Basin Officials Committee / MDBA Work Program
List of SDL adjustment and constraint measure proposals agreed by
Basin Officials Committee for business case development
Project title
Proponent
state(s)
Project description (include location)
Chowilla floodplain
TLM proposal
South
Australia
The Living Murray (TLM) project.
Riverine recovery
project
South
Australia
South East Flows
Restoration Project
Belsar Yungera
floodplain
management project
SDL resource unit
code and area
Type of
measure
(supply or
constraint)
SS11 South
Supply
Australian Murray measure
Status
Estimated cost ($
million)
Proponents
estimate of
potential SDL
adjustment
Business case
summary submitted
for consideration 23
December 2014.
Nil. Funding has
been provided
through the TLM
program of agreed
works.
Currently
unknown
Potential wetland evaporative savings through a range SS11 South
Supply
of activities that restore wetlands along the SA Murray Australian Murray measure
River. For example, re-introducing wetting and drying
cycles with the aim of achieving improved wetland
habitats and water quality.
Business case
submitted for
consideration 23
December 2014.
Nil
Currently
unknown
South
Australia
The Project will use a combination of newly
constructed drains and widened existing drains within
the Upper South East drainage system to divert
additional water that currently flows to the sea from
the Blackford Drain in the Upper South East into the
Coorong South Lagoon.
The diverted water will provide significant
environmental outcomes for en route wetlands of the
Upper South East through the provision of additional
water of suitable quality, as well as salinity
improvements in the Coorong South Lagoon.
Business case
submitted for
consideration 23
December 2014.
Nil
Currently
unknown
Victoria
Installation of pumps and regulators to provide
SS2 Victorian
sustained floodplain inundation under low and average Murray
flow conditions.
SS11 South
Supply
Australian Murray Measure
Supply
measure
Business case
$55.63 million
submitted 14 January
2015.
Currently
unknown
Project title
Proponent
state(s)
Project description (include location)
SDL resource unit
code and area
Type of
measure
(supply or
constraint)
Status
Estimated cost ($
million)
Proponents
estimate of
potential SDL
adjustment
Burra Creek floodplain Victoria
management proposal
Construction of levees in Burra North and South and
two regulators in Burra North to retain water on the
floodplain and improve environmental outcomes.
SS2 Victorian
Murray
Supply
measure
Business case
$12.14 million
submitted 14 January
2015.
Currently
unknown
Gunbower Forest TLM Victoria
proposal
'The Living Murray' (TLM) project.
SS2 Victorian
Murray
Supply
measure
Business case
documents referred
for consideration 22
September 2014.
Potentially
greater than 20
GL/year
Gunbower National
Park floodplain
management project
Victoria
Construction of 50m channel for water delivery from
Torrumbarry weir to the forest to water floodplain in
upper Gunbower National Park at regulated river
levels. Includes and offtake regulator with vertical slot
fishway and turtle ramp to control releases; a road
crossing, drainage works at Baggot Creek and levee
improvements to remove artificial flow barriers
SS2 Victorian
Murray
Supply
measure
Business case
$28.45 million
submitted 14 January
2015.
Potentially
greater than 20
GL/year
Guttrum and Benwell
State Forests
floodplain
enhancement project
Victoria
Construction of works and minor channel works to
improve duration of floodplain inundation.
SS2 Victorian
Murray
Supply
measure
Business case
$6.5 million
submitted 14 January
2015.
Currently
unknown
Hattah Lakes north
floodplain
management project
Victoria
Construction works designed to capitalise on existing
'The Living Murray' works, comprising additional
physical infrastructure works at key locations on the
floodplain designed to provide enhance inundation
extent.
SS2 Victorian
Murray
Supply
measure
Business case
$8.81 million
submitted 14 January
2015.
Currently
unknown
Hattah Lakes TLM
proposal
Victoria
The Living Murray (TLM) project,
SS2 Victorian
Murray
Supply
measure
Business case
documents referred
for consideration 22
September 2014.
Potentially
greater than 20
GL/year
Nil. Funding has
been provided
through the TLM
program of agreed
works.
