Commonwealth Consolidated Acts Commonwealth Consolidated Acts(1) The Secretary must prepare an annual report on the release of water for environmental use from the Snowy Scheme.
(2) A report under subsection (1) must include the details mentioned in subsection (3), in relation to the release of water for environmental use during each period of 12 months beginning on 1 May (a water year ), from the following:
(a) the Snowy River below Jindabyne Dam;
(b) the Snowy River below Guthega Dam via Falls Creek Aqueduct;
(c) the Snowy River below Island Bend Dam via Tolbar Creek Aqueduct and Diggers Creek Aqueduct;
(d) the Upper Murrumbidgee River below Tantangara Dam;
(e) the Goodradigbee River below Goodradigbee Aqueduct;
(f) the Geehi River below Geehi Dam via Middle Creek and Strzelecki Creek;
(g) the River Murray via the Snowy - Murray Development and Hume Dam.
(3) The report must include the following:
(a) targets for releases of water for environmental use;
(b) actual releases of water for environmental use;
(c) the seasonal timing and volume of releases of water for environmental use;
(d) the environmental objectives that the releases of water were intended to achieve;
(e) any changes to the governance and regulatory arrangements outlined in the report as required by subsection (4).
(4) The first report under subsection (1) must also include a general outline of the governance and regulatory arrangements relating to the Snowy Scheme.
(5) The Secretary must prepare a report under subsection (1) in relation to:
(a) the water year beginning on 1 May 2023; and
(b) each subsequent water year.
(6) The Secretary must provide each report under subsection (1) in relation to a water year by 30 October in the following water year.
(7) The Minister must cause a copy of each report under subsection (1) to be tabled in each House of the Parliament within 15 sitting days of that House after the Minister receives the report.
(8) In this section, Snowy Scheme has the same meaning as in the Murray - Darling Basin Agreement.