained in Note 11 of

the disclosures section.

Environmental use

There were a number of beneficiaries of held and planned environmental water in the 2009-10 water

year. These included specific volumes of water being made available to support wetlands, swamps, waterbirds, endangered species, forests and native fish. Table 3 provides a list of those environmental beneficiaries and the source from which the environmental water was supplied.

Table 3: Environmental uses of water in 2009-10

Environmental event Location Source

Southern Bell Frog Lowbidgee Wetlands EWA

Inundation - Southern Bell Frog - Waterbird Rookery

Twin Bridges - Piggery Lake Complex North Yanga National Park

EWA DECCW Commonwealth

Maintain Rookery - Great Egret - Cormorant

Top Narockwell Swamp Commonwealth

Wetland Inundation Lowbidgee Wetland Systems

- Murrundi to Baupie - Balranald Shire Common

Commonwealth EWA DECCW

Sustaining Waterbirds Fivebough Swamp EWA

Water National Park Yanga National Park Southern Yanga National Park

Commonwealth EWA

Swamp Inundation Nap Nap Swamp

- Nap Nap Lignum Swamp - Waugorah Creek

EWA DECCW

Lagoon Filling - Stocked Native Fish

Maude Lagoon EWA

Table notes: EWA Water provided from environmental water allowance accounts. DECCW Water provided from licences held by NSW Department of Environment Climate

Change and Water. Commonwealth Water provided from licences held by the Commonwealth government.

End of system flows

Minimum end of system environmental flows are established under the water sharing plan and are measured at gauging stations Murrumbidgee River at Balranald and Billabong Creek at Darlot. Performance against these minimum end of system environmental flows is detailed in Note 16.



Murrumbidgee Catchment

General Purpose Water Accounting Report Statements



Water Accounting Statement Descriptions The water accounting statements required under ED AWAS 1 consists of three statements that were produced using double entry accounting.

A Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities as 30 June 2010

A Statement of Changes in Water Assets and Water Liabilities for 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010

A Statement of Physical Flows for 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010

Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities

This statement is prepared under the ED AWAS 1, as defined by the Water Accounting Standards

Board.

“The Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities shall provide information that enables users to understand the nature and volumes of the water assets and water liabilities of a water report entity” (paragraph 58, WASB 2010).

In line with the above statement, this report provides an assessment of the water available in storage plus any current claims to water (water assets). This is offset by any current commitments (water liabilities) that are required to be met with these water assets. Figures from the previous reporting

period are also provided to add context. All figures are in megalitres.

Water assets

Water assets for the entity include not only physical water in storage, but also any claims to water that are expected to increase the future water resource. In the Murrumbidgee the Intervalley Trade (IVT) account was represented as a water asset. When more water is traded in to the Murrumbidgee from

other valleys than is traded out, the extra demand is required to be met by the Murrumbidgee storages. By tracking this imbalance through the IVT account, it is recognised that this extra demand supplied can be called on in the future to offset the effects of trades out of the valley. Note a negative

figure in this line item would indicate that the trade account has gone the other way and it is the external valleys that have the claim to water (thus reducing total Water Assets). When this occurs it would also be possible to present the figure as a water liability.

Water liabilities

Water liabilities represent claims on the reported asset. This is most apparent in water that has been

allocated to licence holders or environmental accounts but yet to be taken at the end of the reporting period (account water allowed to be carried forward to the next water year). As such the figures represent the closing balances of these accounts for the reporting period. It is important to note that

some accounts may be shown as a negative number. An example of this is when more usage has occurred than has been allocated to the account. As a result the negative account balance is required to be carried over to the next water year. Under the ED AWAS 1 this example could also be

represented as a positive value in the Water Assets, however for the intent of this GPWAR it was considered that it may be more informative to present all the licence allocation account balances together. It should be noted that there have been no groundwater liabilities were accounted for in the

statements.

Net water assets

This is a calculated figure of total water assets minus total water liabilities.

The following table provides a summary of the assignment policy for both physical and non physical components of the water account.



Table 4: Summary of significant water accounting policies

Surface Water Groundwater

Water Assets Water Liabilities Water Assets Water Liabilities

Major Storages Licensed Allocations Balance Extractable storage

estimate (Method A area)

Major Weirs Environmental Water

Allowances Balance

River Volume

Unmet

Translucency/Transparency

Balance

Daily Release

Balance

Intervalley Trade

Balance

Groundwater

Aquifer Assumed

Volume

Total Surface

Water Assets

Total Surface Water

Liabilities

Total Groundwater

Assets

Total Groundwater

Liabilities

NET WATER ASSETS All components defined in detail in the disclosures section of this document

Statement of Change in Water Assets and Water Liabilities

This statement is prepared under the ED AWAS 1, as defined by the Water Accounting Standards Board.

“The Statement of Changes in Water Assets and Water Liabilities shall contain

information that enables users to understand changes in the volumes and nature of the water report entity’s net water assets during the reporting period” (paragraph 101, WASB 2010).

The report is comprised of both physical and non-physical transactions and illustrates how the change in net water assets from the previous reporting period has eventuated. Figures from the previous reporting period are also provided in order to put the change into context. Internal trades have a net

zero effect on the resources as a whole and therefore appear in both the water increases (buyers) and water decreases (sellers). All figures are in megalitres.

Water asset increases

Account items that have an increasing effect on the water assets presented in the Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities e.g. tributary inflows, external trades into the valley (increases IVT

balance asset account).

Water asset decreases

Account items that have a decreasing effect on the water assets presented in the Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities e.g. evaporation, trades from the Murrumbidgee to another valley (decreases IVT balance asset account), groundwater pumping.

Water liability increases

Account items that have an increasing effect on the water liabilities presented in the Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities e.g. AWD announcements increase the amount of water available

in the allocation liability accounts.



Water liability decreases

Account items that have a decreasing effect on the water liabilities presented in the Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities e.g. forfeited water reduces the amount of water available in the

allocation liability accounts.

Change in net water assets

This figure is calculated as:

+=Δ WLDWLIWADWAINWA

Where NWA = Net Water Assets

WAI = Water Asset Increases

WAD = Water Asset Decreases

WLI = Water Liability Increases

WLD = Water Liability Decreases

The resultant net change should be equal to the annual change in net water asset on the statement of

water assets and water liabilities i.e. {Net Water Asset [Reporting Year] minus Net Water Asset [Reporting Year-1]}

Statement of Physical Water Flows

This statement is prepared under the ED AWAS 1, as defined by the Water Accounting Standards

Board.

“The Statement of Physical Water Flows shall contain information that enables users to understand the nature and volumes of physical water flows experienced by the water report entity during the reporting period” (paragraph 109, WASB 2010).

This report is reminiscent of traditional water balance reporting whereby only physical volumes of

water in storage, and physical movement in and out of storage are considered. All figures are in megalitres.

Water in storage

This includes the volume of major regulated storages and weirs and the estimated volume within the regulated river at the end of the reporting period.

Inflows

Physical inflows to storage within the reporting entity e.g. Tributary inflow, inflow from groundwater

Outflows

Physical outflows from storage within the reporting entity e.g. diversions, evaporation

Net Inflow

Total Inflow - Total Outflow - Unaccounted Difference = Change in Water Storage

Data Accuracy

It is important to recognise that the data used to account for water movement and management in the

Murrumbidgee has been obtained from a variety of sources and systems. The data ranges from observed values where a high accuracy would be anticipated through to modelled results and estimates where accuracy can be highly variable depending on a range of factors. To address the

inconsistencies in accuracy and prevent misuse of the data in the accounts, all figures in the water accounting statements will be accompanied by an assessment of accuracy as defined in Table 5.



Table 5: Water account data accuracy estimates key

A = +/- 10%

B = +/- 25%

C= +/- 50%

D = +/- 100%

In addition to an accuracy code each figure in the accounts is cross-referenced where appropriate to a

numerically linked note where detailed information can be found relating to that figure. The notes form part of the disclosures of this GPWAR. The information contained in the notes is reported according to the following structure:

• Brief description

• Data type

• Policy

• Data accuracy

• Providing agency

• Data source

• Methodology

• Additional information (if applicable)

Other Statement Descriptions Two additional statements are required under ED AWAS 1 these being the Accountability Statement and the Assurance Statement.

Accountability Statement


The Accountability Statement shall provide information that assists users to assess whether:

a) the general purpose water accounting report has been prepared and presented in accordance with Australian Water Accounting Standards;

b) externally-imposed requirements relevant to managing the water assets and water liabilities of the water report entity have been complied with; and

c) best practices for managing water assets and water liabilities have been applied. (Paragraph 50 WASB, 2010)

This statement details externally imposed requirements relevant to and best practice for management of the water reporting entity for the reporting period. Now while the exact structure and content of the Accountability Statement has yet to be finalised one has been included as part of this GPWAR.

Assurance Statement


“An explicit statement of whether the general purpose water accounting report is presented fairly in accordance with this standard shall be provided in the Assurance Statement” (paragraph 167, WASB 2010).

No specific Assurance Statement has been included in this report (see specific section on Assurance Statement in this report for more details).



Murrumbidgee Catchment Accountability Statement

In the opinion of the undersigned:

1. The management of the events pertaining to this water account for the Murrumbidgee Catchment have been conducted throughout 2009-10 under the following externally-imposed requirements, including:

• NSW Water Management Act 2000

• Water Sharing Plan for the Murrumbidgee Regulated River Water Source 2003

• Water Sharing Plan for the Lower Murrumbidgee Groundwater Sources 2003

• Murray Darling Basin Agreement 2000

• Snowy Water Inquiry Outcomes Implementation Deed

During 2009-10 the Murrumbidgee Regulated River Water Sharing Plan remained suspended due to the impacts of the on-going drought conditions within the water source. While the operation of the system, where possible, continued in accordance with the plan essential variations were required to deal with a variety of social and socio-economic issues that arose during the year.

2. The management of the water source has been carried out by qualified and experienced staff who have undertaken the task with due diligence.

3. The Murrumbidgee Regulated River Water Sharing Plan and Lower Murrumbidgee Groundwater Sharing Plan incorporate the following best practice management principles:

• Water sharing and extraction limitations

• Trading of water rights

• Basic landholder rights

• Water planning and strategic initiatives

• Environmental stewardship

4. The information presented in these accounts is a faithful representation of the management and operation of the Murrumbidgee Catchment in 2009-10.

5. NSW Office of Water has to the best of its ability prepared the General Purpose Water Accounting Report for the Murrumbidgee Catchment for the 2009-10 water year in accordance with the ED AWAS 1.



Murrumbidgee Catchment Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities As of 30 June 2010 WATER ASSETS (ML) Accuracy Notes 30 June 2010 30 June 2009

SURFACE WATER ASSETS

Surface Water Storage Blowering Dam A 1 742,803 541,628 Burrinjuck Dam A 1 426,010 385,535 Berembed Weir A 1 2,175 2,175 Gogeldrie Weir A 1 3,750 3,750 Hay Weir A 1 12,900 12,900 Redbank Weir A 1 5,570 5,570 Maude Weir A 1 750 750 Tom Bullen Storage A 1 372 372 River B 2 30,494 17,982 Total Surface Water Storage 1,224,824 970,662

Claims to Water Intervalley Trade Account (IVT) A 3 (29,002) (227,341) Daily Release Balance (DRB) A 11 76,946 71,616 Total Claims to Water 47,944 (155,725)

TOTAL SURFACE WATER ASSETS 1,272,768 814,937 GROUNDWATER ASSETS

Groundwater Storage D 4 Mid Murrumbidgee (Method ‘A’ Area) 6,008 13,279 Lower Murrumbidgee (Method ‘A’ Area) 435,349 363,753

TOTAL GROUNDWATER ASSETS 441,357 377,032

TOTAL WATER ASSETS 1,714,125 1,191,969

WATER LIABILITIES (ML)

SURFACE WATER LIABILTIES

Allocation Accounts A 5 General Security 480,581 220,602 High Security (1) 0 Local Water Utility (2) 0 Domestic and Stock (37) (9) Coleambally Irrigation Conveyance 4,265 1,050 Murrumbidgee Irrigation Conveyance 37,697 46,306 Conveyance (Main River) 860 590

EWA1 Account A 11 50,000 50,000 EWA2 Account A 11 13,925 32,374 Translucent and Transparent Unmet Releases A 11 17,108 0

TOTAL SURFACE WATER LIABILITIES 604,396 350,913

TOTAL WATER LIABILITIES 604,396 350,913

NET WATER ASSETS D 27 1,109,729 841,056



Murrumbidgee Catchment Statement of Change in Water Assets and Water Liabilities 1 July 2009 to June 30 2010 (1 of 3)

SURFACE WATER (ML) Accuracy Notes 2009-10 2008-09

WATER ASSET INCREASES

Physical Inflows Blowering Dam Inflow 6

Blowering Dam Inflow (Natural Component) A 341,679 32,210Blowering Dam Inflow (Snowy Accountable Component) A 28 588,000 450,000Blowering Dam Inflow (Snowy Accountable Pre-Release) A 28 12,000 138,000Burrinjuck Dam Inflow A 6 463,752 224,127Rainfall

Blowering B 14 21,975 20,878Burrinjuck B 14 25,538 20,931River C 15 25,638 15,326

Gauged Tributaries A 7 274,967 179,268Ungauged Tributaries C 8 113,000 70,000Return Flows

Coleambally Irrigation A 9 13,521 9,277Murrumbidgee Irrigation A 9 598 197

River inflow from Aquifer D 10 4,845 6,057River Inflow from Storage Releases A 26 1,162,434 939,199

