❓ A parliamentary question addresses concerns about declining water levels and environmental non-compliance on the Gnangara and Jandakot Mounds. The Minister acknowledges the issues, citing a Section 46 Review and a forthcoming management plan with revised allocation limits.
AnsweredQoN 396Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(b) is the Minister aware that the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has expressed concern at the Department of the Environment’s failure to address declining water levels and unacceptably stressed wetlands on the Gnangara Mound over the last 8 years; (c) why has the Minister failed to take action over the last 5 years on increasing non-compliance with environmental criteria on the Gnangara Mound; and (d) has the Minister reviewed and revised the sustainable limits for all groundwater abstraction from the Gnangara Mound and the Jandakot Mount as recommended by the Environmental Protection Authority in its audit report of 2004; and (i) if not, will the Minister take action to do so?
(c) why has the Minister failed to take action over the last 5 years on increasing non-compliance with environmental criteria on the Gnangara Mound; and (d) has the Minister reviewed and revised the sustainable limits for all groundwater abstraction from the Gnangara Mound and the Jandakot Mount as recommended by the Environmental Protection Authority in its audit report of 2004; and (i) if not, will the Minister take action to do so?
(d) has the Minister reviewed and revised the sustainable limits for all groundwater abstraction from the Gnangara Mound and the Jandakot Mount as recommended by the Environmental Protection Authority in its audit report of 2004; and (i) if not, will the Minister take action to do so?
(b) Yes, I am aware and the Environmental Protection Authority's (EPA) concerns will be addressed through the Section 46 Review process which the EPA is overseeing. I will reiterate that there have been no wholesale or catastrophic vegetation collapses associated with any of the non-compliances. In addition, the recently released State of the Mound report has highlighted the impact of a drying climate on the water levels on the Gnangara Mound over the past 30 years. (c) Action has been taken with the work to date for the Section 46 Review showing the problems to be complex. The recently released State of the Mound report has highlighted the many issues that need to be faced. There is no single, simple solution to the observed problems and the DoE has needed this time to explore a range of options and prepare a management plan with realistic and relevant objectives. (d) In undertaking the Section 46 Review, it has become apparent the Mounds are complex and dynamic. There has been a substantial amount of new work completed that has highlighted previously underestimated or misunderstood aspects of the hydrogeology and vegetation associations. I have been kept informed of this new information and am confident that the final management plan will adequately address the issues and provided for revised allocation limits. (e) The DoE will produce a management plan, with revised allocation limits, by mid 2006.
(c) Action has been taken with the work to date for the Section 46 Review showing the problems to be complex. The recently released State of the Mound report has highlighted the many issues that need to be faced. There is no single, simple solution to the observed problems and the DoE has needed this time to explore a range of options and prepare a management plan with realistic and relevant objectives. (d) In undertaking the Section 46 Review, it has become apparent the Mounds are complex and dynamic. There has been a substantial amount of new work completed that has highlighted previously underestimated or misunderstood aspects of the hydrogeology and vegetation associations. I have been kept informed of this new information and am confident that the final management plan will adequately address the issues and provided for revised allocation limits. (e) The DoE will produce a management plan, with revised allocation limits, by mid 2006.
(d) In undertaking the Section 46 Review, it has become apparent the Mounds are complex and dynamic. There has been a substantial amount of new work completed that has highlighted previously underestimated or misunderstood aspects of the hydrogeology and vegetation associations. I have been kept informed of this new information and am confident that the final management plan will adequately address the issues and provided for revised allocation limits. (e) The DoE will produce a management plan, with revised allocation limits, by mid 2006.
(e) The DoE will produce a management plan, with revised allocation limits, by mid 2006.
(c) why has the Minister failed to take action over the last 5 years on increasing non-compliance with environmental criteria on the Gnangara Mound; and (d) has the Minister reviewed and revised the sustainable limits for all groundwater abstraction from the Gnangara Mound and the Jandakot Mount as recommended by the Environmental Protection Authority in its audit report of 2004; and (i) if not, will the Minister take action to do so?
(d) has the Minister reviewed and revised the sustainable limits for all groundwater abstraction from the Gnangara Mound and the Jandakot Mount as recommended by the Environmental Protection Authority in its audit report of 2004; and (i) if not, will the Minister take action to do so?
