Draft Water Allocation Plan to be released in New Year

The plan is currently being revised to improve its technical clarity and readability, following a legal review of the document.

Eyre Peninsula Natural Resources Management Board Presiding Member Heather Baldock said the review broadly supported the plan’s approach.

“The requested amendments are designed to make the plan more user friendly and to help with its interpretation,” Ms Baldock said. “It’s important that we get this right.

“This is not surprising as this is the first groundwater related plan in South Australia that has been developed with the new legislative requirements for separated water authorisations. This has required the development of pioneering management approaches.”

Natural Resources Eyre Peninsula and Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) staff are currently amending the plan and expect this work to be completed by the end of the year.

“Once the amendments are made to the draft plan the Crown Solicitor’s Office will again review the plan before public consultation can occur,” Ms Baldock said.

“We will make every effort to have the plan available for public comment as soon as possible and will inform all interested parties when the consultation period is due to begin.”