Daily Release Balance Increase A 11 5,330 0IVT account increases

Water to Murray via Balranald and Darlot (Clearances) A 3 119,567 54,872Murrumbidgee RAR provided to Murray via Snowy A 3 200,000 200,000Allocation account trade into Murrumbidgee A 3 55,659 17,223

TOTAL WATER ASSET INCREASES 3,428,503 2,377,565

WATER ASSET DECREASES

Physical Outflows

Evaporation Blowering B 14 22,281 24,874Burrinjuck B 14 26,579 30,985River C 15 77,369 83,404

Storage Releases A 25 Environmental (Burrinjuck Transparency) 27,288 108,279Environmental (Burrinjuck Translucency) 28,104 7,609Other 1,107,042 823,311

End of System Flow A 16 Balranald

Other 71,280 60,342IVT accountable 115,891 44,981

Darlot Other 37,734 21,081IVT accountable 3,676 9,891

Diversions to Lowbidgee A 17 EWA Provided 33,614 22,686Licensed Environmental 57,233 300Other 19,724 4,925

Uncontrolled Flow Licensed Extractions A 18 21,916 0Supplementary Flow Licensed Extractions A 19 23,552 1,649Basic Rights Extraction Estimate C 20 4,560 4,560River Outflow to Aquifer (Method 'A' Accounting Area) C 10 121,996 114,297

IVT account decreases Flows provided from Murray (Via Finley Escape) A 3 10,444 16,136Allocation Account Trade out of Murrumbidgee A 3 166,443 406,976

UNACCOUNTED VOLUME (Balancing Item) A 22 215,500 258,412 TOTAL WATER ASSET DECREASES 2,192,226 2,044,698




WATER LIABILITY INCREASES Accuracy Notes 2009-10 2008-09

Available Water Determinations A 21 Domestic and Stock 34,142 34,137General Security 509,804 400,836High Security (Aboriginal Culture) 475 301High Security 338,999 327,193High Security (Research) 304 304High Security (Town Water Supply) 18,781 18,781Local Water Utility 22,407 22,407Coleambally Irrigation Conveyance 114,688 87,043Conveyance (Main River) 801 623Murrumbidgee Irrigation Conveyance 172,373 162,897

New Licences Created A 5 15 0Internal Trading of Allocation Account Water - Buyers A 13 190,473 223,438Return Flow Re-credits A 9 619 0Allocation account water trade in from Murray A 3 55,659 17,223Snowy Borrow A 12 0 0Undelivered translucent/transparent releases account increase A 11 17,108 0WSP Planned Environmental Water Balance Adjustments A 11 0 10,758EWA2 Account Increase A 11 16,560 0 TOTAL WATER LIABILITY INCREASES 1,493,208 1,305,940

WATER LIABILITY DECREASES

Account Forfeiture A 5

Domestic and Stock 7,320 5,412General Security - Account Conversion Forfeit 0 10,416General Security 15,002 5,147High Security (Aboriginal Culture) 5 0High Security (High Security) 2,356 5,325Local Water Utility 9,843 7,867Murrumbidgee Irrigation Conveyance 14,187 10,407Conveyance (Main River) 81 219Coleambally Irrigation Conveyance 3,088 1,293

Movement of Uncontrolled Usage to General Security Account A 18 23 0Internal Trading of Allocation Account Water- Sellers A 13 190,473 223,438Allocation account trade out to Murray A 3 166,443 406,976Payback of Snowy Borrow A 12 17,449 41,689EWA Usage A 11 35,009 0 TOTAL WATER LIABILITY DECREASES 461,279 718,189

CHANGE IN SURFACE WATER ASSETS 204,348 (254,885)




GROUNDWATER (ML) Accuracy Notes 2009-10 2008-09

WATER ASSET INCREASES

Physical Inflows Method 'A' Accounting Area

Lateral Flows C 10 19,100 19,764Recharge - Rainfall C 10 132,083 91,809Recharge - Flood C 10 0 0Recharge - Irrigation C 10 242,791 246,729Aquifer Inflow from River C 10 121,996 114,297

Method 'C' Accounting Area Recharge D 10 2,146,800 760,000

TOTAL WATER ASSET INCREASES 2,662,770 1,232,599

WATER ASSET DECREASES

Physical Outflows

Method 'A' Accounting Area Groundwater Pumping A 23 316,639 366,034Lateral Flows D 10 110,727 108,668Evapotranspiration D 10 19,434 20,908Aquifer Outflow to River D 10 4,845 6,057

Method 'C' Accounting Area Groundwater Pumping C 10 6,000 6,000Unaccounted Volume (GW loss) D 22 2,140,800 754,000

TOTAL WATER ASSET DECREASES 2,598,445 1,261,667

Total Water Asset Increase 6,091,273 3,610,164Total Water Asset Decrease 4,790,671 3,306,365Total Water Liability Increase 1,493,208 1,305,940Total Water Liability Decrease 461,279 718,189

CHANGE IN NET WATER ASSETS 268,673 (283,953)



Murrumbidgee Catchment Statement of Physical Flows Water year ending 30 June 2010 (1 of 2)

SURFACE WATER (ML) Accuracy Notes 30-Jun-10 30-Jun-09 Water in Storage

Blowering Dam A 1 742,803 541,628Burrinjuck Dam A 1 426,010 385,535Berembed Weir A 1 2,175 2,175Gogeldrie Weir A 1 3,750 3,750Hay Weir A 1 12,900 12,900Maude Weir A 1 750 750Redbank Weir A 1 5,570 5,570Tom Bullen Storage A 1 372 372River A 2 30,494 17,982

Total Water in Storage 1,224,824 970,662 CHANGE OF WATER IN STORAGE 254,162 Inflows

Blowering Dam Inflow 6 Blowering Dam Inflow (Natural Component) A 341,679 32,210Blowering Dam Inflow (Snowy Accountable Component) A 28 588,000 450,000Blowering Dam Inflow (Snowy Accountable Pre-Release) A 28 12,000 138,000

Burrinjuck Dam Inflow A 6 463,752 224,127Gauged Tributary Inflow A 7 274,967 179,268Ungauged Tributary Inflow C 8 113,000 70,000Return Flows

Murrumbidgee Irrigation A 9 598 197Coleambally Irrigation A 9 13,521 9,277

Inflow from Aquifer D 10 4,845 6,057Rainfall

Blowering B 14 21,975 20,878Burrunjuck B 14 25,538 20,931River C 15 25,638 15,326

Total Inflows 1,885,513 Outflows Extractions 23

General Security A 251,579 0High Security

High Security A 221,772 0High Security (Research) A 500 0High Security (Aboriginal Culture) A 470 0High Security (Town Water Supply) A 18,781 0

Local Water Utility A 12,714 0Domestic and Stock A 27,000 0Conveyance (Main River) A 450 0Murrumbidgee Irrigation Conveyance A 136,795 0Coleambally Irrigation Conveyance A 108,385 0Supplementary A 19 23,552 1,649Uncontrolled Flow A 18 21,916 0Basic Rights Extraction Estimate C 20 4,560 4,560

Total Extractions 828,474



Murrumbidgee Catchment Statement of Physical Flows Water year ending 30 June 2010 (2 of 2)

Surface Water Outflows (continued) Accuracy Notes 30-Jun-10 30-Jun-09 Flow Leaving End of System Flow 16

Balranald IVT accountable A 3 115,891 44,981 Other 71,280 60,342

Darlot IVT accountable A 3 3,676 9,891 Other A 37,734 21,081

Diversions to Lowbidgee A 17 EWA Provided A 11 33,614 22,686 Licensed Environmental A 24 57,233 300 Other A 17 19,724 4,925

Losses River Outflow to Aquifer D 10 121,996 114,297 Evaporation

Blowering B 14 22,281 24,874 Burrinjuck B 14 26,579 30,985 River C 15 77,369 83,404

Total Outflows 1,415,851 UNACCOUNTED VOLUME (Balancing Item) 22 215,500 258,412 NET INFLOW 254,162 GROUNDWATER (ML) Water in Storage

Mid Murrumbidgee (Method 'A' Area) D 4 6,008 13,279 Lower Murrumbidgee (Method 'A' Area) D 4 435,349 363,753

Total Water in Storage 441,357 377,032 CHANGE OF WATER IN STORAGE 64,325 Inflows 10 Method 'A' Accounting Area

Inflow from River D 121,996 114,297 Lateral Flows (Boundary) D 19,100 19,764

Recharge Irrigation D 242,791 246,729 Rainfall D 132,083 91,809

Method 'C' Accounting Area Recharge D 2,146,800 760,000

Total Inflow 2,662,770 472,599 Outflows Method 'A' Accounting Area

Evapotranspiration D 10 19,434 20,908 Aquifer Outflow to River D 10 4,845 6,057 Lateral Flows D 10 110,727 108,668 Groundwater Pumping A 23 316,639 366,034

Method 'C' Accounting Area Groundwater Pumping (Other) C 10 6,000 6,000 Unaccounted Volume D 22 2,140,800 754,000

Total Outflow 2,598,445 501,667 NET INFLOW 64,325



Murrumbidgee Catchment

Disclosures



Reconciliation and future prospect descriptions

This information is included in the disclosures for this GPWAR according to the following requirement

of the water accounting standards defined in ED AWAS 1:

“The following information shall be disclosed in the notes: a) a reconciliation of the change in water storage presented in the Statement of Physical Water Flows to the change in net water assets presented in the Statement of Changes in Water Assets and Water Liabilities; b) the items comprising both opening water storage and closing water storage presented in the Statement of Physical Water Flows; and c) a reconciliation of closing water storage presented in the Statement of Physical Water Flows to total water assets presented in the Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities” (Paragraph 139, ED AWAS 1, WASB, 2010).”

Further to this it is required to include information that will assist the user to understand the future propects of the water report entity by defining the water assets available to settle water liabilities and

future commitments within 12 months of reporting date. This is calculated according to the formula:

SWA* = WARP + WAI - WA NA - WL E – FC

* All components defined in reconciliation

Reconciliation of change in net water assets to change in physical storage

2010 2009 ML ML

CHANGE IN NET SURFACE WATER ASSETS 204,348 (254,885)

Non-physical adjustments *

Net Change in Allocation Accounts 254,824 10,062Net Change in Claims to Water: Intervalley (198,339) 151,017Net Change in Claims to Water: DRB (5,330) (71,616)Net Change in Claims to Water: EWA1 0 50,000Net Change in Claims to Water: EWA2 (18,449) 32,374Net Change in Claims to Water: Translucent/Transparent 17,108 0

49,814 171,837NET CHANGE IN PHYSICAL SURFACE WATER STORAGE 254,162 (83,048)

Reconciliation of closing water storage to total surface water assets 2010 2009

ML MLCLOSING WATER STORAGE

Surface Water Storage 1,224,824 970,662Plus: Other Claims to Water 47,944 (155,725)

TOTAL SURFACE WATER ASSETS 1,272,768 814,937

Notes: * Non-physical changes to the water asset added back into the 'Change in Net Water Assets' to reflect the physical

volumetric change in the water storage from the previous year.

All figures can be derived from or found directly in the Water Accounting Statements of the General Purpose Water Accounting Report.



Water assets available to settle water liabilities and future commitments within 12 months of reporting date

ML Note ML

TOTAL WATER ASSETS AS AT 30 JUNE 2010 (WARP) 1,272,768

Plus: Water Assets increases within 12 months of reporting date (WAI)

Usable Downstream Inflow Recession 4,000 (a) Snowy RAR 157,000 28 Current Storage Inflow Recession 9,000 (a) Minimum Storage Inflows 192,000 (b) 362,000Less: Water assets not available to be accessed and taken or delivered within 12 months of reporting date (WA NA)

Transmission Loss 353,000 (c) Storage Reserve 50,000 (d) Evaporation 20,000 (e) End of System Target 91,000 16 Dead Storage 29,632 1 543,632

Water assets available to be accessed and taken or delivered within 12 months of reporting date

1,091,136

Less: Water liabilities and future commitments expected to be settled within 12 months of the reporting date

Water Liabilities expected to be delivered within 12 months of reporting date (WL E)

Surface Water Carryover 523,363 5 EWA1 Account 50,000 11 EWA2 Account 13,925 11 Translucent and Transparent Unmet Releases 17,108 11 604,396

Future Commitments expected to be delivered within 12 months of reporting date (FC)

Indicative Allocations and Basic Rights (f)

Towns 22,000 5 Domestic and Stock 18,000 5 High Security 72,000 5 Conveyance 115,000 5 Basic Rights 4,560 20 231,560 835,956

Surplus of available water assets over water liabilities and future commitments expected to be settled within 12 months of the reporting date (SWA)

(g) 255,180

Notes: (a) Inflow recessions represent the volume remaining in the current inflow recession in excess of the

minimum long-term inflow. The usable portion of that is that part of the inflow that can be used to settle liabilities or future commitments.

(b) The statistical long-term annual minimal inflow sequence to the storages. (c) This is the volume of water set aside to account for the losses encountered in the delivery of the water

liabilities and future commitments. (d) Water set aside as the minimum storage volumes for Burrinjuck and Blowering Dams. Both storages

have had a minimum storage assigned of 25,000 ML. (e) This is an estimate of the annual net effect that rainfall and evaporation have on the storages. (f) Indicative Allocation represents starting allocations of 115,000 ML to Corporation Conveyance, 50% for

Towns (including High Security (Town Water Supply) licences), 50% for Domestic and Stock and 20% for High Security licences.

(g) The surplus of Available Water Assets is a combination of: - An estimate of the post February inflows (167,000ML) that are not an available resource for early

season allocations. - Uncommitted water that is set aside for future increases to allocations which are delayed due to the

uncertainty surrounding unprecedented system losses and uncertainties of future inflows as a result of the current drought.