(b) Yes, I am aware and the Environmental Protection Authority's (EPA) concerns will be addressed through the Section 46 Review process which the EPA is overseeing. I will reiterate that there have been no wholesale or catastrophic vegetation collapses associated with any of the non-compliances. In addition, the recently released State of the Mound report has highlighted the impact of a drying climate on the water levels on the Gnangara Mound over the past 30 years. (c) Action has been taken with the work to date for the Section 46 Review showing the problems to be complex. The recently released State of the Mound report has highlighted the many issues that need to be faced. There is no single, simple solution to the observed problems and the DoE has needed this time to explore a range of options and prepare a management plan with realistic and relevant objectives. (d) In undertaking the Section 46 Review, it has become apparent the Mounds are complex and dynamic. There has been a substantial amount of new work completed that has highlighted previously underestimated or misunderstood aspects of the hydrogeology and vegetation associations. I have been kept informed of this new information and am confident that the final management plan will adequately address the issues and provided for revised allocation limits. (e) The DoE will produce a management plan, with revised allocation limits, by mid 2006.
(c) Action has been taken with the work to date for the Section 46 Review showing the problems to be complex. The recently released State of the Mound report has highlighted the many issues that need to be faced. There is no single, simple solution to the observed problems and the DoE has needed this time to explore a range of options and prepare a management plan with realistic and relevant objectives. (d) In undertaking the Section 46 Review, it has become apparent the Mounds are complex and dynamic. There has been a substantial amount of new work completed that has highlighted previously underestimated or misunderstood aspects of the hydrogeology and vegetation associations. I have been kept informed of this new information and am confident that the final management plan will adequately address the issues and provided for revised allocation limits. (e) The DoE will produce a management plan, with revised allocation limits, by mid 2006.
(d) In undertaking the Section 46 Review, it has become apparent the Mounds are complex and dynamic. There has been a substantial amount of new work completed that has highlighted previously underestimated or misunderstood aspects of the hydrogeology and vegetation associations. I have been kept informed of this new information and am confident that the final management plan will adequately address the issues and provided for revised allocation limits. (e) The DoE will produce a management plan, with revised allocation limits, by mid 2006.
(e) The DoE will produce a management plan, with revised allocation limits, by mid 2006.
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
12 October 2005
Responded by
Minister for Water Resources
Response time
41 days
(a) Yes, I am aware and that is why the Minister for the Environment requested the Department of Environment (DoE)in 2001 to undertake a Section 46 review of the existing conditions to determine their appropriateness. It should be noted that there have been no wholesale or catastrophic vegetation collapses associated with any of the non-compliances. This has brought into question the validity of the conditions which were set 20 years ago with limited data.
(b) Yes, I am aware and the Environmental Protection Authority's (EPA) concerns will be addressed through the Section 46 Review process which the EPA is overseeing. I will reiterate that there have been no wholesale or catastrophic vegetation collapses associated with any of the non-compliances. In addition, the recently released
State of the Mound
report has highlighted the impact of a drying climate on the water levels on the Gnangara Mound over the past 30 years.
(c) Action has been taken with the work to date for the Section 46 Review showing the problems to be complex. The recently released
State of the Mound
report has highlighted the many issues that need to be faced. There is no single, simple solution to the observed problems and the DoE has needed this time to explore a range of options and prepare a management plan with realistic and relevant objectives.
(d) In undertaking the Section 46 Review, it has become apparent the Mounds are complex and dynamic. There has been a substantial amount of new work completed that has highlighted previously underestimated or misunderstood aspects of the hydrogeology and vegetation associations. I have been kept informed of this new information and am confident that the final management plan will adequately address the issues and provided for revised allocation limits.
(e) The DoE will produce a management plan, with revised allocation limits, by mid 2006.
(b) Yes, I am aware and the Environmental Protection Authority's (EPA) concerns will be addressed through the Section 46 Review process which the EPA is overseeing. I will reiterate that there have been no wholesale or catastrophic vegetation collapses associated with any of the non-compliances. In addition, the recently released
State of the Mound
report has highlighted the impact of a drying climate on the water levels on the Gnangara Mound over the past 30 years.
(c) Action has been taken with the work to date for the Section 46 Review showing the problems to be complex. The recently released
State of the Mound
report has highlighted the many issues that need to be faced. There is no single, simple solution to the observed problems and the DoE has needed this time to explore a range of options and prepare a management plan with realistic and relevant objectives.
(d) In undertaking the Section 46 Review, it has become apparent the Mounds are complex and dynamic. There has been a substantial amount of new work completed that has highlighted previously underestimated or misunderstood aspects of the hydrogeology and vegetation associations. I have been kept informed of this new information and am confident that the final management plan will adequately address the issues and provided for revised allocation limits.
(e) The DoE will produce a management plan, with revised allocation limits, by mid 2006.
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