Past consultation outcomes

The department held a webinar on 6 December and a face-to-face information session on 13 December 2022 and 7 February 2023 to provide stakeholders with information on the proposed rules for floodplain harvesting licences for regulated and unregulated rivers to be included in water sharing plans for the Namoi Valley.

The December sessions gave an overview of the modelling and predicted outcomes used to inform the draft rules. These rules include account management rules, available water determinations, trade rules, access arrangements and amendment provisions.

Questions were submitted prior to and during the events, and an expert panel was available to provide answers.

Related documents

• Presentation (PDF, 10292.71 KB) provided at the face-to-face information session on 13 December 2022
• Report (PDF, 381.62 KB) from this engagement, providing a summary of feedback at the 13 December information session.
• Presentation (PDF, 4257.81 KB) provided at the face-to-face information session on 7 February 2023.
• Summary of the key themes (PDF, 398.58 KB) from the workshop.

Watch the public webinar – 6 December 2022 – Proposed floodplain harvesting rules for the Namoi Valley

On 16 November 2022, the department held a webinar to provide stakeholders with information on floodplain management in NSW and the Improving Floodplain Connections Program. Key points outlined in the webinar:

• The NSW government is committed to maintaining floodplain health through the Healthy Floodplains Project, including the floodplain harvesting reform and remediation of priority unapproved flood works to bring them in line with floodplain management plans.
• The Commonwealth Government funded accelerated compliance program – Improving Floodplain Connections – which will take approximately 2.5 years, and will speed up remediation of unapproved flood works in up to 110 priority areas across five valleys in the northern Basin to meet the current legislation and regulatory framework. Under business-as-usual conditions with current resourcing, it would take approximately 15 years to achieve these outcomes.
• Historical changes in legislation, departmental policies and floodplain management plans that have resulted in many unapproved flood works that may alter the flow of floodwater, causing social, economic, ecological, and cultural impacts.
• Prioritisation of flood works across the northern Basin using a range of hydraulic, ecological, and cultural impact assessment criteria to score and rank flood works.
• Floodplain harvesting licensing is a separate program, not authorised to approve or lead to approval of unapproved flood works.

Questions were submitted prior to and during the event, and an expert panel was available to provide answers.

Watch public webinar – 16 November 2022 – Water engagement roundup November 2022

On 2 and 3 August 2022, the department held Floodplain Harvesting workshops in Moree and Goondiwindi to assist landholders in understanding what the licensing and measurement framework would mean for them, expectations on compliance, and process requirements for amending water supply works approvals, dealings, and measurement.

Representatives from the department’s Water Group, Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR) and WaterNSW presented sessions, including relevant case studies, to support understanding of the following:

• Update on the Floodplain harvesting licensing and measurement framework, including compliance approach (PDF, 2407.66 KB)
• Measurement overview and equipment installation (PDF, 3563.61 KB)
• Measurement period (PDF, 1895.68 KB)
• Approvals, Dealings and Billing (WaterNSW) (PDF, 1114.42 KB)
• Measurement and metering equipment demonstration (PDF, 3668.54 KB)

A summary of the key themes from the workshop is available. Download the Workshops Summary Report (PDF, 400.04 KB)

On 6 June 2022, the department held a webinar to provide stakeholders with information on the proposed rules for floodplain harvesting licences to be included in the water sharing plan for the Barwon-Darling Unregulated River Water Source 2012. The webinar gave an overview of the modelling and predicted outcomes used to inform the draft rules. These rules included account management rules, available water determinations, trade rules, access arrangements and amendment provisions.

Questions were submitted prior to and during the event, and an expert panel was available to provide answers.

Watch Public webinar – 6 June 2022– Proposed floodplain harvesting rules for the Barwon-Darling Valley webinar – 6 June 2022

In February and March 2021, a series of roadshow sessions took place to inform stakeholders about floodplain harvesting measurement and non-urban water metering policy and regulations. Five sessions were held across the NSW northern Basin, including Dubbo, Narrabri, Walgett, Goondiwindi, and Moree.

The Consultation Outcomes Report was independently prepared by Elton Consulting. The report summarises key themes, issues raised and includes a detailed summary of each meeting, the questions asked, and responses provided.