Note 1 Surface water storage

This is the actual volume of water stored in the individual surface water storages at the date of reporting. The volumes provided represent the total volume of water in the storage, including dead

storage which is the volume of water which can’t be accessed under normal operating conditions e.g. volume below low level outlet. It is assumed that the dead storage can be accessed if required via alternative access methods e.g. syphons.

Data type

Derived from measured data

Policy

Not applicable

Data accuracy

Estimated in the range +/- 10%

Providing agency

NSW Office of Water

Data source

NSW Office of Water – HYDSTRA

Methodology

Storage volumes are calculated by processing a gauged storage elevation through a rating table that

converts it to a volume.

Additional information

The following table provides a breakdown of the reporting entities storage capacities and dead storages.

Name Capacity (ML) Dead Storage (ML)

Burrinjuck Dam 1,026,330 3,250

Blowering Dam 1,631,410 23,990

Berembed Weir 3,380 120

Gogeldrie Weir 7,400 200

Hay Weir 14,300 1,000

Maude Weir 4,920 300

Redbank Weir 5,500 400

Tom Bullen Storage 11,230 372

Total 2,704,470 29,632



Note 2 River channel storage

Volume of water stored in the river channel on the day of reporting.

Policy

Not applicable

Data type


Data accuracy

Error Range: +/- 50%

Providing agency

NSW Office of Water

Data sources

NSW Office of Water: HYDSTRA, CAIRO

Methodology

For each river section S (n):

V = Q x T

The River Channel Storage will be equal to the sum of all river section volumes.

River Channel Storage = S (n) V

Symbol Variable Data Source Unit

Q Average flow in the river section. Calculated by averaging the daily flows at the upstream and downstream river gauges.

HYDSTRA ML/d

V Volume in each river section. Calculated ML

T Average travel time for a parcel of water to travel through the river section.

CAIRO days

Assumptions and approximations

• Travel times are estimated to the nearest day.

• Daily flow change between gauging sites assumed to be linear.



Note 3 Intervalley Trade Account (IVT)

This represents the temporary trading of account water between the southern connected valleys of the Murray Darling Basin. This is managed via the establishment of an asset account that keeps track of

the trade balance.

Data type


Policy

Water Act 2007 (Federal) The Murray Darling Basin Agreement (Schedule 1) – Transferring Water Entitlements and Allocations (Schedule D)

Water Management Act 2000 (NSW) Dealings with access licences (Division 4) - 71G Assignment of water allocations between access licences - 71I Interstate assignment of water allocations

Water Sharing Plan for the Murrumbidgee Regulated River Water Source 2003 Part 10 Access licence dealing rules - Clause 57 Rules for water allocation assignment between water sources - Clause 58 Rules for interstate assignment of water allocations Available on NSW Office of Water website at www.water.nsw.gov.au

Data accuracy


Providing agency

Murray Darling Basin Authority, NSW Office of Water

Data Sources

Murray Darling Basin Authority provided spreadsheet

State Water Corporation – Provided spreadsheet

– CAIRO

NSW Office of Water – Water Accounting System – HYDSTRA

Methodology:

The balance of the IVT account is calculated by adjusting the carried forward balance of the IVT

account from the previous year and applying a series of transactions to the account as outlined below. A positive balance indicates that the Murray System owes water to the Murrumbidgee System while a negative balance indicates that Murrumbidgee System owes water to the Murray System.

1. The volume of water traded into the Murrumbidgee Valley from the NSW Murray, NSW Lower Darling, Victoria or South Australia will result in the IVT being increased.

2. The volume of water traded out of the Murrumbidgee Valley to the NSW Murray, NSW Lower Darling, Victoria or South Australia will result in the IVT being decreased.

3. The Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) requests that NSW deliver a proportion of the water that was traded to users outside of the Murrumbidgee. NSW supplies the requested volume and accounts for it by calculating the resulting addition volume of water passing the Murrumbidgee




River at Balranald. The accounted volume supplied is agreed between State Water Corporation and MDBA and the IVT account is increased accordingly.

4. On occasion Snowy Hydro Limited may be requested to transfer a portion of either the Murrumbidgee or Murray Required Annual Release (RAR) to assist with the settlement of the IVT account when it gets too far out of balance (although there is no legal obligation on them to perform such releases). These are often referred to as "notional" releases. The following points illustrate this process:

- Excessive Trade from Murrumbidgee to Murray creates a need to transfer Murrumbidgee RAR via the Murray development thus increasing the IVT account (reducing Murrumbidgee debt to Murray).

- Excessive trade from Murray to Murrumbidgee creates a need to transfer Murray RAR via the Murrumbidgee development thus decreasing the IVT account (reducing Murray debt to Murrumbidgee).

5. During periods of high summer demand transfers of water can occur from the Murray to the Murrumbidgee via Murray Irrigation Limited (MIL) infrastructure to bypass delivery constraints that can occur in the Yanco Creek System and the Coleambally Irrigation channel network. Water passed into the Murrumbidgee via MIL, subject to MIL ability to deliver via their channel system, can help to meet the demands in Billabong Creek. The net change in the IVT as a result is calculated by assessing the difference between the flow diverted from MIL to Billabong Creek and the water that leaves the Murrumbidgee via the Billabong Creek at Darlot for the corresponding period (i.e. estimating volume extracted by users on Billabong Creek). The following points details the 2 transactions for this accounting process:

- The IVT account will decrease as a result of water transferred from the Murray to the Murrumbidgee via MIL infrastructure (via Finley Escape).

- The IVT account will have a corresponding increase when the remainder of the transferred water leaves the Murrumbidgee via Billabong Creek at Darlot.


IVT Trade Balance Summary (All figures in megalitres) – the notes in table refer to those in the

methodology

To Murrumbidgee

Into (1)

Murrumbidgee Out of (2)

MurrumbidgeeNet Into

ViaSnowy (4)

ViaBalranald (3)

Via Darlot (5b)

Total Increases

IVT Decreases via Finley Esc (5a)

0 11,805 3,779 8,026 0 4,185 9,830 14,015 22,041 0

0 16,646 21,748 (5,102)

(95,986)

(139,096) (76,324)

(76,324) (389,753) (227,341)

(227,341) (110,784) (29,002)

0 20,282 24,513 44,795 34,675 5,018

5,018 1,209 97,195 20,000 70,968 13,816 104,784 13,816 0

0 2,729 141,825 0 63,500 91 63,591 819

17,223 406,976 200,000 44,981 9,891 254,872 16,136

55,659 166,443 200,000 115,891 3,676 319,567 10,444

ClosingBalance

Starting Balance

Murrumbidgee IVT Account Adjustments

From Murrumbidgee - IVT Account IncreaseMurrumbidgee Account Trade


The following table below shows the external trading figures to and from the Murrumbidgee including between licence categories where trading is within NSW (All figures are in megalitres).

LicenceCategory

GeneralSecurity

HighSecurity

GeneralSecurity

HighSecurity

GeneralSecurity

38,564 36,604 37,658 16,453 129,278

HighSecurity

8,055 12,931 8,153 8,027 37,165

GeneralSecurity

8,033 400

HighSecurity

5,612 19

Conveyance 87

Lower DarlingGeneralSecurity

200

2,328

38,980

55,240 419

166,443

Total Trade From

55,659Total Transfered To

EX

TE

RN

AL

TR

AD

E F

RO

M

EXTERNAL TRADE TO

NSW Murray

South Australia

Victoria

MURRUMBIDGEE EXTERNAL TRADE REPORT - 2009/10

Murrumbidgee

Murray

SouthAustralia

Victoria

Murrumbidgee



Note 4

Groundwater storage

This is the volume of ‘accounted’ storage in the groundwater aquifer for zones 2 and 3 of the mid-

Murrumbidgee Groundwater Management Unit (GMU) and, the Lower Murrumbidgee GMU (areas that have used groundwater accounting method A) Areas that use method C for accounting have been treated as a steady state system, and have no accounted volume. More information on the

groundwater methodologies utilised in this GPWAR is available in Note 10.

Data type

Estimate

Policy

Not applicable

Data accuracy


Providing agency

NSW Office of Water

Data source

NSW Office of Water

Methodology

Accounting under the ED AWAS 1 implies that the groundwater storage volume should be initially determined. As the accounts are a rolling, annual update once an initially storage is defined, annual updates will display the change in storage relative to this starting point. The ED AWAS 1 also indicates

that the volume chosen should represent the ‘extractable portion of the aquifer’. For the purposes of this GPWAR it has been assumed that as of 01/07/2004 the opening volume was 465,000 ML. This amount is equivalent to twice the licensed entitlement of zones 2 and 3 of the mid-Murrumbidgee

GMU and, the Lower Murrumbidgee GMU.

The following table illustrates the annual change in storage from this point in time.

Year Lower Change Mid (Zones 2

and 3) Change

Assumed opening balance 30-6-2004 (ML)

315,000 - 150,000 -

30-06-2005 324,620 9,620 115,840 (34,160)

30-06-2006 428,050 103,430 96,590 (19,250)

30-06-2007 389,680 (38,370) 62,360 (34,230)

30-06-2008 372,090 (17,590) 34,010 (28,350)

30-06-2009 363,753 (8,337) 13,279 (20,731)

30-06-2010 435,349 71,596 6,008 (7,271) Cumulative change 120,349 (143,992)


Monitoring bore levels at the two locations following reinforce the trends indicated in the table.

• GW084523 - (Lower Murrumbidgee GMU)

• GW030257 - (Mid Murrumbidgee GMU)



Groundwater levels based on observation from monitoring bore GW084523

Bore observations (GW084523)

11.25

11.30

11.35

11.40

11.45

11.50

11.55

1/08

/200

4

17/0

2/20

05

5/09

/200

5

24/0

3/20

06

10/1

0/20

06

28/0

4/20

07

14/1

1/20

07

1/06

/200

8

18/1

2/20

08

6/07

/200

9

22/0

1/20

10

10/0

8/20

10

m (bel

ow

gro

und le

vel)

Lower Murrumbidgee GMU Mid Murrumbidgee GMU

Groundwater levels based on observation from monitoring bore GW030257

Bore Observations (GW030257)

150

150.2

150.4

150.6

150.8

151

151.2

151.4

151.6

151.8

152

20/0

9/20

04

8/04

/200

5

25/1

0/20

05

13/0

5/20

06

29/1

1/20

06

17/0

6/20

07

3/01

/200

8

21/0

7/20

08

6/02

/200

9

25/0

8/20

09

13/0

3/20

10

m (

be

low

gro

un

d le

ve

l)




Note 5 Allocation accounts

These represent the volume of water that is in the licence allocation accounts at the time of reporting. It is the volume of water that is yet to be extracted from the accounts. The balance in accounts at the

end of the water year, being a net balance for the licence category, represents that water that can be carried forward to the next water year and therefore is dictated by carryover rules. Carryover rules are applicable to a licence category and will determine whether water can or cannot carryover to the next

year, as well as restrictions that may limit the volume of carryover that is permitted. A negative number indicates that debits to the account have exceeded the available account water, and the deficit must be carried over to the next season.

Water that is in accounts at the end of a water year but is not permitted to be carried over is forfeited and has been represented as a decrease in the water liability.

Data type


Policy

Water Sharing Plan for the Murrumbidgee Regulated River Water Source 2003

Available on NSW Office of Water website at www.water.nsw.gov.au

Data accuracy


Providing agency

NSW Office of Water

Data source

State Water/NSW Office of Water – Water Accounting System (Joint ownership of System).

Methodology

This figure is the sum of the remaining volume of water in individual’s allocation accounts at the conclusion of the water year once all transactions and forfeit rules have been applied to the accounts. These balances are at the licence category level and represent the water that can be carried forward

for use in the next year. Below is list of typical transactions that can apply to an allocation account:

• AWD (including pro rata of AWD for new licences)

• Licensed extractions

• Forfeiture due to:

Carryover rules

Account spillage as a result of AWD

Licence conversions

Excess orders (where water order debiting is in place)

• Licence conversion

• Trade of allocation water between accounts

• Transfers e.g. Snowy borrow and payback

• Movement of water to/from drought sub account

• Re-crediting of Return Flows




The table below provides a balanced summary of the water allocation accounts for each category of Access Licence as well as a description of the table components.

MURRUMBIDGEE REGULATED ACCOUNT SUMMARY DATA 2009/10

Licence Category New Cancelled In Out In Out Controlled Uncontrolled

COLEAMBALLY IRRIGATION (CONVEYANCE) 130,000 1,050 114,688 0 0 0 0 0 0 108,385 0 0 7,353 3,088 4,265

DOMESTIC AND STOCK 22,266 -9 21,155 0 0 150 0 0 0 15,435 0 0 5,861 5,898 -37

DOMESTIC AND STOCK [DOMESTIC] 261 0 240 0 0 0 0 0 0 97 0 0 143 143 0

DOMESTIC AND STOCK [STOCK] 13,412 0 12,747 0 0 0 0 0 0 11,468 0 0 1,279 1,279 0

LOCAL WATER UTILITY 23,586 0 22,407 0 0 348 200 0 0 12,714 0 0 9,841 9,843 -2

MISCELLANEOUS TRANSFER 307 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

MURRUMBIDGEE IRRIGATION (CONVEYANCE) 243,000 46,306 172,373 0 0 0 30,000 0 0 136,795 0 0 51,884 14,187 37,697

REGULATED RIVER (CONVEYANCE) 2,968 590 801 0 0 0 0 0 0 450 0 0 942 81 860

REGULATED RIVER (GENERAL SECURITY) 1,888,070 220,602 509,804 0 1,583 238,830 205,221 0 17,449 251,602 21,916 619 493,999 13,419 480,580

REGULATED RIVER (HIGH SECURITY) 356,846 0 338,999 15 0 6,607 121,494 0 0 221,772 0 0 2,355 2,356 -1

REGULATED RIVER (HIGH SECURITY) [ABORIGINAL CULTURAL] 500 0 475 0 0 0 0 0 0 470 0 0 5 5 0

REGULATED RIVER (HIGH SECURITY) [RESEARCH] 320 0 304 0 0 196 0 0 0 500 0 0 0 0 0

REGULATED RIVER (HIGH SECURITY) [TOWN WATER SUPPLY] 19,769 0 18,781 0 0 0 0 0 0 18,781 0 0 0 0 0

SUPPLEMENTARY WATER 198,780 0 198,780 0 0 16,418 16,418 0 0 0 23,552 0 175,228 175,228 0

Extractions CarryForward

End of YearForfeit

RecreditShare

30-6-10

Licences Assignments AvailableBalance

CO In AWDTransferred

Description

This is the total volume of entitlement in the specific licence category.