Nil. Funding has
been provided
through the TLM
program of agreed
works.
Project title
Proponent
state(s)
Project description (include location)
SDL resource unit
code and area
Type of
measure
(supply or
constraint)
Status
Estimated cost ($
million)
Lindsay Island (Stage 1) Victoria
TLM proposal
The Living Murray (TLM) project, currently under
construction
SS2 Victorian
Murray
Supply
measure
Business case
documents referred
for consideration 22
September 2014.
Lindsay Island (Stage 2) Victoria
floodplain
management project
Construction of a regulator across Lindsay River at
Berribee Homestead and associated works at 6 sites
(small regulators, access crossings, levee banks) to
inundate mid and upper reaches of Lindsay Island
floodplain at regulated river level.
SS2 Victorian
Murray
Supply
measure
Business case
$72.83 million
submitted 14 January
2015.
Potentially
greater than 20
GL/year
Mulcra Island TLM
proposal
Victoria
The Living Murray (TLM) project, currently under
construction
SS2 Victorian
Murray
Supply
measure
Business case
documents referred
for consideration 22
September 2014.
Currently
unknown
Nyah floodplain
management project
Victoria
Installation of pumps, levees, culverts and regulating
structures to improve floodplain inundation.
SS2 Victorian
Murray
Supply
measure
Business case
$10.94 million
submitted 14 January
2015.
Currently
unknown
Vinifera floodplain
management project
Victoria
Installation of a pump, levee, flood runner cut-off,
culverts and regulating structures to improve
floodplain inundation.
SS2 Victorian
Murray
Supply
measure
Business case
$9.12 million
submitted 14 January
2015.
Currently
unknown
Wallpolla Island
floodplain
management project
Victoria
Construction of integrated works including a regulator SS2 Victorian
on Wallpolla Creek, weirs, levees, access crossings and Murray
alteration of river heights to improve inundation of
Wallpolla floodplain and provide an increase in flowing
habitat.
Supply
measure
Business case
$59.52 million
submitted 14 January
2015.
Potentially
greater than 20
GL/year
Potential rule change option:
Allow Hume releases to be reduced more quickly when
flows have not been elevated for an extended period
beforehand, with the water saved released at a
different point in time or in a different flow pattern
that would provide additional environmental benefits.
Supply
measure
Approved (5 June
2015) to be
developed into a
business case.
Currently
unknown
Flexible Rates of Fall in Victoria / New
River Levels
South Wales
Downstream of Hume
Dam
SS2 Victorian
Murray, and
SS14 New South
Wales Murray
Nil. Funding has
been provided
through the TLM
program of agreed
works.
Proponents
estimate of
potential SDL
adjustment
Nil. Funding has
been provided
through the TLM
program of agreed
works.
Nil
Currently
unknown
Project title
Proponent
state(s)
Project description (include location)
SDL resource unit
code and area
Type of
measure
(supply or
constraint)
Status
Estimated cost ($
million)
Proponents
estimate of
potential SDL
adjustment
Hume Dam airspace
Victoria / New Potential rule change options:
management and pre- South Wales
1. Pre-releases executed to better contribute to
release rules
meeting flow targets at Barmah-Millewa Forest.
2. Translucent operations that ‘pass through’ inflows
from the dam when managing airspace target
levels. This type of operations would provide more
natural variability of flows below Hume Dam and
help meet environmental flow targets at BarmahMillewa Forest.
SS2 Victorian
Murray, and
SS14 New South
Wales Murray
Supply
measure
Business case
submitted 1 April
2015.
Nil
Currently
unknown
Barmah-Millewa forest Victoria /New Potential rule change option:
environmental water South Wales
allocation
Vary the rules associated with the water set aside by
Victoria and NSW in an environmental account
(BMFEWA) to water the Barmah-Millewa Forest
proposed to allow the use of other environmental
entitlements to target the environmental requirements
specified in the Basin Plan.
SS2 Victorian
Murray, and
SS14 New South
Wales Murray
Supply
measure
Business case
submitted 1 April
2015
Nil
Currently
unknown
Alternative supply
systems for effluent
creeks –
Murrumbidgee River
SS14 NSW Murray Supply
SS15
measure
Murrumbidgee
(potentially all
valleys)
Approved (5 June
2015) to be
developed into a
business case.
