GWYDIR VALLEY IRRIGATORS ASSOCIATION

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News

Mallowa: Target in the east have been inundated, some western areas yet to be inundated. Deliveries expected to finish mid-April 2026.
Lower Gwydir: The 3 month delivery of E-water to Lower Gwydir ceased on 26 December 2025. A total of 7,550ML entered the watercourse at Millewa, including 3,200ML of managed E-water. 
Gingham: Deliveries commenced early December 2025. Target flow rate is 100 ML/d connect through to Boyanga Waterhole. Delivery target may continue past February.
Whittakers Lagoon: Orders have been placed to fill Whittakers Lagoon to fill the lagoon before the end of January 2026.
Mehi River flows: Delivery for fish to the lower Mehi commenced 13 December 2025. This flow will continue through Summer and into Autumn.
Barwon River: In addition to the Mehi River flow releases from the Border Rivers and Gwydir valleys commenced over Christmas New Year. This event was designed to support base flows in the Barwon River between Mungindi and Walgett. Releases from Glenlyon and Copeton Dams are expected to cease early February 2026.

The GVIA are currently looking for a Project and Policy Support Officer. 
The project officer role would entail working on behalf of and in partnership with the GVIA Members to deliver requirements as detailed in projects.
The policy support role will entail supporting the EO in the review and analysis of regulatory policy and provide support to Members in the interpretation and application of policy.
The role would also support the EO in communication of water related issues to the wider community. 
More detail are available in the attached position description.
To apply or arrange to discuss the position please email the EO on gvia@gvia.org.au

In partnership with the NSW Government, TAFE NSW has launched a free, 3-hour online course designed to fast-track qualified tradespeople into becoming duly qualified persons (DQPs). DQP's can: 

  • install and validate non-urban water meters 
  • ensure installations meet compliance and safety standards 
  • offer ongoing servicing and maintenance
  • support sustainable, responsible water management. 


The following trades can apply: irrigation technician, plumber, instrumentation specialist, hydrographer, engineer, fitter-welder, closed conduit meter manufacturer, electrician, local intelligence device manufacturer, or telecommunications technician. 

The NSW Government has announced two  funding opportunities
1. Agriculture Industries Innovation and Growth Program
This program supports projects that enhance productivity, sustainability, and innovation across agricultural industries.
Learn more and apply here: Agriculture Industries Innovation and Growth Program | NSW Government
2. Aquaculture Industry Development Program
Designed to accelerate growth and innovation in aquaculture, this program provides funding for initiatives that strengthen industry capability and sustainability.
Full details and guidelines: Aquaculture Industry Development Program Guidelines | NSW Government

Farmers in the Basin are calling on the Federal Government to escalate water security for agriculture as a priority, following the findings of the Basin Outlook, published today which echoed findings from the National Climate Risk Assessment. 
“All climate change scenarios will have significant risks on water security for Australian agriculture,” said NIC CEO, Zara Lowien “farmers are adapting every day to changing climate, but can only adapt so far, water security is critical”. 
“The Outlook modelling scenarios found the Basin will be both wetter and drier, with more extreme conditions with varying impacts and level of uncertainty around the Basin.” 
“It is absolutely important that we consider climate change as part of the Basin Plan Review, but this needs to be fit for purpose, recognising the uncertainty, and extremes to both wet and dry.” 
“We are concerned the document has over-generalised headlines, but when you look at the detail, there are a lot of unknowns and uncertainty,” said Ms Lowien. “That’s not to dismiss the work, rather that when Government responds to it, they need to consider its limitations which are very evident in the report.”
NIC Media release available here

"More water rights in the Murray-Darling Basin will be purchased from farmers and irrigators in a renewed push by the federal government to return 450 gigalitres of water to the environment.".....
"He also flagged that the government is closely considering purchasing water from the northern part of the basin for the first time.
"Recent advice from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority highlights the potential benefits of pursuing water recovery in the northern basin to contribute towards the 450 gigalitre target.
"While this is not an adopted policy of our government right now, I will work closely with my department in considering this advice.""

“This was a missed opportunity for Minister Watt to put politics aside and send a strong message about refocusing the Basin Plan on outcomes, not just numbers” said NIC CEO, Zara Lowien. 
“At the MDBA’s invitation, Basin Leaders gathered in Adelaide to consider the recently released scientific evidence which found environmental priorities in the Basin have shifted and emboldened participants to work on solutions to move beyond ‘just adding water’”.
“Stakeholders were focusing on how to achieve environmental outcomes and considering options to reduce invasive species and improve native fish populations, better integrate broader catchment management principles into Basin management, and how to efficiently get water onto floodplains.”
“The announcement which targets additional environmental water, above Sustainable Diversion Limits and arguably with low environmental utility due to the uncertainty of constraints, was at odds the proactive and productive discussions”.

MDBA

The Murray Darling Basin Plan 2012 has achieved its goal to reduce diversions to Sustainable Diversion Limits delivering a healthy working basin with optimised social, economic and environmental outcomes. The Basin Plan Evaluation notes that flow-based outcomes have been achieved, there’s no need for more water as 72% of river flows are for environmental purposes.

There are still many non-flow outcomes needing to be achieved.  The focus must be on getting better outcomes from existing water, by addressing barriers to improve environmental outcomes, including carp management, riparian management, fish screens and fish passage. It is in Australia’s best interest for water policy to focus on shared outcomes not politics into the future. The next MDBP must be a management plan not a volumetric plan.