The volume of water that has been carried forward from previous years allocation account.

AWD The total annual volume of water added to the allocation account as a result of allocation assessments.

New Increased in account water as a result of the issuing of a new licence.

Cancelled Decrease in account water as a result of a licence cancellation.

In Increase in account water as a result of Temporary Trade in.

Out Decrease in account water as a result of Temporary Trade out.

In Increase in account water as a result of a transfer of water in from another reporting entity e.g. Snowy Borrow.

Out Decrease in account water as a result of a transfer of water out of the reporting entity e.g. Snowy Borrow repayment.

Controlled Volume of water that is extracted or diverted from the river under controlled river conditions and is accountable against the licence.

UncontrolledVolume of water that is extracted under high flow conditions that is not accountable against the licence. This differs fromSupplementary water in that it becomes accountable once specific allocation levels are exceeded.

The accountable volume of Coleambally Return Flows credited back to their general security account.

Account balance that is available to be taken at the conclusion of the water year.

Account water that is forfeited at the end of the water year as a result of carryover rules that restrict the carry forward volume.

This represents the account water that is permitted to be carried forward into the next water year as determined by the carryoverrules.

Extractions

Carry Forward

Heading

Recredit

Share

CO In

Available Balance

End of Year Forfeit

Licences

Assignments

Transferred



Note 6 Storage inflow

Storage inflow refers to the volume of water flowing into the major headwater storages.

At Blowering Dam a large proportion of the inflow arrives via the Snowy Mountains Scheme. Blowering

inflow was therefore split into Required Annual Release (RAR) inflows that arrives from Snowy, the amount inflow of RAR pre-released for the next water year, and the natural inflow component. More information on the Snowy RAR can be found in Note 27.

Policy

Not applicable

Data type


Data accuracy


Providing agency

NSW Office of Water

Data sources

NSW Office of Water: HYDSTRA

Snowy Hydro Operations Report

Methodology

In most of the major storages in NSW there is no direct measurement of inflows. However, it is possible to calculate inflows by using a mass balance approach (based on balancing the change in storage volume) where inflow is the only unknown. This is referred to a backcalculation of inflows.

The backcalculation procedure operates on a one day time step and calculates the inflow according to the following equation. A description of the equation components can be found in the table below. The daily inflows are then summed to provide an annual inflow figure.

I = ΔS + O + Se + ((E – R)* Kp* A)

Variables for back calculation of inflow of runoff

Symbol Variable Unit

I Inflow ML/d

ΔS Change in storage volume ML

O Outflow ML/d

Se Seepage ML/d

R Rainfall mm/d

E Evaporation mm/d

Kp Pan evaporation factor

A Surface area - derived from height to surface areas lookup curve.

ha



Blowering Split

Natural Inflow (ML) = ITOTAL – IRAR – IRAR-PR

Where ITOTAL is the total inflow volume determined in the backcalculation, IRAR is the amount of water

accounted as the required annual release from Snowy and IRAR-PR is the volume of required annual release water pre-released by Snowy for the next water year.


• Constant storage specific pan evaporation factors are applied.

• Seepage was assumed to be zero.



Note 7 Gauged inflow

The inflow into the regulated river that occurs downstream of the headwater storages that is measured at known gauging stations.

Policy

Not Applicable

Data type

Measured Data

Data accuracy


Providing agency

NSW Office of Water

Data sources


Methodology

The flows are obtained by measuring river heights at gauging stations along the river, and then

passing these heights through a rating table that converts them to a daily flow volume.


The total gauged inflow for 2009-10 is the sum of the inflows for the gauged tributaries defined in the table below. Summary of gauged inflow, 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010

Murrumbidgee

410057 GOOBARRAGANDRA RIVER AT LACMALAC

410025 JUGIONG CREEK AT JUGIONG (INVERLOCKIE)

410044 MUTTAMA CREEK AT COOLAC

410038 ADJUNGBILLY CREEK AT DARBALARA

410061 ADELONG CREEK AT BATLOW ROAD

410047 TARCUTTA CREEK AT OLDBORAMBOLA

410048 KYEAMBA CREEK AT LADYSMITH

410043 HILLAS CREEK AT MOUNT ADRAH

410114 KILLIMICAT CK AT WYANGLE

Yanco

410012 BILLABONG CREEK AT COCKETGEDONG - FINLEY ESCAPE (from MIL Annual Report)

Total inflow 274,966 ML



Note 8 Ungauged inflow

The inflow into the river that occurs downstream of the headwater storages that is not measured.

Policy

Not Applicable

Data type

Estimated

Data accuracy


Providing agency

NSW Office of Water

Data sources


QLD Department of Natural Resources - SILO

Methodology

This method involves the estimation of ungauged tributary inflow by using the gauged tributary inflows as a basis and proportioning on area and rainfall distribution across the catchment. Below describes the steps carried out in deriving the ungauged inflow.

1 Derive the ratio of gauged to ungauged area by summing gauged area and calculating the ungauged area as the total catchment area less the gauged catchment area.

2 Analyse rainfall ratio of Wagga Wagga, Burrinjuck and Balranald to indicate distribution of rainfall down the catchment. The assumption adopted was that rainfall in the ungauged areas results in about 50% of the volumetric impact of that in the gauged areas.

3 The ungauged inflow is then calculated using the following equation Ungauged Inflow (ML/yr) = Ungauged Area (Ha)/Gauged Area (Ha) x 0.5 x Gauged Inflow (ML/yr)


• That runoff in ungauged tributaries is directly proportional to the gauged tributaries in terms of area and rainfall distribution.



Note 9 Return flows (including re-credit)

These represent flows that leave the river and return back to the river further downstream. The returning flow is generally less than what leaves the river. It can also include return flows from

catchment drains within the irrigation corporation areas.

In certain circumstances water is ordered via Coleambally Irrigation catchment drains in order to meet demand in Yanco Creek system during peak flow periods. In these circumstances the return flow

provided are accountable and are credited back to the appropriate allocation account. All other return flows are non accountable.

Data type

Measured

Policy

NA

Data accuracy


Providing agency

NSW Office of Water

Data sources

• Murrumbidgee Irrigation Licence Compliance Report

• Coleambally Irrigation Annual Compliance Report

Methodology

The return flows are measured in the same way as the gauged inflows, that is by measuring river heights at gauging stations along the river, passing these heights through a rating table that converts them to a flow. The gauges in question are owned by the irrigation corporations and hence flow data is

derived and assessed by them. The total return flow is the sum of the flows for all the return flow gauges.


Return Flow Summary Table

Coleambally Return Flows Murrumbidgee Irrigation

Year Accountable

Non Accountable

Total Non

Accountable

2004-05 1,415 28,385 29,800 5,663

2005-06 11,339 33,148 44,487 8,570

2006-07 0 10,487 10,487 945

2007-08 1,777 12,936 14,713 337

2008-09 0 9,277 9,277 197

2009-10 619 12,802 13,421 598



Note 10 Ground water balance methodologies

This note is applicable to all parameters presented in the groundwater balance of the accounts.

Data type

Modelled, Estimated

Policy

Not applicable

Data accuracy


Providing agency

NSW Office of Water

Data sources

NSW Office of Water: HYDSTRA, GDS

QLD Department of Natural Resources: SILO

Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology: AWAP

NSW Department Environment Climate Change and Water: Soil Profiles

Methodology

In order to provide a greater coverage of groundwater data in the water accounts it was necessary for the NSW Office of Water to develop and apply various methodologies.

For each groundwater management unit a method was selected according to the following decision tree:

Groundwater methodology decision tree



The following map gives the methodologies adopted for the different areas of the Murrumbidgee Catchment. As can be seen only Methods A and C have been applied as minimal monitoring bore information is available outside of the modelled areas. Groundwater methodologies utilised for 2009-10

METHOD A (MODFLOW)

Description

The Murrumbidgee Groundwater Model is based on enhancements of earlier models developed by

NSW Office of Water and was developed under a 'MODFLOW96' framework. MODFLOW is a three-dimensional finite-difference groundwater flow model that was developed by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and is the most widely used program in the world for simulating ground-

water. It has a modular structure that allows it to be easily modified to adapt the code for a particular application.

MODFLOW is used to simulate steady and non steady flow in an irregularly shaped flow system in

which aquifer layers can be confined, unconfined, or a combination of confined and unconfined. Flow from external stresses, such as flow to wells, areal recharge, evapotranspiration, flow to drains, and flow through river beds, can be simulated.

The hydrological stresses accommodated by the model are rainfall, groundwater pumping including that for irrigation, surface water diversions, interaction between the shallow groundwater system and the river system and evapotranspiration.

Account outputs

• Lateral flow

• Recharge (rainfall and river)

• Aquifer inflow from river



• Aquifer outflow to river

• Evapotranspiration – from top layer of aquifer

• Usage is an input to the model using data from the water accounting system. This figure was

extracted from the model and used in the accounting.

METHOD B (Water table fluctuation)

Description

The water table fluctuation method is based on the premise that the rises in groundwater levels in unconfined aquifers are due to recharge water arriving at the water table and links the change in groundwater storage (∆S) with the resulting water table fluctuations (∆h):

hSS y Δ=Δ (1)

Where: Sy is specific yield of the aquifer Δh is the change in groundwater levels

The employed methodology is based on applying the water table fluctuation (WTF) method in conjunction with the groundwater water budget method to jointly estimate specific yield and natural recharge in an unconfined aquifer with significant seasonal water table fluctuations. The water budget method focuses on the various components contributing to groundwater flow and groundwater storage changes (Figure 1) and can be written as:

SQQPGETQQRFR bfoffriveron Δ++++=+++ (2)

Where: R is direct recharge from rainfall

RF is irrigation return flow Qon and Qoff are lateral groundwater flow onto and off the groundwater system Qriver is river seepage recharge

ET is evapotranspiration PG is abstraction of groundwater by pumping Qbf is baseflow (groundwater discharge to streams or springs)

∆S is change in groundwater storage. Schematic diagram showing the flow components of the groundwater budget

Combining equation (1) with equation (2), we obtain:

hSQQPGETQQRFR ybfoffriveron Δ++++=+++ (3)




By applying equation (3) separately to the dry season, during which R=0, and the wet season, we obtain two equations where the specific yield and natural recharge are the only two unknown parameters:

dryy

drybf

dryoff

drydrydryriver

dryon

dry hSQQPGETQQRF Δ++++=++ (4)

wety

wetbf

wetoff

wetwetwetriver

weton

wet hSQQPGETQQRFR Δ++++=+++ (5)

With the exception of the specific yield and natural recharge, all other seasonal parameters in equation (4) and (5) are either known or can somehow be estimated.

Using equations (4) and (5), the average specific yield and the natural recharge of the aquifer can be estimated as follows:

( ) ( )dry

dryoff

drybf

drydrydryon

dryriver

dry

y h

QQETPGQQRFS

Δ+++−++

= (6)

)()( wetriver

weton

wetwety

wetbf

wetoff

wetwet QQRFhSQQPGETR ++−Δ++++= (7)

Account outputs

Not applicable (Method B was not utilised for the 2009-10 account)

METHOD C (Soil water budget)

Description

The soil water budget (SWB) method analyses the movement of water among various components of the hydrologic system using a daily accounting procedure. The method is based on work originally presented by Thornthwaite (1948) and Thornthwaite and Mather (1955 and 1957) and essentially is a book keeping technique that tracks the balance between the inflow of water from precipitation and the outflow of water by evapotranspiration, stream flow and drainage (potential groundwater recharge).

The SWB method can be defined by the following equation:

P = ET + RO + ∆SW + D (1)

Where: P is precipitation RO is surface runoff ET is Evapotranspiration

D is drainage below the root zone of the plants ∆SW is change in soil water over the time step.

The SWB method used in the accounts is a modified version of the above whereby the potential recharge to groundwater is also estimated (based on Scozzavafa and Tallini, 2001). The method uses the Soil Conservation Service (US) curve number (SCS-CN) method to remove the runoff component from the rainfall before it is applied to the soil water budget analysis. Therefore, any surplus generated from soil water analysis will be taken as a net infiltration (drainage), which in turn is a potential recharge to the underlying aquifer.

Account outputs

• Recharge


Pumping estimates provided in the accounts for the areas utilising method C were obtained by assuming a usage of 1 ML for each licensed bore.


Note 11 Environmental provisions

These were introduced as part of the water sharing plans with the aim of enhancing environmental benefits. They consist of a series of rules established around the concept of dam translucency and

transparency releases, environmental water allowances (EWA), provisional storages and balancing storages and end of system flows. Below is a brief description of these:

Dam transparency - protects low flows immediately downstream of Burrinjuck and Blowering

Dams by passing all inflows up to a defined limit.