$65- $124.2 million Potentially
more than 20
GL/year
New South
Wales
These systems are not efficient carriers and efficiency
works could improve delivery. Potential water savings
arise from piping of licensed domestic and stock
supply.
Computer Aided River New South
Management (CARM) Wales
Murrumbidgee
CARM is a series of operational tools to better process SS15
river data such as flows, extractions and releases and Murrumbidgee
to forecast flows and weather related flow trends.
Supply
measure
Feasibility study
Nil – already funded Potentially
(Phase 1) approved by Water for Rivers. more than 20
(11 December 2014)
GL/year
to be developed into
a business case
(Phase 2).
Improved Flow
New South
Management Works at Wales
the
Murrumbidgee River Yanco Creek Offtake
Increase weir pool capacity and operational control of
Yanco regulator and weir pool to the benefit of the
environment providing a potential SDL adjustment
Supply
measure
Business case
$50.5 million
submitted 12 August
2015.
SS15
Murrumbidgee
Potentially
more than 1015 GL/year
Project title
Proponent
state(s)
Project description (include location)
SDL resource unit
code and area
Nimmie Caira
New South
Infrastructure
Wales
Modifications Proposal
Reconfigure water delivery infrastructure to more
SS15
effectively deliver environmental flows to the Nimmie- Murrumbidgee
Caira floodplain and other parts of the Lowbidgee, and
deliver flows through the floodplain back to the
Murrumbidgee River.
SDL offsets in the
Lower Murray NSW
New South
Wales
Snowy Hydro Licence
amendments to call
environmental water
New South
Wales
Type of
measure
(supply or
constraint)
Estimated cost ($
million)
Business case
$9.25-9.75 million
submitted 12 August
2015.
Potentially 2050 GL/year
An integrated package of works, (including Locks 8 and SS14 NSW Murray Supply
9 weir pool manipulation Carrs, Capitts and Bunberoo
measure
Creeks connectivity, Frenchmans Creek fish passage) to
restore and enhance river habitat in the Lower Murray
region of New South Wales.
Business case
$28.6 million
submitted 12 August
2015.
Potentially less
than 5 GL/year
Amendment to Snowy Hydro licence in 2011 allow the SS14 NSW Murray Supply
water recovered by the Murray River Increased Flows
measure
to be held and called out. Previously the release of the
water was at the discretion of Snowy Hydro and was
generally at times suited to Snowy Hydro’s commercial
outcomes. This water can now be called out to meet
environmental outcomes.
Feasibility study
Nil
(Phase 1) approved
(17 March 2015) to
be developed into a
business case (Phase
2).
Currently
unknown
TLM environmental
New South
works and measures - Wales
Koondrook-Perricoota
Forest Flood
Enhancement proposal
The Living Murray (TLM) project.
SS14 New South
Wales Murray
Business case
documents referred
for consideration 8
December 2014.
Currently
unknown
Water Management
Works Millewa and
Yanga National Parks
A suite of works aimed at delivering a more
appropriate watering regime to core wetland
communities within these national parks.
SS14 NSW Murray Supply
SS15
measure
Murrumbidgee
New South
Wales
Supply
measure
Status
Proponents
estimate of
potential SDL
adjustment
Supply
measure
Nil. Funding has
been provided
through the TLM
program of agreed
works.
Feasibility study
$22.87 million
(Phase 1) approved
(17 March 2015) to
be developed into a
business case (Phase
2).
Potentially
more than 20
GL/year
Project title
Goulburn key focus
area
Proponent
state(s)
Victoria
Project description (include location)
SDL resource unit
code and area
Type of
measure
(supply or
constraint)
Status
Estimated cost ($
million)
Proponents
estimate of
potential SDL
adjustment
Investigation of opportunities to address physical and
policy constraints to the delivery of higher regulated
flows (up to 40,000 ML/day at Shepparton).
