Environmental Water Reserve

Within the North East region healthy catchments are needed to supply clean drinking water; water for industry, including power generation; and for the support of irrigated agriculture and farming practices.  The dynamics of rivers and groundwater systems are also fundamental for the freshwater ecosystems that require this for their survival and long term health.  

The North East Region plays a vital role in providing water resources for south-eastern Australia. Although it comprises only 2% of the geographic area of the Murray-Darling Basin, the region's river basins contributes 38% of the total water in the Murray-Darling Basin systems.

The harnessing of rivers and aquifers to provide water for consumption and production has a significant effect on the river ecology and natural flow regime of the river.  This development can disconnect rivers from their floodplains, reduce base flow contributions from groundwater or shift winter runoff into summer flows. 

The North East CMA region has five major dams.  Two of these are on the Mitta Mitta River, Lake Dartmouth and Lake Hume, one on the Kiewa River, Rocky Valley Pondage, one on the Buffalo River, Lake Buffalo and one on the King River, Lake William Hovell.  For further information about the status of these storages please follow this link http://www.g-mwater.com.au/water-resources/storages/.  For further information about the status of groundwater resources please follow this link http://www.g-mwater.com.au/water-resources/ground-water 

The North East CMA has a number of Environmental Water Reserve (EWR) priorities including:

• The development of the upper Ovens River Water Management Plan with the community.
• Integrating the Rural and Urban Water corporation surface and groundwater operating arrangements with the EWR Objective in the whole Ovens River basin.
• Integrating Water Resource Development with the EWR Objectives in all river basins and aquifers.

The North East CMA has commissioned a number of reports to help define the EWR Objective in the North East CMA region, for a copy of these following reports please contact the Environmental Water Resource Officer.

• Upper Ovens River Environmental Flow Study
• Kiewa River Environmental Flow Study
• Lower Ovens River Environmental Flow Study

The North East CMA works with a number of partner agencies and the wider community to achieve the EWR objectives for the regions rivers and aquifers.  Below are useful links to other water management stakeholders in the North East CMA region.

WATER SUPPLY MANAGEMENT:

Department of Sustainability and Environment

Goulburn-Murray Water

Murray Darling Basin Authority

URBAN WATER SUPPLY MANAGEMENT:

North East Water

RURAL WATER SUPPLY USE:

Department of Primary Industries

For further information regarding EWR in the North East CMA region please contact the Environmental Water Resource Officer at the CMA on (02) 6043 7600 or email webinquiry@necma.vic.gov.au