Dam translucency - ensures that some degree of natural flow variability is restored downstream of Burrinjuck Dam by releasing a proportion of inflows based on the time of year and the

catchment conditions.

End of system flows - maintain a flow of water to the end of the Murrumbidgee River and Billabong Creek ensuring its connectivity with the Murray River.

Environmental water allowances - three water allowances were created to provide direct benefits to the environment. The water is for discretionary environmental management such as wetland inundation, flushes to improve water quality, or providing habitat for waterbird breeding.

Provisional storage volumes – two provisional storage volumes are provided with the intent to increase the size and frequency of spill events for environmental benefits.

Daily release balance - this account maintains a record of the net difference between the

minimum transparent dam release and the water credited to environmental water allowances.

For additional details on this refer to the environmental rules in the water sharing plan.

Data type

Derived from Measured Data

Policy


Part 3 Environmental water provisions

• Clause 13 Environmental water provisions

• Clause 14 and 15 Planned environmental water Available from the NSW Office of Water website at www.water.nsw.gov.au

Data accuracy


Providing agency

State Water Corporation

Data source

EWA accounting spreadsheet – State Water Corporation

Methodology

Methods for evaluating the environmental provisions can be found in the water sharing plan.


http://www.water.nsw.gov.au/Water-Management/Water-sharing/default.aspx


At the time that water sharing plans were suspended the volumes in the EWA accounts stopped accumulating and were effectively borrowed to support the essential supplies of the river during the drought and hence not required to be paid back (although some was) until after the plans were

reinstated. As such these accounts became contingent/future assets and liabilities with the sum of the balances (Net Water Asset Decrease) being moved out of the accounts at this time. On 1 June 2010 the Department of Environment Climate Change and Water and NSW Office of Water agreed that

EWA water will start to accrue as per water sharing plan rules even though the plan remains suspended. In addition under-releases of translucent/transparent flow will start to accumulate in a separate account to be used on request. Hence the EWA accounts will be included in the accounts for

the 2009-10 water year including the unpaid debt of 82,374 ML from the original EWA water borrow (113,910 ML) made after the suspension of the water sharing plan. These accounts will be repaid when resources improve sufficiently.

The Daily Release Balance has been accumulating since the commencement of the plan. The intent of use for the volume of water accumulated in this account is still yet to be finalised.

The following table shows balances for those accounts established as a result of the environmental

provisions as set out in the water sharing plan as at 30 June 2010.

Increase Decrease Balance Increase Decrease Forfeit Balance

2004-05 0 0 0 42,497 0 0 42,497 22,144

2005-06 50,000 0 50,000 46,607 18,200 24,297 46,607 28,351

2006-07(1) 0 0 50,000 17,303 0 0 63,910 39,589

2007-08 0 0 50,000 0 8,822 0 55,088 46,916

2008-09 0 0 50,000 0 22,714 0 32,374 71,616

2009-10 0 0 50,000 16,560 35,009 0 13,925 76,946 17,108

Environmental Water Allowance Summary as at 30-06-2010

YearEWA1 (2) EWA2

DRBUnder (3)

Release

Table notes (1) Water Sharing Plan suspended on 9 November 2006. (2) 50,000 ML was borrowed from the EWA accounts and made available for consumptive use as part

of the AWD’s. (3) Under Release is that water that was not delivered under the translucent/transparent release rules

in the plan that will be paid back at a later date.



Note 12 Snowy Borrow

Refers to a dealing whereby water access licence holders in the Murrumbidgee negotiate with Snowy Hydro Limited to release water to Blowering Dam earlier than Snowy Hydro Limited are required to

provide the water under their required annual release. This is not considered a trade as Snowy Hydro Limited do not own the water, instead just transferring earlier what they are required to. The licence holder will be required to payback the Snowy Borrow at a point in the future through a reduction in

their account water. This agreement has a net zero effect on the Murrumbidgee water resources.

Data type

Measured

Policy

Water Borrowing Deed established between Snowy Hydro and Murrumbidgee Irrigators.

Data accuracy


Providing agency

NSW Office of Water

Data source


Methodology

Not Applicable


Snowy Borrow Summary Table (ML)

Water Year Starting Balance Owing

Borrow From

Snowy Hydro

Payback To Snowy Hydro

Closing Balance Owing

2002/03 0 136,612 0 136,612

2003/04 136,612 182,554 0 319,166

2004/05 319,166 0 150,450 168,716

2005/06 168,716 173,880 39,554 303,042

2006/07 303,042 0 3,170 299,872

2007/08 299,872 0 88,215 211,657

2008/09 211,657 0 41,689 169,968

2009/10 169,968 0 17,449 152,519

Note: The figures in this table may vary from those stated in information provided by Snowy Hydro due to variations in reporting period. Snowy Hydro reporting period is May to April.



Note 13 Internal trading

This represents the temporary trading (allocation assignments) of water between allocation accounts within the Murrumbidgee Regulated River.

Data type

Measured

Policy

Water Sharing Plan for the Murrumbidgee Regulated River Water Source 2003 Part 10 Access licence dealing rules - Clause 53 Rules relating to constraints within a water source

Available on the NSW Office of Water Website at www.water.nsw.gov.au

Data accuracy


Providing agency

NSW Office of Water

Data source


Methodology

Trading is permitted between certain categories of access licences and between certain zones within

the Murrumbidgee Regulated River. This is detailed in the water sharing plan.

It should be noted that supplementary licence trade is not included and that the net internal trade is zero for a water year.


The table below shows the internal trading figures between licence categories.

LicenceCategory

GeneralSecurity

HighSecurity

Domestic and

Stock

Local WaterUtility

HighSecurity

(Research)Supplementary TOTAL

GeneralSecurity

72,052 3,302 145 248 196 75,943

HighSecurity

81,438 2,887 5 84,330

MI Conveyance

30,000 30,000

Local WaterUtility

100 100 200

TOTAL 183,590 6,189 150 348 196 16,418 190,473

Supplementary (1) 16,418

MURRUMBIDGEE INTERNAL TRADE REPORT - 2009/10

TRADE TO

TR

AD

E F

RO

M

(1) Supplementary Water Access Licences do not create a liability as it is event based and therefore only the extracted water is included in the accounts. As such trade in supplementary water is not included in the accounts as it has no impact on the liabilities.




Note 14 Storage evaporation and storage rainfall

This refers to the volume of water effective on Burrinjuck and Blowering storages that is either lost as a result of evaporation, or gained as a result of rainfall.

Data type


Policy

Not applicable

Data accuracy


Providing agency

NSW Office of Water

Data source


Methodology

The volume applied for evaporation and rainfall on Burrinjuck and Blowering storages is achieved by

first calculating a daily time-series of storage surface area using a height to area lookup curve as defined in HYDSTRA.

Daily rainfall and evaporation data is then applied to the area time-series to achieve a volume in

megalitres which is then aggregated to an annual figure. The rainfall and evaporation data utilised is equivalent to the data used in the storage inflow backcalculations, with the same pan factor applied to the evaporation data (note 6).

Rainfall

Volume (ML) = Rainfall (mm) x Area (m2) x 10-6

Evaporation

Volume (ML) = Pan Evaporation (mm) x Pan Factor x Area (m2) x 10-6

Pan factors utilised for calculation

Burrinjuck 0.8

Blowering 0.85


Constant storage specific pan evaporation factors are applied.



Note 15 River Evaporation and river rainfall

This refers to the volume of water effective on the accounted river reach that is either lost as a result of evaporation, or gained as a result of rainfall.

Data type


Policy

NA

Data accuracy


Providing agency

NSW Office of Water

Data source

NSW Office of Water: HYDSTRA, ARCGIS

QLD Department of Natural Resources: SILO

Methodology

The volume applied for evaporation and rainfall on the regulated river is achieved by first calculating a daily time-series of river area. This is achieved by breaking the river up into reaches and utilising the

cross sections recorded at river gauging locations to determine the average width of the river with a given daily flow. River length is then determined between two gauging locations using ARCGIS and as such an area for each reach can be defined.

Area (m2) = Average W (m) x L (m)

Where W is the daily width determined from the gauging cross sections and L is the length as determined through ARCGIS analysis.

With daily area determined, various climate stations are then selected based on their proximity to each river reach. Rainfall and evaporation data is then extracted from SILO and applied to the area time-series to achieve a volume in megalitres which is then aggregated to an annual figure.

Rainfall

Volume (ML) = Rainfall (mm) x Area (m2) x 10-6

Evaporation

Volume (ML) = ET0 (mm) x Kc x Area (m2) x 10-6

Where = ET0 = reference evapotranspiration from SILO and Kc = crop factor for open water (1.05)



Note 16 End of system flow

This refers to flow that leaves the entity and does not return to the entity.

Data type


Policy

Not applicable

Data accuracy


Providing agency

NSW Office of Water

Data source


Methodology

Summation of flows at gauging sites measuring the volume of water that leaves the entity. For the Murrumbidgee this is represented by the following gauges:

• Billabong Creek @ Darlot

• Murrumbidgee River @ Balranald

These gauges record the time series of heights which are converted to a volume of water based on a derived ‘Height to Flow’ relationship (rating table).


Under the water sharing plan minimum flow targets exist at the above mentioned gauges. Based on the plan rules the Balranald flow target for the 2009-10 water year is meant to be calculated daily. However, due to suspension of the plan the target has remained fixed. Therefore the daily flow targets for 2009-10 were 200 ML/d at Balranald and 50 ML/d at Darlot.

The target flows in 2009-10 at both Balranald and Darlot were achieved to an acceptable level with the exception of a period from mid August till end of September 2009 when flows fell substantially below target. However, these lower flows were a consequence of the drought conditions and the subsequent requirement to operate the river to minimise excess river wastage ensuring that essential supplies can be met. As such these shortfalls are an acceptable outcome given the time of year and the drought conditions that prevailed.

The following graphs provide details of the daily flows in comparisons to these daily flow targets.



Murrumbidgee River at Balranald

Murrumbidgee River at Balranald for 2009-10End of System Minimum Flow Comparison

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

1/07

/200

9

15/0

7/20

09

29/0

7/20

09

12/0

8/20

09

26/0

8/20

09

9/09

/200

9

23/0

9/20

09

7/10

/200

9

21/1

0/20

09

4/11

/200

9

18/1

1/20

09

2/12

/200

9

16/1

2/20

09

30/1

2/20

09

13/0

1/20

10

27/0

1/20

10

10/0

2/20

10

24/0

2/20

10

10/0

3/20

10

24/0

3/20

10

7/04

/201

0

21/0

4/20

10

5/05

/201

0

19/0

5/20

10

2/06

/201

0

16/0

6/20

10

30/0

6/20

10

Da

ily F

low

(M

L/d

ay)

Minimum Flow

Billabong Creek at Darlot

Billabong Creek at Darlot for 2009-10End of System Minimum Flow Comparison

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1/07

/200

9

15/0

7/20

09

29/0

7/20

09

12/0

8/20

09

26/0

8/20

09

9/09

/200

9

23/0

9/20

09

7/10

/200

9

21/1

0/20

09

4/11

/200

9

18/1

1/20

09

2/12

/200

9

16/1

2/20

09

30/1

2/20

09

13/0

1/20

10

27/0

1/20

10

10/0

2/20

10

24/0

2/20

10

10/0

3/20

10

24/0

3/20

10

7/04

/201

0

21/0

4/20

10

5/05

/201

0

19/0

5/20

10

2/06

/201

0

16/0

6/20

10

30/0

6/20

10

Da

ily F

low

(M

L/d

ay)

Minimum Flow



Note 17 Diversions to Lowbidgee

The Lowbidgee is the largest area of floodplain wetland remaining in the Murrumbidgee Catchment. It is located between Maude and Balranald and covers an area over 2,000 square kilometres. The

Lowbidgee includes the second largest red gum forest in Australia and significant black box, lignum and reed-bed communities. The lower Murrumbidgee floodplain wetlands have a strategic role in the health of the Murray-Darling river system, and are significant at a national and international level.

Data type

Measured

Policy

Water Sharing Plan for the Murrumbidgee Regulated River Water Source 2003 Part 12 System operation rules - Clause 69 Flows in the Lowbidgee Flood Control and Irrigation District

Available from NSW Office of Water website at www.water.nsw.gov.au

Data accuracy


Providing agency

NSW Office of Water

Data source


Methodology

The total diversion to Lowbidgee is calculated by summing the flows diverted down three canals off Maude Weir and four Regulators off Redbank Weir. The table below provides a description of these

and the method for assessing the flow at each site.

Site No. Site name Method

Maude Weir Diversion

410060 Nimmie Canal Measuring river heights then passing these heights through a rating table that converts them to a flow.

410175 North Caira Canal Measuring river heights then passing these heights through a rating table that converts them to a flow.

410173 South Caira Canal Measuring river heights then passing these heights through a rating table that converts them to a flow.

Redbank Weir Diversion

- Glen Dee Estimated by from Operator

- Juangong Estimated by from Operator

41000246 Yanga Measuring river heights then passing these heights through a rating table that converts them to a flow.

41000240 Waugorah Measuring river heights at then passing these heights through a rating table that converts them to a flow. Currently rating table waiting for a sufficient range of flows to finalise.





Lowbidgee Diversion 2009-10 (ML)

EWA Provided

(1)

Licensed Environmental

(2)

Domestic and Stock

(3) Other Total

33,614 57,233 6,000 13,724 110,571

(1) In 2009-10, a total of 5,500 ML was diverted to assist the endangered Southern Bell Frog (Litoria raniformis) populations in key “Lowbidgee” wetlands. This formed part of a total 2008/09 release of 27,500 which included July 2010.

(2) All licensed environmental water was supplied to Lowbidgee.

