WRP Position Statement - 10B - Long-Term Annual Average Take

POSITION STATEMENT10B –Long-term annual average take

1. AWaterResourcePlanmust include thecurrent bestestimate ofthetotal long-term annual averagequantityofwatertakenforeachclassofwateraccessright.Inthis context:
2. water taken refers to each form of take, including water taken for consumptive use, for surface water and groundwater. It does not include water taken for environmental benefit.
3. measured means water taken that is metered, and
4. not measured means water taken that is quantified by a method other than metering.
5. In assessing thisrequirement, the MDBA will consider:
6. information provided that clearly sets out how the quantities were calculated.Relevant information could be: the period of time the records of actual take cover, the calculation method used to determine the estimate of long-term annualaverage actual take – this is for each form of take and class of water access right, the rolemodels provided in determining the estimate and, if models were used, a description of the model should be provided.
7. the calculationmethods should reflect measurement arrangementsin place, inthe water resource plan area, at thetimeof seeking accreditation.
8. in setting out thecalculation method for measuredand not measuredtakeall classes of water accessright for all formsof take, including groundwater, areto be included. If part of thetake from aclass of water accessright ismeasuredand part is not measuredthismayinvolve two calculation methodsof estimation and these should bothbe clearlyset out.
9. a consistent approach to the calculation method for equal classes of water access rights and forms of take within a Basin state should be adopted, where reasonable.
   
10. The WRPmust alsoset out theproportion of water taken that ismeasured in accordance with standards agreed by Basin states and the Commonwealth (s10.44(d)).Intheeventthatarelevantstandard isagreed,astatement shouldbe provided thatincludesthe nameor description ofthe standard/s along with the proportion.Asof2016there are noagreedstandardssotheproportion should be reported as0%.
11. Otherpositionstatementsrelevanttothisstatementthatshould beconsidered are:

Rationale

1. Thepurposeofthissectionis toestablisha baseline as tohowmuchwaterintheSDL resourceunit ismeasured and howmuch isnot measured.Thisinformation assists establishing confidencelevelsforthe volumestobe reportedunderWater Acts.71 requirements.It also providesa baselineagainstwhich to showany improvementsin measurementsandmanagementofthewaterresource within thesustainable diversions limitsset.
2. All formsofmetering areconsideredtobemeasured.Thisincludeswherethe initial measurementmayhave to beconvertedinto avolumetricunitorwherethere are different typesofmeteringused acrossa waterresource plan area. Examplesofdifferenttypesof meteringincludemeasuringdepththrougharegulator,magneticflowmeter,flumegauge,a Dethridgewheel,ormeasurementbased onpump hours.
3. Examplesofwatertakenthatisnotmeasured are:asurveyofcropsgrown during the year as thebasisfor estimating thewatertaken, using thetechniquesthatwere used intheBasin Plan Schedule 3fordetermining the long termestimatesfortake byrunoff damsandnet take bycommercial plantations,estimatesbasedon thevolume ofentitlementsissued, or estimatesbasedonafixed volume per permit,licenceor basicright.
4. Theinformationtobe provided forthissection could be addedtotheexample tableprovided in Position Statement3G– CharacteristicsofWater AccessRights.Therearerequirementsunders10.08of the Basin PlanforaBasinStateto provide information ontheformsoftake,classesofwater accessrightsandthe numberofentitlementsandvolumesassociatedwith thoserights. As thisinformation will alsobe requiredforthe provision ofinformation unders10.44,the example table shownin Position Statement3Gcould be expanded toinclude s10.44information.
5. TheWRP shouldalso provide a description ofprogramstoimprove meteringandtheir progresswhere thisisappropriate,in ordertomeets10.45requirements.

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