CCSA response to the Draft Lower Limestone Coast Water Allocation Plan.

The following is a summary of CCSA recommendations:

1. CCSA strongly recommends that this plan also document a commitment to prepare an integrated surface and ground water Plan for the Lower Limestone Coast during the next five years for implementation in 2018. In the meantime, CCSA recommends that the economic, social and environmental risks be listed so that all stakeholders have the opportunity to manage their assets and future investments wisely.

2. CCSA recommends that allocations be progressively reduced to a sustainable portion of the sustainable yield (Target Management Limit) that has been identified as available to allocate.

3. CCSA recommends that the Board increases the allocation of water to a) the environment and b) the conservation needs of groundwater-dependent ecosystems and priority wetlands.

CCSA recommends that the Plan increases the buffer zone around wetlands and groundwater dependent ecosystem in accordance with the best available ecological and hydrogeological knowledge.

4. CCSA strongly recommends that the Aboriginal representative groups in this region are consulted; that the cultural water values and needs of aboriginal people are documented and provided for, as soon as possible and before the Final Plan is completed

5. CCSA recommends that adequate resources should be allocated to the monitoring, evaluation and reporting tasks in an ongoing way.

 

 

 

The Draft State NRM Plan was signed off by the NRM Council in April 2012 with the Plan launch scheduled for June 2012 pending cabinet approval. A Program plan is being developed for each of the ten priorities that have been identified for action at a state level. This would see each priority having three (or so) actions/milestones against it and identification of an agency responsible for reporting back to the NRM Council on progress. There will be a register of comments and relevant response to comments formally submitted during the consultation phase at the release of the plan. For further information contact the CCSA NRM Facilitator on 8223 5155.

The groups of Councils in the Brownhill Keswick Creek Catchment put out thei Draft Stormwater Management Plan for comment. The Conservation Council submitted comments on the plan opposing the recommended strategy.

The EPA relased for comment the draft Adelaide Coastal Waters Improvement Plan (ACWQIP), the Conservation Council of SA put forward a submission in support of the plan. You can download a copy here.

18 November  2011

After a number of delays, the Murray Darling Basin Authority is expected to release their Draft Plan for the Basin on the 28th of November 2011.

Conservation Council SA Chief Executive Tim Kelly said, "Restoring and protecting the Murray-Darling Basin system to be managed sustainably for current and future generations as well as the environment is an absolute necessity. We must ensure that Plan aligns with the best available science".

CCSA response to the Eastern Mt Lofty Ranges WAP

In this submission CCSA advocates strongly for environmentally sustainable levels of water provision that protect the integrity and environmental health in the South Australian Murray-Darling Region

 

Uranium SA  have advised that 0n August 5 they lodged an 800 page Retention Lease Application with the South Australian State Government to undertake an In-Situ Recovery Field Trial (ISR-FT) to confirm the results of its metallurgical test work and establish design parameters for future uranium yellowcake production.

If approved, a Retention lease could be issued by December 2011 and a trial uranium mining process may start in early 2012.

The Conservation Council of SA put forward a submission to the Marine Bioregional Planning Process: South West. We firmly believe that as a foundation conservation measure, the Commonwealth Marine Park Network must protect the marine biodiversity that is the natural heritage of all Australians. It is this biodiversity, as an integral part of a healthy, resilient marine environment, which will ultimately benefit all Australians, now and into the future. To download the submission, click here.

 

Conservation SA's  response and addtional comments to the Draft Tintinara Coonalypyn Water Allocation Plan.  A WAP is a legal document summarizing the rules for allocation, use and transfer of water from prescribed water courses. They are prepared under the authority of the Natural Resources Management Act 2004, which provides a listing of the prescribed waters in South Australia. WAPs are prepared by the Natural Resource Management Boards of individual areas. Each plan is then adopted by the Minister of Environment and Conservation in order to become government policy.

The Conservation Council as part of the Voices for the Murray-Darling Alliance is calling for seven key outcomes from the next draft of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.

Conservation Council of SA CE Tim Kelly said: "It is critical we get a good outcome for the Murray-Darling Basin from the next draft of the Basin Plan. "

"These seven key outcomes developed by the Voices for the Murray-Darling need to be met if we are to secure the future of the Murray-Darling river system.

"This river is our nation's lifeblood, communities in four states depend on it, let's make sure as a nation we can continue to depend on it far into the future."

The seven key outcomes are:

The Basin Plan must be based on credible, peer-reviewed science and the processes used to develop and implement the Basin Plan must be robust and transparent; The Basin Plan must return at least a minimum of 4000 GL of water to environmental flows or limit extraction to one third of natural flows in order to restore the ecological health and resilience of the Basin's river systems; The Basin Plan must provide sufficient water to enable the Basin's two million tonnes of salt and other pollutants to be flushed out through the Murray Mouth to the sea; The Basin Plan must provide optimal flows so that essential ecosystem services are maintained throughout the Murray-Darling Basin including; nutrient cycling and other river forming processes; and over bank flows to maintain wetlands and other floodplain habitats; and recharge of groundwater systems and alluvial aquifers; The Basin Plan must acknowledge Indigenous rights in cultural flows as integral to the Plan; The Basin Plan must represent value for the $10 billion of Australian tax-payers' money allocated to help communities adjust to the change by ensuring that policies, management frameworks and evaluation methods deliver tangible environmental outcomes, now and into the future; and The Basin Plan must have clear and transparent targets that trigger the revision of management frameworks, evaluation methods and adoption of improved scientific understanding.