NIC media release.
A new report by the Inspector-General of Water Compliance (IGWC) found: "All 78 SDL resource units assessed for the 2023–2024 water accounting year were found to be compliant." 
“The report confirms Sustainable Diversion Limits are being enforced and in fact, water diversions are well under these limits,” said National Irrigators’ Council CEO, Zara Lowien.
“Getting water use below these Sustainable Diversion Limits was a huge feat, and it means 1 in 3 litres of irrigation water are now out of production and remain in rivers.”

NSWIC July Newsletter includes information on the following:
1. Review of Murray Darling Basin Plan begins
2. Stronger Enforcement and Penalties Bill 2025 
3. NRAR enforcement action again BLR user
4. Water for the Environmental Special Account

The NSW Government has declared the Landholder Negotiation Scheme (LNS) as an amendment to the Water Management (General) Regulation 2018 under the Water Management Act 2000, accompanied by statutory negotiation guidelines.
The LNS provides the approach the NSW Government will take when negotiating voluntary agreements with landholders affected by future environmental water deliveries at higher flow levels, or under different regimes, than current operating practice.
An outline of changes made,  is provided in the What we heard report released May 2025. View the What we heard report, new regulation and negotiation guidelines.

Last week the MDBA released the 2025 Basin Plan Evaluation and the 2025 Sustainable Rivers Audit.
These are encouraging as it shows progress has been made, but there are still concerns which we are reviewing in partnership with National Irrigators Council. 
The findings and key insights from this Evaluation will be considered alongside other key lines of evidence as part of the 2026 Basin Plan Review. The Review is an opportunity for the MDBA to consider the evidence, listen to Basin communities and recommend changes to the Basin Plan.

NSWIC latest media release states that "IPART has added to the cost squeeze on NSW farmers with its final determination today to increase rural water bills by up to 8.3% in most valleys for 2025-26."
"NSW Irrigators’ Council CEO Claire Miller said it was disappointing that IPART had shifted from the affordable 1.9% plus CPI price rise proposed in its information paper last month."
“The determination underlines the need for the NSW Government to urgently reform the flawed pricing model and corporate structure driving unaffordable hikes in rural water bills over the last 10 years.”

For the full story follow the link.

IPART has decided to issue a 1-year determination commencing on 1 July 2025 and ending 30 June 2026, or when replaced
From 1 July, prices will increase by 5.8% plus inflation of 2.4% for bulk water customers. MDBA charges will increase by 0.6% plus inflation of 2.4% and BRC charges will increase by 1.1% plus inflation of 2.4%. All other prices will increase by inflation only.​
At this stage, the Tribunal is not convinced that all the increased costs proposed by WaterNSW are sufficiently justified as necessary or efficient, or that they should all be passed on the customers. The short determination will allow more work to be done on the broader challenges identified through this price review.
The GVIA requested a full performance review and analysis of the business structure. ​

The AgriEmpower Scholarship Program is an investment in the future of our next generation of changemarkers, dedicated to helping young people enhance their capabilities and unlock new opportunities for growth.
The program offers financial support, resources, and access to National Farmers’ Federation and Woolworths networks, and a community of like-minded individuals, all with the goal of driving long-term success in the agriculture sector.
As part of the $400,000 program, 20 scholarships of $20,000 each will be awarded.

The AgriEmpower Scholarship Program runs for 18 months allowing individuals an opportunity to deep dive into developing themselves and with the support of NFF & Woolworths.

This month's NSW-DQ webinar focused on "Are You Measurement Ready". A recording is available here and responses to questions taken on notice will be available here in the next fortnight.

Some key take aways:
  • All water users should check their licence and approvals to ensure the details are correct, and ensure they are following their conditions.
  • Water users subject to the mandatory metering condition but eligible for exemption should use the online metering guidance tool and take a record of what exemption they believe they can claim.
  • Metering requirements apply to Unregulated users as well as Regulated.

Federal Election

As we will now have a federal election on the 3rd of May 2025, I encourage you to have conversations with people from all different parts of the community to ensure they understand what is important to safegard the Australian irrigation industry. The following links will show you what the peak industry organisations have as their election policy positions. There are also a number of useful facts about irrigation which you may be able to utilise in your discussions. 

National Irrigators Council

NSW Irrigation Council

National Farmers Federation

The department sought public feedback in late 2023 on proposed changes to distance restrictions for new or amended bores from other bores or property boundaries in the Water Sharing Plan for the NSW Great Artesian Basin Groundwater Sources 2020 (the plan).

At this time, feedback from stakeholders indicated that the community needed further information on the proposed changes. To address the community's questions, we released a Status Update Document on 17 February 2025, outlining what’s changing and why. Public feedback on this document and the proposed changes is welcome until 6 April 2025.

The NSW legislative assembly are conducting an inquiry into the Impacts of the Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Act 2023 on NSW regional communities. The chair is Roy Butler and has been designed to consider the following:

a) the social, economic and environmental impact of repealing limits to the cap on Commonwealth water purchases
b) the risks to the effective implementation of the Federal Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Act 2023 including unlicensed take of water and options to address these risks such as rules for floodplain harvesting
c) the impact of Planned Environmental Water rules on the reliability of water allocations in NSW and the Commonwealth's environmental water holdings
d) the impact of rules-based changes on the reliability of water allocations in NSW, including their impact on different water license categories
e) the effectiveness and impacts of past water reforms, including community-based water reduction adjustment programs such as the Strengthening Basin Communities program and Murray-Darling Basin Economic Development Program
f) options to improve future community-based reduction adjustment programs including next rounds of the Sustainable Communities Program
g) any other related matter. Submissions are Due 14th April 2025. 

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