❓ Hon. Dee Margetts questions the Water and Rivers Commission's decision to maintain the same target for groundwater management areas exceeding use objectives, given ongoing pressures. The response explains the precautionary approach to allocation limits and the factors contributing to exceeding them, including climate change and successful appeals.
AnsweredQoN 928Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
With regard to Budget Estimates 2003-04 under ‘Outcomes and Key Effectiveness Indicators’, the Water and Rivers Commission’s estimate in 2002-03 for ‘Groundwater management areas with use in excess of management objectives’ was 10.2%. The target the Commission has set for 2003-04 is 10.2% (p632, Budget Paper No. 2) -
What are the reasons for not setting a higher target for this outcome?
What are the reasons for not setting a higher target for this outcome?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
8 August 2003
Responded by
Minister for Housing and Works representing the Minister for the Environment and Heritage
Response time
45 days
The Water and Rivers Commission’s current policy is to licence water up to an allocation limit, provided the applicants can demonstrate an immediate need for water, efficient water use and no unacceptable impact on the environment and other users. The allocation limits are the maximum levels of allocation, that can be utilised on an annual basis, which allow acceptable levels of pumping stress, and protect dependent economic, social and environmental values, and are initially set using scientific information and adopting precautionary principles. As a management area reaches full allocation, more data and information are required to review the allocation limits which will, in most cases, increase and therefore allow more water entitlements. Many are, therefore, set lower than the actual sustainable limit due to lower levels of information. The Commission sets allocation limits for every aquifer in every sub-area to meet the objectives of ecologically sustainable development. There is a continuing high demand on groundwater resources in WA, partly caused by climate change, and at any one time, licensed allocations can exceed the allocation limits set for some aquifers due to individual extenuating circumstances, such as successful appeals for additional water. This is reflected in the above indicator, that shows that approximately 10% of the aquifer units could be in excess of the allocation limits. However, this does not necessarily equate to unsustainable groundwater resource use as the figures reflect entitlements, not actual use and the allocation limits are, by their nature, precautionary.
There is a continuing high demand on groundwater resources in WA, partly caused by climate change, and at any one time, licensed allocations can exceed the allocation limits set for some aquifers due to individual extenuating circumstances, such as successful appeals for additional water. This is reflected in the above indicator, that shows that approximately 10% of the aquifer units could be in excess of the allocation limits. However, this does not necessarily equate to unsustainable groundwater resource use as the figures reflect entitlements, not actual use and the allocation limits are, by their nature, precautionary.
There is a continuing high demand on groundwater resources in WA, partly caused by climate change, and at any one time, licensed allocations can exceed the allocation limits set for some aquifers due to individual extenuating circumstances, such as successful appeals for additional water. This is reflected in the above indicator, that shows that approximately 10% of the aquifer units could be in excess of the allocation limits. However, this does not necessarily equate to unsustainable groundwater resource use as the figures reflect entitlements, not actual use and the allocation limits are, by their nature, precautionary.
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