(3) Domestic and Stock releases were part of drought release for the Lowbidgee area and was outside of plan rules. Note that this figure also includes a small component of leakage from weir structures.



Note 18 Uncontrolled flow

This refers to a specific volume of non debit water, as defined in the water sharing plan, pumped or diverted from the river for consumptive use by general security licence holders during periods when

the extraction of supplementary water is permitted. It differs from supplementary water, which is a defined licence category that limits the volume pumped during high flow events, in that based on rules defined in the water sharing plan it can debit the licence holders general security account.

Data type

Measured data

Policy

Water Sharing Plan for the Murrumbidgee Regulated River Water Source 2003 Part 8 Limits to the availability of water

Division 2 - Available water determinations

• Clause 39 Available water determinations for regulated river (general security) access

licences (6)


Data accuracy


Providing agency

NSW Office of Water

Data source

State Water/NSW Office of Water – Water Accounting System (Joint ownership of system).

Methodology

Uncontrolled flow usage is measured in the same way as general security extractions but is tagged as

uncontrolled flow in the accounting system. Under specific rules as outlined in the water sharing plan the uncontrolled usage will be debited against the general security account in a water year. The summary of these rules is given below:

• Uncontrolled flow can be extracted, up to a limit of 0.85 ML/share of entitlement, without debit when the annual allocation plus carryover (effective allocation) is below 0.7 ML/share of entitlement.

• When uncontrolled extractions plus effective allocation exceed a volume equivalent to 0.85 ml/share of entitlement then the volume of exceedence less any previously debited exceedence water will be debited against the general security allocation account.

• When effective allocation exceeds 0.85 ML/share of entitlement then the uncontrolled usage less any previously debited exceedence will be debited against the general security allocation account

As uncontrolled flow is extracted through the same pumps as those extracting water under other

categories of access licences additional information is required to identify periods and hence volumes of uncontrolled flow extractions. This is achieved by holders providing notification of intent to pump prior to pumping or diverting water during a declared supplementary event and provide meter readings

both at the commencement and conclusion of pumping. This enables the uncontrolled flow extraction to be assessed independent of the other categories of access licences.




Note 19 Supplementary extraction

This is the volume of water extracted or diverted under supplementary access licences during announced periods of supplementary water. Supplementary flow events are announced periodically

during the season when high flow events occur with the period of extraction and volume of water to be extracted determined based on the rules as set out in the water sharing plans. It is important to note that supplementary access licences differ from other categories of access licence in that the volume of

water in the account refers to an annual upper limit for extractions and its provision is totally reliant on the occurrence of high flow events.

Data type

Measured data

Policy


Part 8 Limits to the availability of water

Division 2 - Available water determinations

• Clause 42 Available water determinations for supplementary water access licences

Part 9 Rules for managing access licences

Division 2 - Extraction conditions

• Clause 51 Extraction of water under supplementary water access licences

Refer to applicable Water Sharing Plan on NSW Office of Water Website at www.water.nsw.gov.au

Data accuracy


Providing agency

NSW Office of Water

Data source


Methodology

Supplementary water extraction and diversion data is collected by either on farm meters that measure extraction or gauges on diversion works. Meter readings are collected for individual licence holders at

intervals during the year and converted via a calibration factor to a volume of water extracted. Water diverted from the river is measured by recording the height at either the gauge or weir with the volume diverted being derived by passing these heights through a rating table. However, with supplementary

water being extracted through the same pumps as those extracting water under other categories of access licences additional information is required to separate out supplementary extraction. Basically licence holders provide notification of their intention to pump prior to pumping or diverting water during

the declared supplementary event and provide meter readings both at the commencement and conclusion of pumping. This enables the supplementary flow extraction to be assessed independent of other categories of access licences.

The total volume of supplementary extractions is then calculated by summing the individual extractions and diversions that occurred during declared periods of supplementary flow for the water year.




Note 20 Basic rights

This is water extracted to meet the annual requirements of domestic and stock rights in the water source.

Data Type

Estimated

Policy


Part 4 Basic Landholder Rights

• Clause 18 Domestic and stock rights

Available on the NSW Office of Water website at www.water.nsw.gov.au

Data accuracy


Providing agency

NSW Office of Water

Data source


Methodology

The estimation of domestic and stock rights uses a series of estimates for water usage, stocking rates, population and property shape based on local knowledge to calculate riparian (stock and domestic) requirements in megalitres per year.

The annual extraction for Domestic and Stock Rights in the water accounts is assumed to be the figure stated in the water sharing plan (4,560 ML).




Note 21 Available Water Determination (AWD) – Regulated River

This is the process by which the regulated water asset, available for use within the regulated system, is determined and shared. It determines the volume of water that is to be added to an individuals

licence allocation account. Announcements of allocations are made on a seasonal basis - usually corresponding with the financial year and are updated on a regular basis or following significant inflow events.

Data type


Policy

Water Management Act 2000 (NSW) Chapter 3 – Part 2 Access Licences

• Clause 59 – Available Water Determinations

Water Sharing Plan for the Murrumbidgee Regulated River Water Source 2003 Part 8 Limits to the availability of water

• Division 2 Available Water Determinations Available on the NSW Office of Water website at www.water.nsw.gov.au

Data accuracy


Providing agency

NSW Office of Water

Data source

State Water/NSW Office of Water – Water Accounting System (Joint ownership of system).

Available Water Determination Register - NSW Office of Water website at www.water.nsw.gov.au

Methodology

The AWD procedure itself is generally divided into two sections; the available water asset, and system commitments. The remaining asset once system commitments have been met is then available for

distribution to the categories of access licences in order of priority (see table below). The volume of the announced allocation is expressed as the percentage of share component of the licence.

Licence Category AWD Priority

General Security Low

High Security High

Conveyance Low

Domestic and Stock* Very High

Local Water Utility Very High

Note: Domestic and Stock is further broken down into three sub categories: Domestic and Stock, Domestic and Stock (Domestic) and Domestic and Stock (Stock). For the purposes of this report and the general purpose water account they were all treated as Domestic and Stock.





The Available Water Asset is calculated by summing the water currently available in storage, future (minimum) inflows to the system, and additional volumes due to recessions of inflows from the current levels to the minimum inflow levels. Also taken into consideration is the reduction of the total inflows to

the system for those that arrive too late in the season to be useful.

System Commitments - this is an assessment of the existing commitments that have to be delivered from the Available Water Asset in either the current or future years. Key components include:

• Essential supplies include things such as town water supplies, stock and domestic requirements, industrial use and permanent plantings (e.g. orchards, vineyards) and environmental allowances.

• Undelivered account water is the water that is already in accounts that is yet to be provided.

• End of system flow requirement is an estimate of the flow that to pass through the system as a

result of operation of the system.

• Losses which are estimated as the amount of water that will be lost by the system either through

evaporation or in the process of delivering the water via transmission losses.

It should be noted that the AWD for supplementary licence accounts is a separate process and is not dependent on water asset available. It is made once at the start of the year and unless there is a management change due to the growth in use strategy it is maintained at the maximum value

prescribed in the plan generally 100 percent of share component.


The following Table contains the Murrumbidgee Allocation Summary Report for 2009-10. Below is a table containing report notes to help interpret the report.

Allocation Summary Report Notes

Share Component (Entitlement) Sum of the licensed volume of water within the licence category on the announcement date.

Individual Announcement Actual announcement made to each licence category

Announced Volume Volume of water credited to accounts within a licence category as a result of the announcement made.

Cumulative Volume Cumulative total of the announced volumes for the water year and licence category.

Balance Made Available Sum of water available in allocation accounts that has been made available to be taken during the season.

Non Available Balance

Water allocated that is not accessible at this point in time. In the case of the Murrumbidgee it is water allocated to accounts that was moved to a drought account to be accessible at a later date.

Percent of Entitlement This is the volume expressed as a percentage of the entitlement applicable on the particular date.

Carried Forward Remaining allocation account balances at the conclusion of the previous season that is allowed to be carried forward to this season.

Supplementary Water Water that is not a stored source of water and is only made available if an uncontrolled flow event occurs.


DateIndividual

Announcement

ShareComponent(Entitlement)

AnnouncedVolume

(ML)

CummulativeVolume

(ML)

AnnouncedPercent ofEntitlement

AnnouncedCummulative

Percent ofEntitlement

BalanceMade

Available(ML)

NonAvailableBalance

(ML)

BalanceTotal(ML)

MadeAvailablePercent ofEntitlement

BalanceTotal


Carried Forward 130000 1,050 0 1,050 0.8% 0.8%1-Jul-09 Drought Critical Water AWD 10000.0 ML Volume 130000 10,000 10,000 7.7% 7.7% 11,050 0 11,050 8.5% 8.5%1-Jul-09 Drought Suspension 20.0 % 130000 8,840 2,210 11,050 6.8% 8.5%

15-Jul-09 Drought Suspension Re-credit 50.0 % 130000 9,945 1,105 11,050 7.6% 8.5%3-Aug-09 Drought Critical Water AWD 5000.0 ML Volume 130000 5,000 15,000 3.8% 11.5% 14,945 1,105 16,050 11.5% 12.3%3-Aug-09 Drought Suspension Re-credit 100.0 % 130000 16,050 0 16,050 12.3% 12.3%

15-Sep-09 Drought Critical Water AWD 5000.0 ML Volume 130000 5,000 20,000 3.8% 15.4% 21,050 0 21,050 16.2% 16.2%1-Oct-09 Drought Critical Water AWD 13740.0 ML Volume 130000 13,740 33,740 10.6% 26.0% 34,790 0 34,790 26.8% 26.8%

15-Oct-09 Drought Critical Water AWD 4580.0 ML Volume 130000 4,580 38,320 3.5% 29.5% 39,370 0 39,370 30.3% 30.3%23-Oct-09 AWD 2040.0 ML Volume 130000 2,040 40,360 1.6% 31.0% 41,410 0 41,410 31.9% 31.9%23-Oct-09 Drought Critical Water AWD 32060.0 ML Volume 130000 32,060 72,420 24.7% 55.7% 73,470 0 73,470 56.5% 56.5%2-Nov-09 AWD 287.0 ML Volume 130000 287 72,707 0.2% 55.9% 73,757 0 73,757 56.7% 56.7%2-Nov-09 Drought Critical Water AWD 13740.0 ML Volume 130000 13,740 86,447 10.6% 66.5% 87,497 0 87,497 67.3% 67.3%

30-Nov-09 AWD 127.0 ML Volume 130000 127 86,574 0.1% 66.6% 87,624 0 87,624 67.4% 67.4%30-Nov-09 Drought Critical Water AWD 4580.0 ML Volume 130000 4,580 91,154 3.5% 70.1% 92,204 0 92,204 70.9% 70.9%15-Jan-10 AWD 380.0 ML Volume 130000 380 91,534 0.3% 70.4% 92,584 0 92,584 71.2% 71.2%15-Jan-10 Drought Critical Water AWD 13740.0 ML Volume 130000 13,740 105,274 10.6% 81.0% 106,324 0 106,324 81.8% 81.8%15-Feb-10 AWD 254.0 ML Volume 130000 254 105,528 0.2% 81.2% 106,578 0 106,578 82.0% 82.0%15-Feb-10 Drought Critical Water AWD 9160.0 ML Volume 130000 9,160 114,688 7.0% 88.2% 115,738 0 115,738 89.0% 89.0%1-Mar-10 AWD 0.0 ML Volume 130000 0 114,688 0.0% 88.2% 115,738 0 115,738 89.0% 89.0%1-Mar-10 Drought Critical Water AWD 0.0 ML Volume 130000 0 114,688 0.0% 88.2% 115,738 0 115,738 89.0% 89.0%

Carried Forward 22266 -9 0 -9 0.0% 0.0%1-Jul-09 AWD 50.0 % 22266 11,133 11,133 50.0% 50.0% 11,124 0 11,124 50.0% 50.0%

15-Sep-09 AWD 10.0 % 22266 2,227 13,359 10.0% 60.0% 13,350 0 13,350 60.0% 60.0%1-Oct-09 AWD 35.0 % 22266 7,796 21,155 35.0% 95.0% 21,146 0 21,146 95.0% 95.0%

Carried Forward 245 0 0 0 0.0% 0.0%1-Jul-09 AWD 50.0 % 245 123 123 50.1% 50.1% 123 0 123 50.1% 50.1%

15-Sep-09 AWD 10.0 % 247 25 147 10.0% 59.6% 147 0 147 59.6% 59.6%1-Oct-09 AWD 35.0 % 247 88 235 35.5% 95.2% 235 0 235 95.2% 95.2%

30-Jun-10 Additional Pro Rata AWD since 1-Oct-09 261 5 240 1.9% 92.0% 240 0 240 92.0% 92.0%

Carried Forward 13412 0 0 0 0.0% 0.0%1-Jul-09 AWD 50.0 % 13412 6,706 6,706 50.0% 50.0% 6,706 0 6,706 50.0% 50.0%

15-Sep-09 AWD 10.0 % 13412 1,341 8,047 10.0% 60.0% 8,047 0 8,047 60.0% 60.0%1-Oct-09 AWD 35.0 % 13412 4,700 12,747 35.0% 95.0% 12,747 0 12,747 95.0% 95.0%

MURRUMBIDGEE REGULATED RIVER WATER SOURCE - ALLOCATION SUMMARY REPORT Page 1

COLEAMBALLY IRRIGATION (CONVEYANCE)

DOMESTIC AND STOCK

DOMESTIC AND STOCK(DOMESTIC)

1 JULY 2009 - 30 JUNE 2010

DOMESTIC AND STOCK(STOCK)



DateIndividual

Announcement

ShareComponent(Entitlement)

AnnouncedVolume

(ML)

CummulativeVolume

(ML)

