Transfers of water between the Goulburn and Murray systems will meet the needs of irrigators while also providing relief to the stressed sections of the Campaspe River following an agreement announced today between G-MW and the North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA).

The agreement will not reduce water supplies available to customers in the Goulburn, Murray and Campaspe systems however; the flexible approach in management will benefit the health of the Campaspe River under extreme drought.

According to G-MW Executive Manager Alex Marshall, G-MW will transfer water between the two systems to meet demand from people on the Murray system who have bought water on the Goulburn system, but will also use the water to offset the impact of saline ground water intrusion and poor water quality in the Lower Campaspe River.

"We will release a small proportion of the water allocated to the Murray System through the Western Waranga channel to meet our customers' needs, and at the same time offset some of the serious environmental concerns in the Lower Campaspe River. We took a similar approach last year and it is an extremely efficient way to meet the needs of the environment and irrigators during severe and prolonged drought," said Mr Marshall.

North Central CMA Acting-CEO Damian Wells said, "Protecting the environmental values of the Lower Campaspe is very important to the future health of the system and the communities and irrigators who rely on it this year and in the future. We will be achieving this outcome with water destined for use downstream, so it's a win-win for the irrigators and the environment."

G-MW, in conjunction with the North Central CMA, DSE, DPI Fisheries, EPA and Coliban Water, has developed a plan to manage environmental risks within the Campaspe River during times of such limited water supply.

"Delivering the water via the Lower Campaspe system is one of the actions of the plan," said Mr Wells.

"The flows in the Lower Campaspe will be in line with the scientific environmental flow recommendations for the system of 10 ML/d over the summer months interrupted by intermittent flushes," commented Mr Marshall.

At present all other environmental flows in the Campaspe system have ceased due to a qualification of rights, which has changed the shares of water allocated to users under the current water shortage. G-MW and the North Central CMA are monitoring the water quality of this system.

For further information please contact: 

Communications Officer, North Central CMA
PO Box 18, Huntly VIC 3551
t: 03 5448 7124
e: info@nccma.vic.gov.au