The importance of water information to national water reform
Water Information Seminar Series - CanberraJames HorneDeputy Secretary, DEWHA15 October 2009
Outline of presentation
• The water scarcity challenge
• National water reform and supporting programs
• The criticality of water information
• Role of AWIAC
Water Availability –Decline or Variability?
0
100
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100019
1119
1319
1519
1719
1919
2119
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2519
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05
Tota
l Ann
ual*
Inflo
w to
Per
th D
ams*
* (G
L
Annual Total 1911-1974 av (338 GL)1975 - 1996 av (177 GL)1997 -2005 av (114 GL)
Notes: - A year is taken as May to April - 2005/06 inflow to 30th August 2006
2006
Water Availability –Decline or Variability?
River Murray System Inflows 1891 -2009(Including inflows to Menindee & excluding Snowy Releases)
4,900
2,000 0
5 000
10 000
15 000
20 000
25 000
30 000
35 000
40 000
45 000
50 000
55 000
1892
1895
1898
1901
1904
1907
1910
1913
1916
1919
1922
1925
1928
1931
1934
1937
1940
1943
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1976
1979
1982
1985
1988
1991
1994
1997
2000
2003
2006
2009
Year Ending May
Ann
ual I
nflo
w (G
L)
Average 1891- 2000/01 11,500 GL/y Average 2001/02- 2009
3,800 GL/y(33% of previous average)
Average 1891 - 2009 11,000 GL/y
Capital City Storage Levels
Adelaide 79.0%
Canberra 45.5%
Melbourne 28.4%
Perth 44.4%
South East Queensland 76.0%
Sydney 59.9%
As at 1 September 2009
Annual inflows to Canberra’s storages
Gig
alitr
es
187 GLlong term average inflow 1871 – 2008
68 GL average inflow 2000 - 2008 is 37% of long term average
45% 48%
31%31%
56%
14%
30%35%
67%
The Water Scarcity Challenge
• Australia has a water scarcity challenge that is being addressed through new water policy, regulatory, investment and management strategies
High quality water information is critical their success
NWI Objectives
• Clear property rights framework
• Transparent, statutory-based water planning, recognising connectivity between surface and ground water
• Statutory provision for environmental and other public benefit outcomes, and improved environmental management practices
• Strong open markets
• Return to sustainable levels of extraction
• Clear assignment of risk arising from future changes in water availability
• Water Accounting able to meet the information needs in respect to planning, monitoring, trading, environmental management and on-farm
• Policy settings which facilitate water use efficiency and innovation in urban and rural areas
Water for the Future
A 10 year $12.9b investment by the Commonwealth in
• Institutional reform (MDBA (and Basin Plan), ACCC, BOM)
• Water purchases for the environment
• Modernising water delivery infrastructure
• Urban water reform
• Strengthening markets (water pricing, market and charge rules, water trading)
• Water information (Bureau of Meteorology)
Recap of past 18 months
• IGA on the MDB put in place, Water Act amendments passed
• New institutions created (MDBA, New Minco, BOC)
• Water purchases significantly accelerated
• Irrigation modernising planning undertaken
• New on and off farm irrigation investment programs established
• Market and charge rules made
• Strengthening Basin Communities commenced
• National Water Market System construction started
• Significant progress on Water Information
Some basic observations
• Limits on water use should be based on sustainability principles
– Future water availability, not historical water use
• Contingency planning must be in place for extreme dry conditions
– Not risk free but risk management principles
• Accurate price signals and effective water markets are necessary
– To ensure water moves to highest value uses
– And to facilitate adjustment
The questions we need to answer
• How much water is available in different parts of the country today (and how does it compare with history)?
• How much water is likely to be available in the coming days, weeks, months and years? (i.e. forecast)
• How much water is the environment getting?
• How is water quality changing?
• How much water is being intercepted by farm dams and various land management changes?
The water information goal
• Australia is well equipped to manage water scarcity, water quality and flood risk through ready access to high quality water information– A key role for the BOM
Role of AWIAC (Australian Water Information Advisory Council)
• Provide strategic advice to the Bureau on emerging water information needs across the water sector
• Advise the Bureau on how to maximize the value of its water information activities across the water sector
• Guide the Bureau’s approach to address key national water reform objectives
• Assist the Bureau by providing advocacy across the water sector for its new water information mission
AWIAC members
• Russell Mein (Chair)
• James Horne (DEWHA)
• Ken Matthews (NWC)
• Rob Freeman (MDBA)
• Warwick Watkins (Department of Lands, NSW)
• Ross Young (Water Services Association of Australia)
• Chris Bennett (Irrigation Australia Limited)
Conclusion
• Water availability pressures have become a part of Australian life
• An active national water reform process is well in train
• All governments have committed to considerable reform, though the Biennial Assessment indicates many are lagging behind these commitments
• The Australian Government is investing heavily to accelerate reform
• High quality water information is a vital ingredient in the process