AnnouncedPercent ofEntitlement



BalanceMade

Available(ML)

NonAvailableBalance

(ML)

BalanceTotal(ML)


BalanceTotal


Carried Forward 23586 0 0 0 0.0% 0.0%1-Jul-09 AWD 50.0 % 23586 11,793 11,793 50.0% 50.0% 11,793 0 11,793 50.0% 50.0%1-Oct-09 AWD 45.0 % 23586 10,614 22,407 45.0% 95.0% 22,407 0 22,407 95.0% 95.0%

Carried Forward 243000 46,306 0 46,306 19.1% 19.1%1-Jul-09 Drought Critical Water AWD 40000.0 ML Volume 243000 40,000 40,000 16.5% 16.5% 86,306 0 86,306 35.5% 35.5%1-Jul-09 Drought Suspension 20.0 % 243000 69,045 17,261 86,306 28.4% 35.5%

15-Jul-09 Drought Suspension Re-credit 50.0 % 243000 77,676 8,631 86,306 32.0% 35.5%3-Aug-09 Drought Critical Water AWD 50000.0 ML Volume 243000 50,000 90,000 20.6% 37.0% 127,676 8,631 136,306 52.5% 56.1%3-Aug-09 Drought Suspension Re-credit 100.0 % 243000 136,306 0 136,306 56.1% 56.1%1-Oct-09 Drought Critical Water AWD 8660.0 ML Volume 243000 8,660 98,660 3.6% 40.6% 144,966 0 144,966 59.7% 59.7%

15-Oct-09 Drought Critical Water AWD 2882.0 ML Volume 243000 2,882 101,542 1.2% 41.8% 147,848 0 147,848 60.8% 60.8%23-Oct-09 AWD 10920.0 ML Volume 243000 10,920 112,462 4.5% 46.3% 158,768 0 158,768 65.3% 65.3%23-Oct-09 Drought Critical Water AWD 20192.0 ML Volume 243000 20,192 132,654 8.3% 54.6% 178,960 0 178,960 73.6% 73.6%2-Nov-09 AWD 775.0 ML Volume 243000 775 133,429 0.3% 54.9% 179,735 0 179,735 74.0% 74.0%2-Nov-09 Drought Critical Water AWD 8660.0 ML Volume 243000 8,660 142,089 3.6% 58.5% 188,395 0 188,395 77.5% 77.5%

30-Nov-09 AWD 258.0 ML Volume 243000 258 142,347 0.1% 58.6% 188,653 0 188,653 77.6% 77.6%30-Nov-09 Drought Critical Water AWD 2886.0 ML Volume 243000 2,886 145,233 1.2% 59.8% 191,539 0 191,539 78.8% 78.8%15-Jan-10 AWD 775.0 ML Volume 243000 775 146,008 0.3% 60.1% 192,314 0 192,314 79.1% 79.1%15-Jan-10 Drought Critical Water AWD 8660.0 ML Volume 243000 8,660 154,668 3.6% 63.6% 200,974 0 200,974 82.7% 82.7%15-Feb-10 AWD 519.0 ML Volume 243000 519 155,187 0.2% 63.9% 201,493 0 201,493 82.9% 82.9%15-Feb-10 Drought Critical Water AWD 5770.0 ML Volume 243000 5,770 160,957 2.4% 66.2% 207,263 0 207,263 85.3% 85.3%1-Mar-10 AWD 538.0 ML Volume 243000 538 161,495 0.2% 66.5% 207,801 0 207,801 85.5% 85.5%1-Mar-10 Drought Critical Water AWD 5993.0 ML Volume 243000 5,993 167,488 2.5% 68.9% 213,794 0 213,794 88.0% 88.0%

15-Mar-10 AWD 268.0 ML Volume 243000 268 167,756 0.1% 69.0% 214,062 0 214,062 88.1% 88.1%15-Mar-10 Drought Critical Water AWD 2985.0 ML Volume 243000 2,985 170,741 1.2% 70.3% 217,047 0 217,047 89.3% 89.3%

1-Apr-10 AWD 134.0 ML Volume 243000 134 170,875 0.1% 70.3% 217,181 0 217,181 89.4% 89.4%1-Apr-10 Drought Critical Water AWD 1498.0 ML Volume 243000 1,498 172,373 0.6% 70.9% 218,679 0 218,679 90.0% 90.0%

Carried Forward 2968 590 0 590 19.9% 19.9%1-Jul-09 Drought Suspension 20.0 % 2968 472 118 590 15.9% 19.9%

15-Jul-09 Drought Suspension Re-credit 50.0 % 2968 531 59 590 17.9% 19.9%3-Aug-09 Drought Suspension Re-credit 100.0 % 2968 590 0 590 19.9% 19.9%1-Oct-09 AWD 0.03 ML per Share 2968 89 89 3.0% 3.0% 679 0 679 22.9% 22.9%

15-Oct-09 AWD 0.01 ML per Share 2968 30 119 1.0% 4.0% 709 0 709 23.9% 23.9%23-Oct-09 AWD 0.07 ML per Share 2968 208 326 7.0% 11.0% 916 0 916 30.9% 30.9%2-Nov-09 AWD 0.03 ML per Share 2968 89 416 3.0% 14.0% 1,006 0 1,006 33.9% 33.9%

30-Nov-09 AWD 0.01 ML per Share 2968 30 445 1.0% 15.0% 1,035 0 1,035 34.9% 34.9%15-Jan-10 AWD 0.03 ML per Share 2968 89 534 3.0% 18.0% 1,124 0 1,124 37.9% 37.9%15-Feb-10 AWD 0.02 ML per Share 2968 59 594 2.0% 20.0% 1,184 0 1,184 39.9% 39.9%1-Mar-10 AWD 0.04 ML per Share 2968 119 712 4.0% 24.0% 1,302 0 1,302 43.9% 43.9%

15-Mar-10 AWD 0.02 ML per Share 2968 59 772 2.0% 26.0% 1,362 0 1,362 45.9% 45.9%1-Apr-10 AWD 0.01 ML per Share 2968 30 801 1.0% 27.0% 1,391 0 1,391 46.9% 46.9%

LOCAL WATER UTILITY

MURRUMBIDGEE IRRIGATION (CONVEYANCE)

REGULATED RIVER (CONVEYANCE)


1 JULY 2009 - 30 JUNE 2010



DateIndividual

Announcement

ShareComponent

(Entitlement)

AnnouncedVolume

(ML)

CummulativeVolume

(ML)

AnnouncedPercent of

Entitlement



BalanceMade

Available(ML)

NonAvailableBalance

(ML)

BalanceTotal(ML)


BalanceTotal


Carried Forward 1888097 220,652 0 220,652 11.7% 11.7%1-Jul-09 Drought Suspension 20.0 % 1888097 176,329 44,323 220,652 9.3% 11.7%

15-Jul-09 Drought Suspension Re-credit 50.0 % 1888097 198,505 22,147 220,652 10.5% 11.7%3-Aug-09 Drought Suspension Re-credit 100.0 % 1888097 220,652 0 220,652 11.7% 11.7%1-Oct-09 AWD 0.03 ML per Share 1888097 56,650 56,650 3.0% 3.0% 277,303 0 277,303 14.7% 14.7%

15-Oct-09 AWD 0.01 ML per Share 1888097 18,882 75,533 1.0% 4.0% 296,185 0 296,185 15.7% 15.7%23-Oct-09 AWD 0.07 ML per Share 1888097 132,166 207,699 7.0% 11.0% 428,351 0 428,351 22.7% 22.7%2-Nov-09 AWD 0.03 ML per Share 1888097 56,650 264,349 3.0% 14.0% 485,001 0 485,001 25.7% 25.7%

30-Nov-09 AWD 0.01 ML per Share 1888097 18,882 283,232 1.0% 15.0% 503,884 0 503,884 26.7% 26.7%15-Jan-10 AWD 0.03 ML per Share 1888070 56,650 339,881 3.0% 18.0% 560,534 0 560,534 29.7% 29.7%15-Feb-10 AWD 0.02 ML per Share 1888070 37,758 377,639 2.0% 20.0% 598,292 0 598,292 31.7% 31.7%

1-Mar-10 AWD 0.04 ML per Share 1888070 75,524 453,164 4.0% 24.0% 673,816 0 673,816 35.7% 35.7%15-Mar-10 AWD 0.02 ML per Share 1888070 37,758 490,922 2.0% 26.0% 711,574 0 711,574 37.7% 37.7%

1-Apr-10 AWD 0.01 ML per Share 1888070 18,882 509,803 1.0% 27.0% 730,456 0 730,456 38.7% 38.7%

Carried Forward 356831 1,924 0 1,924 0.5% 0.5%1-Jul-09 Drought Suspension 20.0 % 356831 1,539 384.8 1,924 0.4% 0.5%

15-Jul-09 Drought Suspension Re-credit 50.0 % 356831 1,732 192.4 1,924 0.5% 0.5%3-Aug-09 AWD 0.05 ML per Share 356831 17,843 17,843 5.0% 5.0% 19,575 192.4 19,767 5.5% 5.5%3-Aug-09 Drought Suspension Re-credit 100.0 % 356831 19,767 0 19,767 5.5% 5.5%

17-Aug-09 AWD 0.15 ML per Share 356831 53,526 71,370 15.0% 20.0% 73,293 0 73,293 20.5% 20.5%1-Sep-09 AWD 0.25 ML per Share 356831 89,210 160,580 25.0% 45.0% 162,503 0 162,503 45.5% 45.5%

15-Sep-09 AWD 0.15 ML per Share 356831 53,526 214,106 15.0% 60.0% 216,029 0 216,029 60.5% 60.5%1-Oct-09 AWD 0.35 ML per Share 356831 124,893 338,999 35.0% 95.0% 340,922 0 340,922 95.5% 95.5%

29-Nov-09 Cancel Carried Forward Balance 356831 338,998 0 338,998 95.0% 95.0%

Carried Forward 500 0 0 0 0.0% 0.0%1-Jul-09 Drought Suspension 20.0 % 500 0 0 0 0.0% 0.0%

15-Jul-09 Drought Suspension Re-credit 50.0 % 500 0 0 0 0.0% 0.0%3-Aug-09 Drought Suspension Re-credit 100.0 % 500 0 0 0 0.0% 0.0%

15-Sep-09 AWD 60.0 % 500 300 300 60.0% 60.0% 300 0 300 60.0% 60.0%1-Oct-09 AWD 35.0 % 500 175 475 35.0% 95.0% 475 0 475 95.0% 95.0%

Carried Forward 320 0 0 0 0.0% 0.0%1-Jul-09 Drought Suspension Re-credit 50.0 % 320 0 0 0 0.0% 0.0%1-Jul-09 Drought Suspension 20.0 % 320 0 0 0 0.0% 0.0%

3-Aug-09 Drought Suspension Re-credit 100.0 % 320 0 0 0 0.0% 0.0%15-Sep-09 AWD 60.0 % 320 192 192 60.0% 60.0% 192 0 192 60.0% 60.0%

1-Oct-09 AWD 35.0 % 320 112 304 35.0% 95.0% 304 0 304 95.0% 95.0%

Carried Forward 19769 0 0 0 0.0% 0.0%1-Jul-09 AWD 50.0 % 19769 9,884 9,884 50.0% 50.0% 9,884 0 9,884 50.0% 50.0%

1-Oct-09 AWD 45.0 % 19769 8,896 18,781 45.0% 95.0% 18,781 0 18,781 95.0% 95.0%

Carried Forward 198780 0 0 0 0.0% 0.0%1-Jul-09 AWD 1.0 ML per Share 198780 198,780 198,780 100.0% 100.0% 198,780 0 198,780 100.0% 100.0%

1 JULY 2009 - 30 JUNE 2010

REGULATED RIVER (HIGH SECURITY)(TOWN WATER SUPPLY)


SUPPLEMENTARY WATER

REGULATED RIVER (HIGH SECURITY)(RESEARCH)

REGULATED RIVER (GENERAL SECURITY)

REGULATED RIVER (HIGH SECURITY)

REGULATED RIVER (HIGH SECURITY)(ABORIGINAL CULTURAL)



Note 22 Unaccounted volume

In theory if all the processes of a water balance could be accurately accounted for the unaccountable volume would be zero. In reality due to the large uncertainties in many of the volumes presented in the

accounts, the various sources from which the data has been obtained and the fact that not all processes of the water cycle have been accounted, the statements are not balanced at the end of the accounting process. In order to balance the accounts a final balancing entry is required, and this is

termed the unaccounted volume. As technology progresses and accuracy improves in the account estimates, it is anticipated that relatively, this figure should reduce in future accounts.

Data type

Not applicable

Policy

Not applicable

Data accuracy

Not applicable

Providing agency

Not applicable

Data source

Not applicable

Methodology

For surface water the unaccounted volume is equal to the amount required to obtain the correct volume in river at the end of the reporting period, after all the known physical inflows and outflows

have been accounted. The double-entry accounting process attempted to represent the physical movement of water by creating a river asset. The opening and closing balance of the river volume was estimated according to Note 2.

For groundwater Method A utilises the full balanced output from the groundwater model and as such has no unknown component. For areas accounted using Method C a steady state system was assumed with the volume required to maintain this attributed as the unaccounted volume. This volume

would include losses such as evapotranspiration, seepage to springs and loss to other groundwater aquifers.

