Gundagai
Indicator: Groundwater
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What the results tell us for Gundagai
Groundwater in the Gundagai Shire is of moderate quality (DLWC 1999), with a steadily decreasing water table (DWE 2008). Groundwater quality is considered not suitable for human consumption but can be used for some livestock, limited domestic and industrial uses without treatment.
Groundwater supplies
Groundwater flow in the Shire is mostly from local/intermediate flow systems in predominantly extrusive and intrusive Palaeozoic rock (DPI 1998). Bore hydrograph data indicates a consistent seasonally adjusted drop in water levels for the reporting period 2004 to 2008, continuing a trend observed since 1991. A low natural rainfall is likely to be the most significant factor which is further compounded by an increase in extraction (Beale et al. 2004).
Groundwater use
Total groundwater extraction in the Gundagai Shire is less than 10 GL/yr compared with natural recharge of more than 500 GL/yr (AWR 2000). This is considered a low level of extraction (0 to 29% extraction of recharge), and sustainable for the area. However, the Department of Water and the Energy (DWE) has rated the threat to groundwater quality as low to moderately high (DLWC 2001). Gundagai Shire Council does not extract groundwater as part of its water supply.
The State Water Corporation (SWC), on behalf of the DWE, administers much of the water allocation in rural NSW. To recover the cost of administration, infrastructure and future investment, the SWC charges each licensed user. Base charges are either $51.46 for non-monitored or $118.56 for monitored areas, plus a per megalitre access charge. As part of the Murrumbidgee groundwater area, Gundagai groundwater users are charged a $1.03/ML access charge and $0.51/ML usage charge. Although base charges are consistent throughout the state, access and usage charges are the lowest in the State (SWC 2008).
Groundwater quality
Groundwater salinity in the Gundagai Shire is moderate (1,000-3,000 mg\L) (DLWC 1999), with little variation throughout the region. Water is considered suitable for livestock and limited domestic and industrial use only. Groundwater in the area is unsuitable for human consumption without treatment.
Managing groundwater demand
Water conservation measures
Gundagai is covered by the Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Authority (MCMA). The CMA was established to guarantee the protection and sustainable development with in its area of administration, including impact on water quality and use. At the time of writing, the MCMA’s Action Plan was not readily available for reporting on the CMA’s water management targets in the Gundagai Shire (MCMA 2007).
Laws and policy
Outside of regional Catchment Management Authority policies, the use and treatment of groundwater is generally the same throughout NSW. Specifically water management and use in the Gundagai Shire is covered under:
- NSW Water Extraction Monitoring Policy (2007): Designed to increase the extent of active monitoring of water extraction to cover 90% of the total volume of water extracted for each water sharing plan.
- NSW Water Extraction Monitoring Standards (2005): Designed to increase the quality of groundwater extraction monitoring.
- National Water Initiative (2004): NSW is a party to the National Water Initiative (NWI), a national initiative to coordinated Australia's water supply to guarantee the greatest possible social, economic, and environmental benefits.
- NSW NWI Implementation Plan: Addresses the initiatives set out in the NWI specific to the State of NSW.
- Living Murray and Snowy Initiatives (2002): Initiative between Federal and State governments concerned predominately with surface water, however, may indirectly impact on groundwater.
- Water Management Act 2000 (NSW): Aim is to protect the supply of water to the environment and water users. Its introduction has been gradual and once fully implemented will largely supersede the Water Act 1912.
- NSW Groundwater Quality Protection Policy (1998): Aim is largely to protect groundwater resources against pollution.
- Local Government Act 1993(NSW): Covers the quality of water supplied for human consumption by local Council, including groundwater as a source.
- Water Act 1912 (NSW): Largely superseded by the Water Management Act 2000 but some provisions still apply.
- Australian Constitution (1901): Section 100 of the Constitution outlines the States primacy over the Commonwealth in terms of laws and regulations affecting the use and conservation of water.
About the data
Data was supplied by Gundagai Shire Council and the NSW Department of Water and Energy. Threshold salinity values of 800 µS/cm and 1,600 µS/cm were used for water quality assessment. They represent the maximum desirable water standard set by the World Health Organisation for human consumption (800 µS/cm) and a threshold at which adverse environmental changes can be expected (1,600 µS/cm) (NHMRC and ARMCANZ 1996).
Groundwater with less than 1,000 mg of salt per litre is also considered good quality and suitable for drinking water and most uses; groundwater with 1,000–3,000 mg of salt per litre is considered fair to poor and suitable for livestock, some domestic and limited industrial uses (DLWC 1999).
mg/L = milligrams per litre
References
Australian Water Resources (2000) National Land and Water Audit.
AWR - see Australian Water Resources
Beale G, Miller M, Barnett P, Summerell G, Gilmore R and Hoey D (2004) NSW Coastal Salinity Audit, Department of Infrastructure Planning and Natural Resources, Sydney, online at http://www.dnr.nsw.gov.au/salinity/science/pdf/coastal_audit1.pdf.
Department of Land and Water Conservation (NSW) (1999) Groundwater Quality Protection Policy, Department of land and Water Conservation, Sydney, on line at http://www.dnr.nsw.gov.au/water/pdf/nsw_state_groundwater_quality_policy.pdf.
Department of Land and Water Conservation (NSW) (2001) Groundwater Vulnerability Map and Explanatory Notes, Department of Land and Water Conservation, Sydney, on line at http://www.dnr.nsw.gov.au/water/pdf/lachlan_vulnerability_map.pdf.
Department of Primary Industries (NSW) (1998) Geological Map of New South Wales (1:250000 scale)
Department of Water and Energy (NSW) (2006) 2005/06 Water Supply and Sewage Benchmarking Report on line http://www.deus.nsw.gov.au/Publications/dwe_nsw_water_supply_and_sewerage_
benchmarking_report_2005-06.pdf
Department of Water and Energy (NSW) (2008) – Bore Location Information supplied in GIS format.
DLWC - see Department of Land and Water Conservation
DPI - see Department of Primary Industries
DWE - see Department of Water and Energy
Gundagai Shire Council 2007 (NSW) (2007) Annual Report, online at
http://www.gundagai.nsw.gov.au/
Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Authority (NSW) (2007) SRCMA Annual Report 2006/2007 online at
http://www.murrumbidgee.cma.nsw.gov.au/uploads/media/Annual_Report_06-07_Section_1_01.pdf
NHMRC and ARMCANZ (1996) Australian Drinking Water Standards, National Health and Medical Research Council and Agricultural Resources Management Council of Australia and New Zealand, Canberra.
State Water Corporation (NSW) (2008) Water Management Charges for Licensed Water Users on line http://www.statewater.com.au/watdel/water_mgt_charges_for_licensed_water_20080124.pdf