The department will publish a response to comments in the Consultation Outcomes Report shortly.

Download the Floodplain Harvesting Measurement and Non-Urban Metering Roadshow - Consultation Outcomes Report – April 2021 (PDF, 395.98 KB)

On 22 March 2021, the department held a webinar to provide stakeholders with an update on the proposed rules for floodplain harvesting licences to be included in water sharing plans in the Macquarie Valley. The webinar gave an overview of the modelling and predicted outcomes used to inform the draft rules. These rules included account management rules, available water determinations, trade rules, access arrangements, including rules to protect environmental flows, and amendment provisions.

Questions were submitted prior to the event and live during the event, and an expert panel was available to provide answers.

Watch the public webinar – 22 March 2021

On 12 February 2021, the department held a webinar to provide stakeholders with an update on the proposed rules for floodplain harvesting licences to be included in water sharing plans in the Gwydir Valley. The webinar gave an overview of the modelling and predicted outcomes used to inform the draft rules. These rules included account management rules, available water determinations, trade rules, access arrangements, including rules to protect environmental flows, and amendment provisions.

Questions were submitted prior to the event and live during the event, and an expert panel was available to provide answers.

Watch the public webinar–12 February 2021

On 11 February 2021, the department held a webinar to provide stakeholders with an update on:

• the NSW Government’s approach to water management and requirements of the Water Management Act 2000
• the operation of the Basin Plan’s sustainable diversion limits and determination of baseline diversion limits and;
• how implementation of the NSW Floodplain Harvesting Policy will protect the environment and downstream users.

Questions were submitted prior to and during the event. An expert panel provided answers.

Watch the public webinar–11 February 2021

As part of the NSW Government's commitment to regulating and measuring floodplain harvesting, the NSW Floodplain Harvesting Policy and NSW Floodplain Harvesting Measurement Policy have been developed. To have legal force, these policies must be incorporated into legislation with amendments to the Water Management (General) Regulation 2018 for floodplain harvesting.

Public exhibition on the proposed legislative amendments for floodplain harvesting ran from 23 November to 20 December 2020.

The proposed changes were to:

1. allow for floodplain harvesting licences to be issued,
2. apply measurement requirements in line with the Measurement Policy,
3. establish a state-wide exemption for rainfall runoff collected in a tailwater drain,
4. allow a temporary exemption for the need to hold a licence (in certain circumstances) prior to floodplain harvesting licenses being issued.

More information can be found at Changes to the Water Management (General) Regulation 2018 for floodplain harvesting in NSW.

The draft rules for floodplain harvesting licences to be included in water sharing plans in the NSW Border Rivers valley were released for comment through public exhibition from 20 October 2020 until 30 November 2020.

This report summarises the feedback the department received during the public consultation sessions and from written submissions.

• Download the What we heard report–February 2021 (PDF, 414.8 KB)

On 5 November 2020, the department conducted a targeted webinar to update northern Basin landholders on the implementation of the NSW Floodplain Harvesting Measurement Policy and to provide an overview of the next steps required to comply with the new rules.

This webinar is the first of a series of information sessions being held for landholders required to comply with the policy.

Questions were submitted prior to the event and live during the event, and an expert panel was available to provide answers.

Watch the Floodplain Harvesting Measurement Ready webinar for landholders–5 November 2020

On 20 October 2020, the department held a public webinar to update stakeholders on the future management of water in NSW Border Rivers Valley. The webinar consisted of a presentation on the new rules for floodplain harvesting and an overview of the draft Border Rivers Regional Water Strategy.

Questions were submitted prior to the event and live during the event, and an expert panel was available to provide answers

Watch the public webinar–20 October 2020

On 19 August 2020, the department held a public webinar to launch the Floodplain Harvesting Measurement Policy. The webinar consisted of a presentation on the policy and an update on implementation of the Floodplain Harvesting Action Plan. Questions were submitted prior to the event and live during the event, and an expert panel was available to provide answers.

Documents

• Floodplain Harvesting Measurement Policy 2020 (PDF, 2270.23 KB)
• Floodplain Harvesting Action Plan 2019 (PDF, 421.67 KB)

Watch the public webinar–19 August 2020