About the MLR WAP Evaluations
To get involved in the consultation happening now, visit our MLR WAP Consultation page.
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About the region
The Hills and Fleurieu Landscape Board is responsible for the review and amendment of the Eastern and Western Mount Lofty Ranges Water Allocation Plans in line with the Landscape SA Act 2019. The implementation of the plans is a shared responsibility with the Department for Environment and Water.
The area covered by the Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges (EMLR) Water Allocation Plan (WAP) extends from Mount Pleasant in the north to Goolwa in the south and includes the townships of Mt Barker, Langhorne Creek, Mannum and Mount Compass. Its watercourses flow into the River Murray and Lake Alexandrina.
The Western Mount Lofty Ranges (WMLR) Water Allocation Plan (WAP) extends from Gawler in the north, to Middleton and across to Cape Jervis on the south coast and includes four watercourses across the Adelaide Plains (the Gawler, Little Para, Torrens and Onkaparinga rivers).
Why are the plans being evaluated?
To ensure that a plan remains up to date, a water allocation plan must be reviewed (evaluated) on a comprehensive basis at least once every 10 years. The Eastern and Western Mount Lofty Ranges Water Allocation Plans were both first adopted in 2013 and are now due to be evaluated.
The purpose of the evaluation is to look at whether the water allocation plan is effective in balancing environmental, economic, social and First Nations water needs, and whether amendments are required. If the evaluation process finds that the WAPs need to be amended, the focus areas for the amendment will be set out in the evaluation report. In the case of the Eastern and Western Mount Lofty Ranges WAPs, it is likely that there will be an amendment process.
Amendment of the Eastern and Western Mount Lofty Ranges Water Allocation Plans
Once the evaluation has been finalised at the end of 2023, it is likely that work to amend both plans will commence. The amendment phase will work closely with the community to build on the initial conversations started during the evaluation phase, with the aim of developing suitable and sustainable solutions for future water allocation.
