9 Australian Capital Territory
The context of water planning in the Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory water sources provide urban and rural water supply to Australia’s largest inland city and are a major
recreation resource. These water resources, particularly surface water, are largely shared with New South Wales. The combination
of extended dry periods and occasional flooding leads to large flow variability in the region’s waterways. Many ACT water
resources, particularly urban lakes and streams, are highly modified because of changes in land use, streamflow diversions,
wastewater and stormwater discharges, as well as introductions of exotic biota. Several variables are exerting pressure on water
security into the future, including population growth, bushfires and long-term climate change – all of which must be managed within
the context of water sharing in the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB).
Planning arrangements
Key legislation and policies
Think water, act water 2004 (TWAW) is the policy document that aims to secure a long-term water supply for the ACT. TWAW
provides a framework for cooperation between community, industry and government to manage, use and conserve the ACT’s water
resources. It includes a range of measures that aim to ensure water supply security for the ACT, protect and improve ecological
values associated with waterways, and improve the amenity of urban areas. TWAW also has an associated implementation plan to
guide actions for the achievement of objectives.
The Water Resources Act 2007 (WRA 2007) is the legal basis for allocating water, issuing licences to take water and providing
environmental flows. The objects of the WRA 2007 provide for the sustainable management of the ACT’s water resources, and
subsequent sections broadly cover environmental flows, water access entitlements, licensing of water use and bore drillers,
construction of waterway works (e.g. farm dams), compliance and enforcement. The water sharing plan
is in subordinate legislation and comprises two disallowable instruments: DI 193 describes water management areas and
DI 191 details the volume of surface water and groundwater that can be taken from each water management area.
The Environmental Flow Guidelines 2013 are a statutory instrument under the WRA 2007 to determine the water necessary to
maintain the health of aquatic ecosystems in the ACT. The guidelines apply to all ACT water resources, including water in rivers,
streams, dams, lakes and groundwater. Monitoring of the effectiveness of environmental flows has been ongoing since the
development of the original guidelines in 1999, resulting in their review and replacement by the 2006 and then the 2013 guidelines.
The Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate is responsible for strategic water policy, regulation of the ACT’s water
resources, water efficiency programs, and monitoring and reporting on water quality (e.g. TWAW progress reports, annual ACT
Water Report).
Proposed changes to water resource management legislation and policy
Following a review of TWAW, a new draft ACT water strategy was released for comment in July 2013. The strategy is intended as a
30-year plan with reviews undertaken every five years. It takes account of changed circumstances in the ACT since 2004, including
extension of the Cotter Dam, completion of the Murrumbidgee to Googong pipeline, the increased capacity to use water markets to
purchase water if required, successful measures to reduce per capita demand and requirements under the Murray–Darling Basin
Plan. The strategy includes the development of a governance and regulatory framework and a series of implementation plans.
Murray–Darling Basin Plan
The Murray–Darling Basin Plan was adopted in November 2012 and is relevant to management of water resources in the ACT.
While many of the provisions of the Basin plan do not take effect for several years, the ACT Water Resources Plan (WRP) is due in
2015. ACT instruments for Basin plan implementation are the WRA 2007 and the updated Environmental Flow Guidelines 2013.
The ACT is also undertaking an Indigenous engagement strategy for the new WRP.
When it commences later this year, the Australian Capital Territory Water Management Legislation Amendment Act 2013 (Cth) will
ensure that the ACT Government has power to manage the abstraction of water on national land and by Commonwealth entities in
the ACT, and the surface waters of the Googong Dam. While located in NSW, the Googong Dam is part of the ACT water supply,
and the Basin plan provides for the water resources of the Googong Dam area to form part of the ACT water resource plan area.
Table 7: Summary of planning instruments in the ACT
Assessment
criteria
Water
Resources
Act 2007
TWAW
2004
DIs 191
& 193
EFlow
2013
Comment
1.
Status of plan
yes
yes
yes
yes
The ACT water planning framework comprises several
instruments. TWAW is the overarching water policy
strategy (released in 2004). The legal basis for water
management is the Water Resources Act 2007 that
establishes two DIs which technically form the water
sharing plan. The DIs describe management areas and
the volumes of water that can be taken from them.
Statutory Environmental Flow Guidelines were
established in 1999 and updated in 2006 and 2013.
2.
Key assessments
yes
yes
yes
The ACT’s water resources are listed in the 2007 DIs,
with further details provided in TWAW 2004
vol. 3. Climate and population variables are assessed in
the Future water options report. Environmental assets
and their condition are assessed in the Environmental
Flow Guidelines
and associated reviews.
3.
Overuse status
and pathways to
sustainable water
extraction
yes
yes
yes
yes
The WRA 2007 and TWAW set objectives for sustainable
water extraction. The 2007 DIs detail allocations for
consumptive use, environmental flows and future water
reserves. The Environmental Flow Guidelines detail the
water requirements for environmental assets.
