Potential changes to the State Government’s private carryover policy will be finalised before April, but ONLY with the support of Riverland irrigators. The proposed policy out for consultation is an improvement on the current policy and is strongly supported by the Trust who will make a comprehensive submission accordingly. If the proposed changes are implemented, it opens the possibility that irrigators may gain access to their private carryover water put aside in 2018-19 and then lost due to the current policy when allocations reached 100% in 2019-20.

BUT, YOUR input is also needed. Click the following email address and voice your support for the proposed private carryover policy changes: rmwap.feedback@sa.gov.au

Please feel free to copy and paste the following below response paragraphs in your email if you do not wish to draft your own response, but are in support of the potential changes (if wanting to sign a physical register/petition of support please drop into the Trust Main Office where one will be available at the front desk):

RE: Support for proposed changes to South Australia’s private carryover policy

The Governments proposed change to the private carryover policy will provide better water security for a series of dry years. It also opens up the possibility of rolling forward the 20GL of water carried over from 2018-19 which was totally lost when 2019-20 allocations reached 100%. Current MDB storage levels indicate that it is becoming unlikely that 2020-21 allocations will reach 100%. Reduced allocations impact the economic and social wellbeing of the whole Riverland community.

The Government’s proposed improvement will assist growers who hold SA Class 3 entitlement to manage reduced allocations by conserving water in one year for the next. It will also assist those who need to lease in water as the private carryover water, including the possible 20GL from 2018-19, will take pressure off of the water market in low allocation years.

I/we strongly support the proposed changes.

Following an audit in January, the Renmark Irrigation Trust has been awarded Platinum level certification, the highest certification level under the Alliance for Water Stewardship model. The below text is an extract from an article published in the Murray Pioneer on 29 January 2020.

Renmark Irrigation Trust has become the first irrigation scheme in the world to be awarded a platinum level certification, the highest, for good water stewardship. The platinum level certification by the Alliance for Water Stewardship recognises the expanding rehabilitation program of floodplains adjacent Renmark, in partnership with Renmark Paringa Council and the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder. Other contributing factors are good governance, efficient water delivery of greater than 99%, salinity management and sustainable water management.

The Trust initially received a gold level certification in 2018. The Presiding Member, Humphrey Howie said “This platinum certification provides global recognition for the best practice achievements of our irrigation community and we would encourage all Murray Darling Basin irrigation entities and communities to adopt the Alliance for Water Stewardship framework and certification. The Trust will continue to strive for outcomes that provide economic, environmental and social benefits for the Renmark community within the context of the Murray Darling Basin catchment.”

The interim Inspector-General, Mick Keelty, is inquiring into the arrangements for sharing water in the southern Basin between NSW, Victoria and South Australia.

Register your interest in attending this Town Hall session by emailing igmdb@agriculture.gov.au.

The Interim Inspector-General is exploring the scope of the Inquiry through these 4 themes:

1. Inflows and supply into the Murray–Darling Basin.
2. Delivery of water.
3. Water sharing.
4. Potential opportunities for enhancement.   

A formal public consultation on the review of the SA Private Carryover Policy will be held on Tuesday 4 February at the Loxton Research Centre at 11am. Further details on the formal public consultations can be found here.

All Trust Members and interested members of the public are encouraged to attend. In relation to the proposed changes to the private carryover policy, the Trust held a meeting for its Members on Thursday 23 January 2020, where representatives from the Department for Environment and Water went through the proposed carryover policy in an informal setting.

There was a general agreement that the proposed policy is an improvement and should be supported. 

Following the Minster’s approval of South Australia’s Water Allocation Plan in February 2019, the Trust, on behalf of its members, has been advocating for improvements to the private carryover policy.

The Minster has now opened up the policy for review and public consultation has commenced on proposed changes to the policy.

Trust Members are invited to a Private Carryover Review Discussion to be held at the Renmark Club on Thursday, 23 January, from 3pm-4pm to obtain detail about these changes.

Representatives from the Department for Environment and Water will be present, among other invited guests. This is an opportunity to contribute to the policy consultation/review process in an informal setting.

Please register your attendance for this session with the Trust Office, either in person at the Trust Office or by contacting the Office on 08 8586 6911.

A formal public consultation will be held on Tuesday 4 February at the Loxton Research Centre at 11am. Further details on the formal public consultations can be found here.

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF MEMBERS FOLLOWED BY A CELEBRATORY DINNER

To be held at the 23^rd Street Distillery on Monday 2 December 2019 at 5:30pm. If attending please RSVP to the Trust Office by 12 noon Monday 25 November 2019.

In addition to today’s announcement that South Australian irrigators will receive a 100 per cent water allocation in 2019-20, DEW has announced that the appropriateness of [the private carryover] policy setting is under review, a review which will include statutory consultation on potential amendments to the current private carryover policy in the WAP. This consultation is scheduled to take place in early 2020.

DEW has announced that South Australian irrigators will receive a 100 per cent water allocation in 2019-20.

Previously projected water allocations during 2019-20 were:

14 per cent in April
22 per cent in May
26 per cent in June
31 per cent on 1 July
38 per cent on 15 July
50 per cent on 1 August
68 per cent on 15 August
74 per cent on 2 September
81 per cent on 16 September
87 per cent on 1 October
87 per cent on 15 October
94 per cent on 1 November
100 per cent on 15 November 2019.

Water allocations are based on the latest water availability advice from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority.

The seasonal outlook from December 2019 to February 2020 indicates that it is likely to be drier than average with warmer temperatures. Rainfall is likely to be below average in November (end of spring), with a chance that some parts of the Basin could receive average rainfall by January (mid-summer).

As at 14 November 2019, the Murray-Darling Basin Authority controlled storages are holding 41 per cent capacity (compared to November long-term average of 79 per cent).

Read the full statement from DEW here.

The ACCC is hosting a public forum at the Renmark Club on Friday, 8 November, from 10am. Come along to share your views on the operations, transparency, regulation, competitiveness, and efficiency of water markets in the Murray-Darling Basin and how these can be improved. Register here.

The Department for Environment and Water (DEW) has announced that the minimum water allocation for South Australian irrigators has increased from 87 per cent to 94 percent for 2019-20.

Previously projected water allocations for 2019-20 were:

• 14 per cent in April
• 22 per cent in May
• 26 per cent in June
• 31 per cent on 1 July
• 38 per cent on 15 July
• 50 per cent on 1 August
• 68 per cent on 15 August
• 74 per cent on 2 September
• 81 per cent on 16 September
• 87 per cent on 1 October
• 87 per cent on 15 October

Water allocations are based on the latest water availability advice from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority.

The seasonal outlook from November 2019 to January 2020 indicates that it is likely to be drier than average with warmer temperatures.

According to the projections, unless improvements in water availability for the remainder of 2019-20 are worse than for any year in the last 30, water allocations are still likely to get to 100 per cent by the end of the water year.

As at 28 October 2019, the Murray-Darling Basin Authority controlled storages are holding 41 per cent capacity (compared to October long-term average of 81 per cent).  This is a 2 per cent decrease since the water allocation announcement two weeks ago.

Water users will be provided with water allocation updates twice a month reflecting any improved water availability while water allocations remain under 100 per cent. The next update will be on 15 November 2019.

Private carryover has been granted to eligible entitlement holders. This allowed eligible unused water from 2018-19 to be carried over for use in 2019-20. Private carryover is a form of insurance and is currently boosting allocations of water users who elected to carry water over this year. The total allocation against an entitlement plus any carryover cannot exceed 100 per cent. These rules are reflected in the volume of water available to account holders following each allocation announcement.

You can stay up to date with DEW’s announcements here.