Commonwealth environmental water holdings - Frequently asked questions
Water for the Future – Fact sheet
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
February 2010
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Questions and Answers
Q: What are the Commonwealth's environmental water holdings?
A: Water rights acquired by the Australian Government through programs under Water for the Future become part of the Commonwealth environmental water holdings. For information on the Commonwealth's environmental water holdings see: http://www.environment.gov.au/water/policy-programs/cewh/holdings.html The amount of water available for use depends on the volumes acquired and seasonal water allocations.
Q: How does the Commonwealth acquire water?
A: Water for the environment is being acquired through programs under the Australian Government's Water for the Future initiative. These programs are managed separately within the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts and include investments of:
- $3.1 billion over ten years through the Restoring the Balance in the Basin program to purchase water entitlements from willing sellers; and
- $5.8 billion through the Sustainable Rural Water Use and Infrastructure program in infrastructure improvements and other projects that deliver lasting returns of water for the environment and help the long-term future of irrigation communities. Water entitlements acquired by the Government through water savings from these projects will also be managed as part of the environmental water holdings.
Q: Does the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder have special rights for its water?
A: The entitlements being purchased by the Commonwealth retain their existing characteristics. This means that the Commonwealth is subject to the same rules, restrictions and fees as other holders of the same kind of title. In this way the Commonwealth is treated no better or worse than any other holder of the same kind of entitlement.
Q: How are the holdings managed?
A: The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) is a statutory position established under the Water Act 2007. Its role is to manage the holdings to protect or restore the environmental assets of the Murray-Darling Basin, and other areas outside of the Murray-Darling Basin where the Commonwealth holds water; so as to give effect to relevant international agreements.
Water that is held in the Murray-Darling Basin must be managed by the CEWH in accordance with the environmental watering plan, that is being developed by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority. The environmental watering plan is part of the Basin Plan whose objectives are to protect and restore key environmental assets and key ecosystem functions. These objectives are strongly aligned with those of the CEWH.
This consistency in objectives and the intent of the CEWH and MDBA to work collaboratively on matters of mutual interest will ensure that there is a smooth transition in the CEWH's operations during and after the Basin planning process.
Q: Where is the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder based?
A: The position is based within the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts in Canberra. The Environmental Water Branch has been established within the Department to support the functions of the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder.
Mr Ian Robinson has been appointed as the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder. Mr Robinson is also the First Assistant Secretary of the Water Governance Division in the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.
Q: How does the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder decide where to use the water?
A: In making decision on the use of the Commonwealth's environmental water holdings, the CEWH takes into account input from Basin state governments and local site managers, as well as advice from the Environmental Water Scientific Advisory Committee. The Department also continues to consult closely with state jurisdictions and environmental asset managers to ensure that prioritisation is robust and responsive to changes in environmental conditions.
The use of Commonwealth water in 2009-10 is aligned with the objectives for an extreme dry period outlined within the CEWH's Prioritisation Framework:
- Avoiding the loss of threatened species;
- Avoid irretrievable damage or catastrophic events; and
- Providing drought refuges to allow recolonisation following drought.
The priority given to individual sites and watering actins during 2009-10 is based on evaluation against assessment criteria which were developed after consultation with Basin jurisdictions and agreed by the Environmental Water Scientific Advisory Committee.
More information on the 2009-10 approach can be found in the Prioritisation Framework, Assessment Criteria and in the 2009-10 CEWH Business Plan, at the links below:
- A Framework for Determining Commonwealth Environmental Watering Actions
- Criteria for assessing 2009-10 environmental watering actions
- Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder 2009-10 Business Plan
Q: Does the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder receive advice on watering actions?
A. A panel of scientific experts has been appointed to advise the Department and the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder on the use of water purchased. The Environmental Water Scientific Advisory Committee comprises prominent scientists and experts in fields such as hydrology, limnology, river operations management, river and floodplain ecology and the management of aquatic ecosystems.
Committee members provide advice on:
- Methods for determining relative priorities for environmental watering;
- Areas which merit additional investigation, including additional research; and
- Assessing the benefits of the environmental watering.
Q: When did the first use of environmental water occur?
A: The first use of the Commonwealth's environmental water occurred in March 2009, at Chowilla floodplain, South Australia. In 2009, 29.4 billion litres of Commonwealth water was allocated to 23 floodplain and wetland sites in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales.
Further information on watering actions and the results of that watering can be seen at: http://www.environment.gov.au/water/policy-programs/cewh/watering/index.html
Q: Are there other environmental water holders, and how does the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder operate in relation to these?
A: Yes. There are other organisations which manage environmental water. These include The Living Murray initiative (a partnership of the Australian and State Governments managed through the Murray-Darling Basin Authority), Water for Rivers (a joint Federal, NSW and Victorian Government entity), RiverBank (a NSW Government organisation) as well as state jurisdictional planned environmental water.
In accordance with the principles on the complementary management of environmental water agreed by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder works cooperatively with the states and territories, other environmental water holders and environmental asset owners to ensure the maximum environmental benefit is achieved from the available water.
Q: Can the Commonwealth environmental water holdings be traded?
A: The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder is only allowed to sell water in limited circumstances. In particular:
- Annual water allocations and permanent water entitlements can be sold if they are not required to meet environmental objectives and if the water cannot be carried over to the next year.
- In addition, annual allocations and permanent water entitlements may also be sold if the proceeds are used to acquire other water that will improve the capacity to protect and restore the environment.
Q: Does the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder report on its activities? Can I get further information?
A: Yes. In accordance with the Water Act 2007 the CEWH produces an Annual Report, which is published and tabled in Parliament each year by the responsible Minister.
The CEWH business plan and Annual Report, along with regular information updates can be found on the website: www.environment.gov.au/water/policy-programs/cewh/index.html
You can also:
- Call the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts on 1800 218 478;
- Email: cewh@environment.gov.au
- Write to:
- Environmental Water Branch
Water Governance Division
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
GPO Box 787
Canberra ACT 2601
- Environmental Water Branch
Published by the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, February 2010.
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