4.
Clearly identified
and measurable
outcomes
yes
yes
yes
The WRA 2007, TWAW and Environmental Flow
Guidelines identify objectives for sustainable use and
environmental protection. A monitoring and reporting
program is detailed in TWAW.
5.
Facilitation
of trade
yes
The WRA 2007 enables water entitlement dealings and
the ACT is generally compliant with trade
service standards.
6.
Integration of
water intercepting
activities
yes
The WRA 2007 limits interception from rainwater tanks
and farm dams. The potential interception impacts of
forestry are regularly assessed but
there are no commercial plantations in the ACT
at present.
7.
Surface
water/groundwater
connectivity
yes
yes
yes
yes
The WRA 2007, DIs and TWAW provide for integrated
management of surface water and groundwater.
Environmental Flow Guidelines also acknowledge the
importance of connectivity.
8.
Environmental
water
management
arrangements
yes
yes
yes
yes
The WRA 2007 requires preparation of Environmental
Flow Guidelines. The DIs detail volumes for
environmental water allocations in each water
management area. A regular monitoring and reporting
program is detailed in TWAW and the Environmental
Flow Guidelines.
9.
Monitoring,
compliance and
enforcement
provisions
yes
yes
yes
The WRA 2007 identifies offences, disciplinary action
and metering requirements associated with compliance.
TWAW requires monitoring, review and adaptive
management for plan provisions. Under the Act, the
Environmental Flow Guidelines must also be regularly
reviewed and updated.
yes
yes
TWAW acknowledges climate change as an important
component of water planning and the Future water
options report regularly assesses assumptions in water
planning variables. The Environmental Flow Guidelines
identify the need to use different flow guidelines under
drought conditions.
yes
yes
The WRA 2007 sets minimum consultation requirements
when drafting Environmental Flow Guidelines. TWAW
incorporates community consultation on plan
development and review.
10. Planning for
climate change
and extremes in
inflows or
recharge
11. Stakeholder
engagement
yes
12. Have outcomes
been achieved
yes
yes
yes
TWAW progress reports provide information on the
planned actions that have been implemented. Under the
WRA 2007, the Environmental Flow Guidelines are
required to be regularly assessed against objectives and
reports made available to
the public.
Key findings
This section provides updated commentary on the previous report card assessment for the Australian Capital Territory (key findings
summarised below) and includes information on significant findings for 2013.
Previous findings

Environmental flow guidelines underpinned by science

Regular monitoring and reporting to assess outcome achievement
2013 findings
Environmental flow guidelines underpinned by science
The ACT has statutory and adaptively managed environmental watering arrangements that integrate the management of surface
water and groundwater for the maintenance of aquatic ecosystems. Many of the ACT’s waterways are affected by urban
development and, to address this, Environmental Flow Guidelines were introduced in 1999. The guidelines aim to protect the health
of water resources based on the best-available scientific information. An assessment program, underpinned by empirical research,
regularly evaluates environmental watering arrangements to inform future environmental flow releases. The guidelines were
updated in 2006 and, following a thorough review in 2011, new guidelines were adopted in April 2013.
Regular monitoring and reporting to assess achievements
Regular monitoring and reporting indicate the ACT has made progress towards water management goals set by Think water, act
water in 2004. Consistent monitoring and transparent reporting allows better assessments of the effectiveness of water planning.
The ACT Water Report is an annual monitoring summary that provides information ranging from water trading statistics to water
quality measurements and ecosystem condition assessments. A review of Think water, act water in 2012 concluded the strategy
was largely successful in meeting the ACT’s water needs throughout a period of severe drought. Several changes were required to
ensure the ACT has secure access to clean and reasonably priced water into the future.
Integration of responsibility across agencies
Arrangements for the management of water in the ACT involve multiple agencies and cross-jurisdictional issues. A lack of
coordination across agencies and the corresponding absence of a whole-of-catchment management approach has resulted in
numerous water quality problems in Canberra’s urban waterways. The ACT has recognised this issue and is actively working to
improve integration across jurisdictions and agencies.
In particular, the 2012 Planning strategy (Territory plan) re-emphasises goals to integrate water management with environmental
management and to improve water quality, the 2013 Draft ACT water strategy highlights integration as a goal through a proposed
governance plan to address water management across agencies and the Lake Burley Griffin action plan aims to integrate
responsibilities between the ACT Government, National Capital Authority, Queanbeyan City Council, Palerang Council, and
ACTEW Water for the management of water quality in Lake Burley Griffin.
Glossary and abbreviations
Term
Acronym
Definition
Disallowable instrument
DI
Legislation which is subordinate to the Water Resources Act 2007 and describes water
management areas in the ACT, as well as the volumes of water available for consumptive
uses, environmental flows and future reserves.
