Macquarie-Castlereagh Alluvium Water Resource Plan
Commonwealth accreditation
All NSW Water Resource Plans (WRPs) were submitted in 2020 to the Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) to assess the plan against accreditation requirements of the Basin Plan 2012. Where plans have been submitted (and not withdrawn), a copy of the submitted Plan and the schedules and appendices is available on the MDBA website. The MDBA is progressing its assessment of NSW WRPs and notifying NSW on the outcome of this assessment. Where further work is required to address accreditation requirements, NSW WRPs are being withdrawn and will be resubmitted. At the time of withdrawal, the submitted documents are removed from the MDBA website. Refer to the Water Resource Plans–status: Water in New South Wales page for the status of each plan.
Changes made to the draft plan based on feedback from public consultation and the MDBA’s preliminary advice is provided in the summary of changes PDF, 261.82 KB fact sheet.
Water sharing plans continue to be the legal instrument for managing water resources in NSW. Water resource plans are put in place to implement the Commonwealth Basin Plan 2012.
What area does the plan cover?
The Macquarie-Castlereagh Alluvium WRP covers groundwater within the alluvial deposits of the Macquarie–Castlereagh catchment in central-western NSW.
The Macquarie-Castlereagh Alluvium (GW12) is composed of the following seven sustainable diversion limit resource units (SDL resource units):
- Bell Valley alluvium (GS11)
- Castlereagh alluvium (GS14)
- Coolaburragundy–Talbragar alluvium (GS15)
- Cudgegong alluvium (GS16)
- Lower Macquarie alluvium (GS26)
- Upper Macquarie alluvium (GS45)
Groundwater within the Great Artesian Basin is not included in the Murray–Darling Basin water sources as the Commonwealth Water Act 2007 excludes it.
The Macquarie-Castlereagh Alluvium WRP covers groundwater within the alluvial deposits of the Macquarie–Castlereagh catchment in central-western NSW.
The Macquarie-Castlereagh Alluvium (GW12) is composed of the following seven sustainable diversion limit resource units (SDL resource units):
- Bell Valley alluvium (GS11)
- Castlereagh alluvium (GS14)
- Coolaburragundy–Talbragar alluvium (GS15)
- Cudgegong alluvium (GS16)
- Lower Macquarie alluvium (GS26)
- Upper Macquarie alluvium (GS45)
Groundwater within the Great Artesian Basin is not included in the Murray–Darling Basin water sources as the Commonwealth Water Act 2007 excludes it.
Public exhibition - closed
Public exhibition of the Macquarie–Castlereagh Alluvium WRP is now closed. All submissions have been reviewed by the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.
The following respondents agreed to have their submissions published on this website. Note that not respondents elected to have their submissions published.
- Read the published submissions PDF, 2443.08 KB
The views expressed in the submissions are the views of the respondents. While the department seeks to ensure that offensive material is not published, the deprtment is not responsible for the views expressed in the submissions.
- Read the draft plan, schedules and appendices
- Read the fact sheets that supported public exhibition
- Proposed changes to the groundwater sharing plans
- Relationship between the water resource plan and the water sharing plan
- Groundwater-dependent ecosystems
- Frequently asked questions
If you require assistance in reading these documents, please contact +61 2 9338 6600 or water.relations@dpi.nsw.gov.au
Public information sessions
Public information sessions were held at the following locations:
- Dubbo, 21 November 2018
- Narromine, 21 November 2018
- Mudgee, 22 November 2018