Locals have until Monday to have their say on a proposed overhaul of Brunswick catchment water-extraction rules, including tighter pumping restrictions aimed at protecting river flows and migrating fish.
Submissions on the draft replacement water-sharing plan close at 5pm on October 26, following public exhibition that began on August 31.
The proposed rules would generally stop licensed pumping from the Upper Brunswick River between June and October unless flows at the Durrumbul gauge exceed eight megalitres daily, subject to specified exemptions.
The restrictions are intended to help Australian bass and other native fish move through the river system.
From November to May, the flow range attracting a six-hour daily pumping restriction would also be widened, limiting extraction during more low-flow conditions.
The NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water says upstream extraction can affect the health of downstream waterways.
‘The high risks in the Lower Brunswick River Water Source are driven by extraction in the Upper Brunswick River Water Source,’ its summary states.
Other proposed changes include stronger protections for wetlands, restrictions on new in-river dams and revised rules governing water trading and groundwater extraction.
However, the department acknowledges further work is needed to establish sustainable extraction limits across coastal catchments.
‘It is not known if current coastal LTAAELs meet the needs of the environment and the community,’ the background paper states, referring to long-term average annual extraction limits.
That uncertainty does not establish that current extraction is unsustainable.
The replacement plan is proposed to commence in 2027. Residents, water users and community organisations can inspect the documents and lodge submissions through the department’s Brunswick water-sharing consultation page.
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