Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

WATER ACT 2007 - SECT 86AA

  (1)   The object of this Part   is to enhance the environmental outcomes that can be achieved by the Basin Plan, as in force from time to time, by:

  (a)   protecting and restoring the environmental assets of the Murray - Darling Basin; and

  (b)   protecting biodiversity dependent on the Basin water resources;

so as to give effect to relevant international agreements.

  (2)   Without limiting subsection   (1), environmental outcomes can be enhanced in the following ways:

  (a)   further reducing salinity levels in the Coorong and Lower Lakes so that improved water quality contributes to the health of insects, fish and plants that form important parts of the food chain, with the aim of achieving the following outcomes:

  (i)   the maximum average daily salinity in the Coorong South Lagoon is less than 100 grams per litre;

  (ii)   the maximum average daily salinity in the Coorong North Lagoon is less than 50 grams per litre;

  (iii)   the average daily salinity in Lake Alexandrina is less than 1000 microsiemens per centimetre for 95% of years and 1500 microsiemens per centimetre all of the time;

  (b)   keeping water levels in the Lower Lakes above:

  (i)   0.4 metres Australian Height Datum for 95% of the time; and

  (ii)   0.0 metres Australian Height Datum at all times;

    to provide additional flows to the Coorong, and to prevent acidification, acid drainage and riverbank collapse below Lock 1;

  (c)   ensuring the mouth of the River Murray is open without the need for dredging in at least 95% of years, with flows every year through the Murray Mouth Barrages;

  (d)   discharging 2 million tonnes of salt per year from the Murray - Darling Basin as a long - term average;

  (e)   further increasing flows to the Coorong through the Murray Mouth Barrages, and supporting fish migration;

  (f)   in conjunction with removing or easing constraints referred to in subparagraph   (h)(ii), providing opportunities for environmental watering of an additional 35,000 hectares of floodplains in the River Murray System, to do the following:

  (i)   improve the health of forests and the habitats of fish and birds;

  (ii)   improve connections between the floodplains and rivers in the River Murray System;

  (iii)   replenish groundwater;

  (g)   increasing the flows of rivers and streams, and providing water to low and middle level floodplains and habitats that are adjacent to rivers and streams, in the River Murray System:

  (i)   to enhance environmental outcomes within those floodplains, habitats, rivers and streams; and

  (ii)   to improve connections between those floodplains and habitats, and those rivers and streams;

  (h)   in any other way that is consistent with:

  (i)   the Authority's modelling of the effect of increasing the volume of the Basin water resources that is available for environmental use by 3200 gigalitres; and

  (ii)   easing or removing constraints on the capacity to deliver environmental water to the environmental assets of the Murray - Darling Basin.

  (3)   The object of this Part   is to be achieved by:

  (a)   easing or removing constraints on the capacity to deliver environmental water to the environmental assets of the Murray - Darling Basin; and

  (b)   increasing the volume of the Basin water resources that is available for environmental use by 450 gigalitres.

Note:   The Minister is required to take all reasonable steps to increase the volume of the Basin water resources available for environmental use by 450 gigalitres (see section   85AC).