❓ Hon Diane Evers questions the Minister for Water regarding unused water allocations in the Warren-Donnelly area, specifically concerning the department's policy on recouping and redistributing water. The Minister's response clarifies the application of statewide and local policies and details engagement with licensees.
AnsweredQoN 956Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
WATER LICENCES —
ALLOCATIONS — WARREN–DONNELLY AREA
956. Hon DIANE EVERS to the minister representing the
Minister for Water:
I refer to the Department of Water
and Environmental Regulation's letter to an applicant dated 5 April 2019
stating that it identified a high latent volume associated with approximately
30 to 50 per cent of unused or underutilised entitlements across the Warren–Donnelly
plan area.
(1) How much of the volume has not
been taken for more than three consecutive years?
(2) Does the
department routinely discuss with licensees their actual short and long-term
water requirements, as per its own policy?
(a) If yes to
(2), how often does this occur, and in cases of underutilisation, did the
department establish genuine extenuating circumstances for existing users to
retain their allocations?
(b) If no to (2), why not?
(c) If no to (2),
will the minister commit to reviewing these allocations with a view to
recouping and redistributing the allocation, given there are some applicants
denied water allocations on the basis of the water being fully allocated?
ALLOCATIONS — WARREN–DONNELLY AREA
956. Hon DIANE EVERS to the minister representing the
Minister for Water:
I refer to the Department of Water
and Environmental Regulation's letter to an applicant dated 5 April 2019
stating that it identified a high latent volume associated with approximately
30 to 50 per cent of unused or underutilised entitlements across the Warren–Donnelly
plan area.
(1) How much of the volume has not
been taken for more than three consecutive years?
(2) Does the
department routinely discuss with licensees their actual short and long-term
water requirements, as per its own policy?
(a) If yes to
(2), how often does this occur, and in cases of underutilisation, did the
department establish genuine extenuating circumstances for existing users to
retain their allocations?
(b) If no to (2), why not?
(c) If no to (2),
will the minister commit to reviewing these allocations with a view to
recouping and redistributing the allocation, given there are some applicants
denied water allocations on the basis of the water being fully allocated?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for that
question. This is a very complex matter, and the following information has been
provided to me by the Minister for Water.
(1) The 2003 ''Statewide
Policy No 11: Management of Unused Licensed Water Entitlements'' applies
throughout the state to all water resources and relates to the recouping of
unused water entitlements. However, a water
allocation plan may contain additional policies related to the management of
unused water entitlements in specific areas of the state. To the extent
that there is any inconsistency between statewide policy 11 and the policies
contained in the water allocation plan, the water allocation plan will prevail.
The 2012 ''Warren–Donnelly
Surface Water Allocation Plan'' specifically identifies in table 4, at
page 30, that if water taken to be stored in a dam is a specified use on the
licence, it is not considered to be unused water. Therefore, as storage is not
considered to be unused water, the department has not applied statewide policy 11
in the Warren–Donnelly area.
The Department of Water and
Environmental Regulation licenses water entitlements generally equivalent to
the storage capacity of the dam, with a designated use inclusive of storage.
Under the local policy in the Warren–Donnelly plan area, if licensees
take water to the dam capacity and store it in that dam, there is, by
definition, no unused water to recoup.
(2) (a) The department has undertaken more than 50 one-on-one
meetings and/or farm visits with growers in the Warren–Donnelly area over the past 12 months. The
department specifically held a targeted meeting with landholders in the
Manjimup Brook–Yanmah–Dixvale sub-area in May 2019 in which it
discussed opportunities to activate underutilised water in the sub-area.
(b)–(c) Not
applicable.
question. This is a very complex matter, and the following information has been
provided to me by the Minister for Water.
(1) The 2003 ''Statewide
Policy No 11: Management of Unused Licensed Water Entitlements'' applies
throughout the state to all water resources and relates to the recouping of
unused water entitlements. However, a water
allocation plan may contain additional policies related to the management of
unused water entitlements in specific areas of the state. To the extent
that there is any inconsistency between statewide policy 11 and the policies
contained in the water allocation plan, the water allocation plan will prevail.
The 2012 ''Warren–Donnelly
Surface Water Allocation Plan'' specifically identifies in table 4, at
page 30, that if water taken to be stored in a dam is a specified use on the
licence, it is not considered to be unused water. Therefore, as storage is not
considered to be unused water, the department has not applied statewide policy 11
in the Warren–Donnelly area.
The Department of Water and
Environmental Regulation licenses water entitlements generally equivalent to
the storage capacity of the dam, with a designated use inclusive of storage.
Under the local policy in the Warren–Donnelly plan area, if licensees
take water to the dam capacity and store it in that dam, there is, by
definition, no unused water to recoup.
(2) (a) The department has undertaken more than 50 one-on-one
meetings and/or farm visits with growers in the Warren–Donnelly area over the past 12 months. The
department specifically held a targeted meeting with landholders in the
Manjimup Brook–Yanmah–Dixvale sub-area in May 2019 in which it
discussed opportunities to activate underutilised water in the sub-area.
(b)–(c) Not
applicable.
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