Surface Water Unaccounted Volume

UVSW = Rs – Rc + RI - Ro

Where:

UVSW = Unaccounted Volume for Surface Water

Rs = Opening river volume estimate

Rc = Closing river volume estimate

Ro = Physical outflows from the river (e.g. extractions, diversions)

RI = Physical inflows to the river (e.g. runoff, return flows, dam releases)



Groundwater Unaccounted Volume (Method C areas)

UVGW = RGW + EGW

Where

UVGW = Unaccounted volume for groundwater areas accounted with method C

RGW = Recharge to groundwater areas accounted with method C

EGW = Estimated extraction from groundwater areas accounted with method C



Note 23 Extractions

This refers to the actual volume of water either pumped or diverted from the river or aquifer for consumptive use by licensed users. It is broken up by licence category and in some circumstances by

water sharing plan rules e.g. for uncontrolled flow.

Data type

Measured data

Policy

Not applicable

Data accuracy


Providing agency

NSW Office of Water

Data source


Methodology

The extraction and diversion data is collected by either on farm meters that measure extraction or gauges on diversion works. Meter readings are collected for individual licence holders at intervals during the year and converted via a calibration factor to a volume of water extracted. Water diverted

from the river is measured by recording the height at either the gauge or weir with the volume diverted being derived by passing these heights through a rating table. However, with multiple categories of access licences being extracted through the same pumps additional information and methodologies

are required to separate use under the various licence categories. Below is a description of these:

• Based on periods of announcement – during periods of supplementary water announcements

extractions can be debited against either the Supplementary Water Licences or tagged as Uncontrolled Flow.

• Extractions based on water orders – users place orders for water against an access licence and extractions are debited against accounts in proportion to the orders placed.

• Licence Category Apportionment – if no water orders are available water extracted is apportioned

against categories of access licence in order of priority as set out in the table below. The prioritising is based on the nature and rules around each of the licence categories.

The following table provides the order in which extractions are apportioned to access licence categories. In the table following licensed extractions are apportioned in order of priority starting at priority 1.

Licence Category Apportionment Table

Priority Surface Water Groundwater 1 Supplementary Domestic and Stock 2 Uncontrolled Flow Supplementary 3 Domestic and Stock Aquifer 4 Regulated River High Security Local Water Utility 5 Regulated River General Security Major Water Utility 6 Conveyance 7 Local Water Utility 8 Major Water Utility



Note 24 Held environmental water

This represents environmental water that is held as part of a licensed volumetric entitlement. These

licences are held within the same licence categories as all other water access licences hence are subject to the same operating rules. Therefore they are subject to the following key rules:

• Available Water Determinations (AWD) for their share of the entitlement to be added to accounts.

• Intervalley and Intravalley and interstate trading are permitted within the licensed category

constraints detailed in the federal and state water acts and the water sharing plan. This includes trading of environmental water to non environmental consumptive use purposes.

• Carryover rules hence the forfeiting of unused water that cannot be carried over.

• Provide water orders prior to use.

Data type

Measured

Policy

Water Act 2007 (Federal) The Murray Darling Basin Agreement (Schedule 1) – Transferring Water Entitlements and Allocations (Schedule D)

Water Management Act 2000 (NSW) Dealings with access licences (Division 4) • 71G Assignment of water allocations between access licences • 71I Interstate assignment of water allocations

Water Sharing Plan for the Murrumbidgee Regulated River Water Source 2003 Part 8 Limits to the availability of water • Division 2 Available Water Determinations Part 10 Access licence dealing rules • Clause 53 Rules relating to constraints within a water source • Clause 57 Rules for water allocation assignment between water sources • Clause 58 Rules for interstate assignment of water allocations

Available on the NSW Office of Water Website at: www.water.nsw.gov.au

Data accuracy


Providing agency

NSW Office of Water

Data source


Available Water Determination Register - NSW Office of Water website at www.water.nsw.gov.au

Methodology

The water held for the environment represents a volume of water in corresponding allocation accounts. This allocation account represents the sum of the remaining volume of held environmental

water at the conclusion of the water year once all transactions and forfeit rules have been applied to the accounts. These environmental balances are at the licence category level and represent the water that can be carried forward for use in the next year. Below is list of typical transactions that can apply

to an environmental allocation account:

• AWD (including pro rata of AWD for new licences)





• Licensed extractions

• Forfeiture due to:

Carryover Rules

Account spillage as a result of AWD

Licence conversions

Excess orders (where water order debiting is in place)

• Licence conversion

• Trade of allocation water between accounts

• Transfers e.g. Snowy borrow and payback

• Movement of water to/from drought sub account

In addition the trade and purchase of environmental water is tracked to capture the movement of

environmental entitlement both in number of entitlements, and volume.

All of this is more clearly depicted in the tables provided in the following section.


No. Lic Share No. Lic Share Licences Share

COLEAMBALLY IRRIGATION (CONVEYANCE) 1 3,500 1 3,500 0

MURRUMBIDGEE IRRIGATION (CONVEYANCE) 1 20,000 1 20,000 0 0

REGULATED RIVER (CONVEYANCE) 1 1,000 1 1,000 0

REGULATED RIVER (GENERAL SECURITY) 23 73,476 23 204,171 0 130,695

REGULATED RIVER (HIGH SECURITY) 5 0 5 0 0

SUPPLEMENTARY WATER 8 24,602 8 33,237 0 8,635

Change

Murrumbidgee Environmental Licence Changes

Licence Category30/06/2009 30/06/2010

0

0

0

In Out In Out Controlled Uncontrolled

COLEAMBALLY IRRIGATION (CONVEYANCE) 1,050 3,088 0 0 0 0 0 0 4,138 3,088 1,050

MURRUMBIDGEE IRRIGATION (CONVEYANCE) 6,000 14,187 0 0 0 0 0 0 20,187 14,187 6,000

REGULATED RIVER (CONVEYANCE) 0 270 0 0 0 0 0 0 270 0 270

REGULATED RIVER (GENERAL SECURITY) 14,241 44,466 63,406 29,479 0 1,010 55,083 0 36,541 7,178 29,363

REGULATED RIVER (HIGH SECURITY) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

SUPPLEMENTARY WATER 0 24,602 12,186 12,436 0 0 0 2,150 22,202 22,202 0

Licence Category

Murrumbidgee Environmental Regulated Account Summary Data 2009-10

AvailableBalance

Extractions CarryForward2010-11

ForfeitEnd of Year

Carried Forward2008-09

AWD2009-10

Assignments Transferred

0

NSW Murray

General Security

SupplementaryGeneral Security

General Security

SupplementaryGeneral Security

High Security

General Security 15,110 11,442 26,552 300 458 1,969 200 2,927 29,479

Supplementary 12,186 12,186 250 250 12,436

NSW Murray General Security 1,308 1,308 1,308

16,418 12,186 11,442 40,046 300 250 458 1,969 200 3,177 43,223

General Security 5,074 5,074

High Security 618 618

NSW Murray High Security 2,090 2,090

1,152 1,152

38,054 38,054

46,988 46,988

63,406 12,186 11,442 87,034

MURRUMBIDGEE ENVIRONMENTAL TRADE REPORT 2009-10

Grand Total

Environmental

Total

Non Environmental

TotalMurrumbidgee

FR

OM Murrumbidgee

Murrumbidgee

Grand Total

En

vir

on

men

tal

Total

Total

South Australia

Victoria

No

n E

nvi

ron

men

tal

NSW Murray

Murrumbidgee

TO

Victoria


Note 25 Storage releases

This refers to the total volume of water released from Burrinjuck and Blowering storages to meet downstream requirements. The total storage releases have been disaggregated into transparent

(Burrinjuck), translucent (Burrinjuck) and other releases. The rules defining the required releases are set out in the water sharing plan.

Data type

Measured data

Policy


• Paragraph 15 Planned Environmental Water.

Note: the plan was suspended for the reporting period, however the rules were attempted to be met

where possible.


Data accuracy


Providing agency

NSW Office of Water

Data source

NSW Office of Water: HYDSTRA.

Methodology

The selected data corresponds to the release data used in the storage backcalculations. The gauges used were 410102 (Tumut River at Blowering Dam – Storage Gauge) and 410131 (Murrumbidgee

River at Burrinjuck Dam – Storage Gauge). For Burrinjuck, the total release volume was disaggregated based on operational spreadsheet tags of transparent and translucent releases. Storage releases

Storage Releases (1 July 2009 - 30 June 2010)

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

1/07

/200

9

1/08

/200

9

1/09

/200

9

1/10

/200

9

1/11

/200

9

1/12

/200

9

1/01

/201

0

1/02

/201

0

1/03

/201

0

1/04

/201

0

1/05

/201

0

1/06

/201

0

ML

/d Blowering

Burrinjuck



Note 26 River inflow from storage releases

This figure represents an increase in the river asset due to releases from Blowering and Burrinjuck Dams. It is equal to total volume shown for storage releases in note 25.

Data type

Measured data

Policy

Not applicable

Data accuracy


Providing agency

NSW Office of Water

Data source

NSW Office of Water: HYDSTRA.

Methodology

The selected data corresponds to the release data used in the storage backcalculations. The represents the total recorded release at 410102 (Tumut River at Blowering Dam – Storage Gauge) and 410131 (Murrumbidgee River at Burrinjuck Dam – Storage Gauge) for the period 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010.



Note 27 Snowy-Tumut Required Annual Release (RAR)

Snowy Hydro Limited operates under a May to April accounting year which is different to the water accounting period being considered in this report. Hence this note will cover both the Snowy RAR and

those adjusted to represent the reporting period.

Snowy Hydro Limited provides an annual fixed minimal accountable release, known as the Required Annual Release to the Murrumbidgee (1,026,000 megalitres per year). However, in years of severe

drought when the current inflow sequence is worse (drier) than the historical dry sequence, Snowy Hydro’s delivery of the RAR could put the Snowy Scheme at risk of running out of water. In those years the RAR may be reduced by the Dry Inflow Sequence Volume (DISV) being the measure of the

cumulative difference between the historic dry sequence and the current inflow sequence. Any shortfall in the delivery of the DISV will be repaid in the future when annual inflows improve.

Further adjustments to the RAR can also be made each year as a result of pre-releases made in the

previous year or for water savings in the Murrumbidgee that have been dedicated to Snowy River environmental flows. The RAR and those items that adjust it are monitored continually and updated whenever changes in the catchment dictate it.

Policy

Snowy Water Licence 2010

Data type


Data accuracy


Providing agency

NSW Office of Water

Data sources

Snowy Mountains Authority Water Operations Report

Methodology

Snowy Accounting Year (May – April)

RAR deliverable for Snowy–Tumut Development is calculated as being: • Annual Fixed Minimal Accountable Release • plus DISV as at 1 March (previous water year) • less Water savings Allocated to Snowy Tumut • less Pre Release (previous water year)

The Adjusted RAR for Snowy–Tumut Development is calculated as being: • RAR Deliverable • less DISV on 1 March (water year) • less Murrumbidgee Water Deal Paybacks • less Snowy-Tumut Intervalley Transfer Settlement

Total RAR Delivered = Adjusted RAR plus Pre Release (previous water year)

Reporting Period (July – June)

The delivered RAR which is reported in the accounts is calculated as:



Delivered RAR = Sum Accountable Net Jounama Releases (July – June)

Additional Information

The following tables provide detail into the calculation of the Snowy-Tumut RAR as well as the water delivered under RAR for the July-June water year.

Snowy-Tumut RAR 2009-10 Summary 1 May 2009 to 30 April 2010

Component Volume (ML)

Annual Fixed RAR 1,026,000

Annual Allocation Water Savings 2008/09 (45,000)

DISV 1 March 2009 429,000

Pre Releases for 2009-10 (138,000)

Total RAR 2009-10 1,272,000

DISV 1 March 2010 (481,000)

Intervalley Transfer to Murray (200,000)

Murrumbidgee Snowy Borrow Payback (3,000)

Adjusted RAR Target Release 2009-10 588,000

Pre Release for 2010-11 12,000

Total RAR Delivered 600,000

Snowy-Tumut RAR Accounting to 1 July 2010


Annual Fixed RAR 1,026,000

Annual Allocation Water Savings 2009-10 (72,000)

DISV 1 March 2010 481,000

Pre Release for 2010-11 (12,000)

Total RAR 2010-11 (as at 1 May 2010) 1,423,000

DISV 1 July 2010 (1,110,000)

Estimate 2010/11 RAR (as at 1 July 2010) 313,000

RAR Delivered 1 May 2010 to 30 June 2010 (156,000)

Outstanding RAR to be Delivered (as at 1 July 2010) 157,000

Annual Snowy-Tumut RAR Summary 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2010


RAR Delivered 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009 421,000

RAR Delivered 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010 705,000



Murrumbidgee Catchment Assurance Statement

An Assurance Statement is required under the ED AWAS 1 for a general purpose water account

which states that the accounts were prepared in accordance with the ED AWAS 1. It is a requirement that this be provided by an appropriately qualified assurance provider independent of the water reporter and it management and governing body.

An assurance framework has yet to be provided under the ED AWAS 1 and in lieu of it the NSW Office of Water will not be providing an Assurance Statement for the 2009-10 water account.

As an assurance statement was not possible, the NSW Office of Water approached the Water

Accounting Standards Board who issued the following statement in regards to this GPWAR:

“The Water Accounting Standards Board (WASB) acknowledges the completion of a General Purpose Water Accounting Report for the Murrumbidgee Catchment by the NSW Office of Water. This is a major step in the adoption of standards-based water accounting and we applaud their exceptional effort in the production of this report and their continued involvement in the development of Australian Water Accounting Standards (AWAS)”.




References WASB 2010, Exposure Draft of Australian Water Accounting Standard 1 Preparation and Presentation of General Purpose Water Accounting Reports (ED AWAS 1), Bureau of Meteorology

Documents

General Purpose Water Accounting Report 2009-2010 ... · Accounting Standards 1 (ED AWAS 1)’ which defines the structure for preparing a ‘General Purpose Water Accounting Report