In our submission on the Protected Areas on Private Lands Discussion Paper, the Conservation Council of SA outlined five areas of concern about the initiative:

The need for support and assistance to private landowners Planning for the future of pastoral land The role of mining in South Australia's pastoral lands. Mining on private protected areas Non compliance Click here to download a copy of the submission [PDF]

The Conservation Council of SA and the River, Lakes and Coorong Action Group put forward a joint submission on the Discussion Paper for A Proposed Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Framework for the Commonwealth Environmental Water in the Murray- Darling Basin. To download the submission, click here [PDF].

The Conservation Council of SA has joined a diverse alliance of voices calling for a Murray Darling Basin Plan based on credible science to save the nation's lifeblood.

This alliance, Voices for the Murray Darling, brings together, residents, farmers, fishers, irrigators, environmentalists and health sector groups as a unified voice for the Murray Darling Rivers.

In this letter, we welcome the Council's sustainability commitments in its Business Plan, but suggest that it should focus on improving safety for cyclists, educating its citizens on lowering their ecological footprint and making a transition to street trees that provide either food for local consumption or habitat for native species.

Draft Limestone Coast Water Allocation Plan Policy Issues Discussion Paper

The CCSA response to this Draft Issues Paper is part of a process (detailed below) that will lead to the SE NRM Board preparing a draft Water Allocation Plan for statutory (public) consultation and susequent adoption by the Minister.

Next Steps in the development of the Lower Limestone Coast WAP

# Prepare a report on the briefings and written submissions received.# Provide the consultation report and advice to the Minister for Environment and Conservation.# The Minister may decide to amend the draft Discussion Paper based on advice contained in the public consultation report.# The Natural Resources Management (Commercial Forests) Amendment Bill 2010 was introduced into Parliament in November 2010 and it is anticipated that debate will occur in mid-2011.# If the Bill is passed through Parliament, the final Policy Principles will be amended to include either permits or licences as the preferred tool to manage forest water impacts.# The Minister will adopt final Policy Principles and provide it to the South East Natural Resources Management Board.# The South East Natural Resources Management Board will prepare a draft Lower Limestone Coast Water Allocation Plan that is consistent with the final Policy Principles for statutory (public) consultation and subsequent adoption by the Minister.

 

This framework will be a guiding document for how the whole South Australian community prepares and adapts to inevitable climate change. Latest climate change projections indicate the level of change will be quite significant. In this submission, amongst other things we argue that the Government needs to be upfront and realistic about this to walk its own talk and allow the community to understand exactly what action will be needed.

The Federal Government is looking at urban planning policy - see Conservation SA's vision for how our cities can be made sustainable for the future.

Conservation SA commented on the State Governments Water Industry Bill. This is a Bill that provides the legislative framework to support a contemporary and emerging water industry. To view our submission open the link below. Conservation SA response to the Water Industry Bill

Conservation SA's submission to the House of Representatives on the impact of the Murray Darling Basin Plan to regional Australia

The inaugural Plan was launched in March, 2004, it was updated in 2006 and the Government of South Australia has just completed its formal consultations on the development of the next Strategic Plan.

Conservation SA contributed in a number of ways, including; Providing our top five issues as conversation starters at community consultationsParticipating at (public and alliance/peak body) workshopsProviding a submission for the second round of SASP consultations (closed Wednesday 8 December 2010)

We are also anticipating that we will have further opportunities to discuss the next SASP before a final version is released. If you would like to discuss this with us further or want to provide us with your thoughts on the next SASP please email general@conservationsa.org.au

Submissions on the Guide to the Basin Plan will be accepted by the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) up until 17 December. Submissions made by this date will inform the Draft Basin Plan which will be released in the first half of 2011. If submissions are received after 17 December they will inform drafting of the Final Basin Plan.

Conservation SA Guide to the Basin Plan response.

If you would like to discuss any issues we have raised in our submission please call our office on 08-8223-5155.

Submissions on the Guide to the Basin Plan will be accepted by the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) up until 17 December.

There are a number of ways you can contribute to the Guide to the Basin Plan including:

Making a submission online by following the easy to follow instructions Phoning the MDBA on 1800 230 067 (free call) and providing your comments over the telephone Contributing to the online forum Sending an email to engagement@mdba.gov.au Posting your feedback to Murray Darling Basin Authority, GPO Box 3001, Canberra City 2601 Faxing your feedback to MDBA on 02 6230 7579 Asking questions and providing comments at one of the MDBA forums (contact MDBA for further information)

Conservation SA's submission on the Lower Lakes and Coorong Recovery Paper

Conservation SA has considered the Water Industry Act discussion paper and has provided general comments on the following major areas of concern:

-          issues relating to consultation on these water management reforms

-          issues regarding the fragmented approach to water management in South Australia and

-          issues regarding the overarching philosophy of economic regulation.

A number of specific comments on various issues raised in the document have also been made.Conservation SA submission on the Water Industry Act discussion paper

 

Conservation SA provides comments on the Sustainable Diversion Limits issue paper put out by the Murray Darling Basin Authority. Current expectations are that the final Basin plan will be released in June 2010.Submission on the Sustainable Diversion Limits issue paper

download submission (382.41 KB)

EPBC Referral 2008/4618 SA DEH / NRM Lake Alexandrina and the Coorong Opening the barrage network separating the lakes.

download submission (283.29 KB)

download submission

download submission (299.83 KB)

download submission  (332.66 KB)