Environmental Flow Guidelines
EFlow
A statutory instrument under the Water Resources Act 2007 to determine the water
necessary to maintain the health of aquatic ecosystems.
Think water, act water
TWAW
Overarching policy framework which provides for the management of water resources in
the ACT.
Water Resources Act 2007
WRA
Legislation for allocating water, issuing licences to take water, and providing environmental
flows in the Australian Capital Territory.
Planning areas
Australian Capital Territory
Findings
Report card criteria
Assessment
Commentary
1.
Is there a plan in place?
Yes
Implementation of TWAW is continuing. It covers all surface water and groundwater resources
in the ACT. The Water Resources Act 2007 is the legal basis for controlling all water use.
The 2013 Draft ACT water strategy describes new water policy based on changing
circumstances such as the Basin plan. New Environmental Flow Guidelines were released in
2013.
2.
Does the plan include
key assessments?
Yes
Detailed resource information has been compiled and integrated into the water planning
process. Water planning variables are regularly reviewed through annual Water Reports with
the most recent available review for 2011–12. The Basin plan is the key driver for ACT
Government water planning assessments, changes and improvements.
3.
Does the plan address
overuse and is there a
pathway to sustainable
extraction?
Yes
There were no areas of overuse identified in the ACT. Extraction limits have been set for all
water sources. The extraction limits reflect environmental and consumptive use trade-offs. The
ACT uses eight per cent of its treated effluent internally and returns the other 92 per cent to the
Basin. In conjunction with drought and climate change, risks to water supply associated with a
growing population have been addressed through capital projects such as the Cotter Dam
expansion and reduced per capita demand.
4.
Does the plan include
clearly identified and
measurable outcomes?
Yes
The plan clearly identifies objectives with associated actions for their achievement detailed in
the supporting implementation program. The assessment of results is facilitated by regular
monitoring, reporting and review procedures. With nine agencies having water-planning-related
responsibilities, the 2013 Draft ACT water strategy highlighted governance issues that might
affect objectives and actions. A proposed governance plan to address interagency obligations
was due for release in December 2013.
5.
Does the plan
facilitate trade?
Yes
Trade is facilitated in the ACT under the WRA 2007 but there is little demand. While interstate
trade is enabled by legislation, it is difficult due to a lack of appropriate agreements between
jurisdictions. Since the 2011 assessment, the ACT has reported that the ability to trade has
improved, alongside an increased capacity to purchase water. Negotiations with NSW have
progressed, although it is not yet evident if these changes have enabled inter-jurisdictional
water trading to occur.
6.
Is interception
appropriately considered
and integrated into the
plan?
Yes
The plan identifies interception activities, such as unlicensed basic landholders’ rights, and
considers the impact of forest regrowth on water supplies after bushfire. The installation of farm
dams is regulated.
7.
Does the plan
include/address surface
water and groundwater
connectivity as
appropriate?
Yes
There is relatively low usage of groundwater. Integrated management of connected
groundwater and surface water occurs in the ACT. Stated goals in the 2013 Draft
ACT water strategy include aspirations to better integrate groundwater and surface water
planning.
8.
Does the plan contain
accountable
environmental watering
arrangements?
Yes
The revised 2013 Environmental Flow Guidelines provide clear links between management
objectives, required flow volumes and monitoring arrangements.
9.
Is there adequate
monitoring occurring, and
are there compliance and
enforcement
mechanisms in place?
Yes
The Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate coordinates annual reporting on
the state of the ACT’s water resources. Nine agencies are responsible for water resource
monitoring in the ACT, with uncertain governance an area of potential weakness to effective
monitoring and reporting for adaptive management.
10. Does the plan deal
appropriately with climate
change and extremes in
inflows or recharge?
Yes
Climate change and variability are dealt with in the plan through detailed analysis of future
water options. This acknowledges the risks of reduced water supply due to climate variability
and population growth. The water volumes allocated for extraction through disallowable
instruments can be amended to deal with changes to water availability within the life of the
plan.
11. Is stakeholder
engagement in the
planning process
adequate?
Yes
Stakeholder engagement has occurred during all key stages of plan development
(e.g. pre-plan consultation, public submissions on draft, feedback on trade-off decisions).
Provisions of the Environmental Flow Guidelines also facilitate ongoing stakeholder input and
engagement occurs on other issues on an ad hoc basis (e.g. enlargement of Cotter Dam).
Stakeholder engagement was undertaken as part of the review of TWAW. In preparing for
Basin plan implementation, a strategy for Indigenous engagement is being prepared.
12. Have identified outcomes
been achieved during the
reporting period?
Yes
Regular monitoring and reporting against plan objectives indicates progress towards water use
efficiency and future water security goals. The achievement of ecological and water quality
targets has proved challenging – largely due to the impacts of drought and fires.
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