Investigations will include the potential effects of
higher flows on third parties and mitigation options to
address negative impacts (including easements and/or
infrastructure) to allow the delivery of these flows (to
support improved river and wetland health outcomes).
n/a
Constraint
measure
Business case (Phase
2) - agreed by Basin
Ministers to progress
to business case
development on 17
October 2014.
Estimated by MDBA Not applicable
$30- $46 million
(assuming levee
upgrades)
Gwydir key focus area New South
Wales
Exploring options to allow greater ability to deliver
environmental water to wetlands on the Gingham
watercourse, lower Gwydir River and Mallowa
watercourse.
n/a
Constraint
measure
Business case (Phase Uncertain at this
2) - agreed by Basin stage of
Ministers to progress development
to business case
development on 17
October 2014.
Hume to Yarrawonga
key focus area
Victoria/
New South
Wales
Investigation of opportunities to address physical and
policy constraints to the delivery of higher regulated
flows (up to 40,000ML/day from Hume Dam).
Investigations will include the potential effects of
higher flows on third parties and mitigation options to
address negative impacts (including easements and/or
infrastructure) to allow the delivery of these flows (to
support improved river and wetland health outcomes).
n/a
Constraint
measure
Business case (Phase Estimated by MDBA Not applicable
2) - agreed by Basin $10- $16 million
Ministers to progress
to business case
development on 17
October 2014.
Lower Darling key
focus area
New South
Wales
Investigation of opportunities to address physical and
policy constraints to the delivery of higher regulated
flows (up to 16,000 ML/day at Weir 32). Investigations
will include the potential effects of higher flows on
third parties and mitigation options to address negative
impacts (including easements and/or infrastructure) to
allow the delivery of these flows (to support improved
river and wetland health outcomes).
n/a
Constraint
measure
Business case (Phase Estimated by MDBA Not applicable
2) - agreed by Basin $4- $6 million
Ministers to progress
to business case
development on 17
October 2014.
Not applicable
Project title
Murrumbidgee key
focus area
Proponent
state(s)
New South
Wales
Project description (include location)
SDL resource unit
code and area
Type of
measure
(supply or
constraint)
Status
Estimated cost ($
million)
Proponents
estimate of
potential SDL
adjustment
Investigation of opportunities to address physical and
policy constraints to the delivery of higher regulated
flows (up to 48,500 ML/day at Wagga Wagga).
Investigations will include the potential effects of
higher flows on third parties and mitigation options to
address negative impacts (including easements and/or
infrastructure) to allow the delivery of these flows (to
support improved river and wetland health outcomes).
n/a
Constraint
measure
Business case (Phase Estimated by MDBA Not applicable
2) - agreed by Basin $60- $73 million
Ministers to progress
to business case
development on 17
October 2014.
Investigation of opportunities to address physical and
policy constraints to the delivery of higher regulated
flows (up to 80,000 ML/day at the SA border).
Investigations will include the potential effects of
higher flows on third parties and mitigation options to
address negative impacts (including easements and/or
infrastructure) to allow the delivery of these flows (to
support improved river and wetland health outcomes).
n/a
Constraint
measure
Business case (Phase Estimated by MDBA Not applicable
2) - agreed by Basin $5 million
Ministers to progress
to business case
development on 17
October 2014.
Yarrawonga to Wakool Victoria/New Investigation of opportunities to address physical and
junction key focus area South Wales policy constraints to the delivery of higher flows of up
to 65,000 ML/d downstream of Yarrawonga Weir.
Investigations will include the potential effects of
higher flows on third parties and mitigation options to
address negative impacts (including easements and/or
infrastructure) to allow the delivery of these flows (to
support improved river and wetland health outcomes).
n/a
Constraint
measure
Business case (Phase Estimated by MDBA Not applicable
2) - agreed by Basin $105-$218 million
Ministers to progress
to business case
development on 17
October 2014.
South Australian
South
Murray key focus area Australia
Notes:
1. An SDL resource unit is a water planning term that refers to a region of water resources, generally based on catchments boundaries.
2. This table is updated from time-to-time as projects pass into the business case development phase and beyond.
3. There are a number of NSW projects pending consideration for business case development.