The Department of Planning and Environment this week released the draft Regional Water Strategies for the Murray and Murrumbidgee and is calling on the community to have its say.
Executive Director of Strategy and Policy Kaia Hodge said the draft strategies outline options for securing water in the region over the next 20 years and beyond to support farmers, Aboriginal people, towns and the environment and help the economy grow.
“The Murray and Murrumbidgee are two of the biggest regions in NSW. Agriculture and tourism are significant drivers of the combined $25.5 billion a year economy, producing food and fibre for our state and drawing visitors to world-class attractions, both of which provide jobs for the region and grow the regional economy.
“Water drives agriculture and tourism, it supports towns and ensures a healthy local environment, which in the Murray and Murrumbidgee includes 22 nationally important wetlands, four of which are Ramsar-listed.
“This is why it’s vital we work together with the community to plan for the future and protect our precious resource.”
The Murray and Murrumbidgee are extremely complex systems, and the Department of Planning and Environment is undertaking extensive work to build and integrate new, state-of-the-art hydrological modelling as a critical component of the draft regional water strategies.
Using new climate data, the department has developed the draft strategies to gain significant knowledge of the wider region’s unique water needs and challenges. These will help inform how future demands across the region are met.
“We’ve used the best and latest scientific evidence to ensure we can understand and mitigate risk even in the most extreme climactic circumstances,” Ms Hodge said.
“The draft strategies put forward a wide range of potential solutions to address the region’s water- related challenges and support environmental, social, cultural and economic outcomes.”
Twelve Regional Water Strategies are currently being finalised across NSW and will be critical for informing future water planning and infrastructure needs in the regions.
“There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution to managing water in our regions. I encourage all members of the community and stakeholders in the Murray and Murrumbidgee regions to have their say on the proposed options and help improve the draft strategies.
“Water is for everyone, and we are ensuring our water management policies support the future of the Murray, Murrumbidgee and all of NSW.”
The draft Murray and Murrumbidgee strategies will be on display from 11 April to 22 May and stakeholders and the wider community will have the opportunity to attend webinars or face-to- face consultation sessions and provide their feedback.
The webinars, face-to-face general information sessions and Aboriginal engagement sessions will take place throughout April and May.
