Floodplain harvesting measurement
Landholders in the northern Murray-Darling Basin who receive a floodplain harvesting access licence must measure water taken from the floodplain, as required by the Floodplain Harvesting Measurement Policy 2020.
The policy enables floodplain harvesting to be accurately measured and water taken in accordance with the individual licensed volumes and legal limits prescribed in the Murray–Darling Basin Plan 2012 and NSW water-sharing plans.
To measure floodplain harvesting, licence holders must install metering equipment that transmits data in near real-time on storages used for floodplain harvesting.
Learn more about the metering equipment required to measure water harvested from the floodplain.
When will I need to install measurement equipment?
Floodplain harvesting measurement rules will roll out across the northern Basin valleys when their water sharing plans commence. Landholders have 12 months from the commencement of their water sharing plan to install primary metering equipment.
If landholders wish to floodplain harvest during this time, they will need to install, as a minimum, a secondary metering device, such as an approved and validated gauge board.
If landholders wish to floodplain harvest during this time, they will need to install, as a minimum, a secondary metering device, such as an approved and validated gauge board. Learn more about secondary metering equipment and how to become measurement ready for floodplain harvesting.
Standards and guidelines to help you understand floodplain harvesting measurement
The following standard and guidelines have been developed to help landholders get measurement ready and ensure that metering equipment is installed and validated in accordance with the Minister’s specifications:
- Metering equipment standard 2022
- Establishing Survey Benchmarks Guideline (PDF, 909.82 KB)
- Storage Curve Guideline (PDF, 287.17 KB)
- Secondary Metering Devices Guideline - July 2022 PDF, 370.98 KB
- Existing Storage Metering Equipment Guideline (PDF, 189 KB)
- Point-of-intake Measurement Method Guideline (PDF, 174.64 KB)
Compliance
The Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR) is responsible for overseeing compliance of water take in NSW. Find out more about NRAR's approach to floodplain harvesting compliance.
Learn more
Find out more about the Licensing framework for floodplain harvesting measurement, Policy, Water Management (General) Amending Regulation 2022, answer your questions and watch the video below to learn more about the policy.