Draft NSW Murray Darling Basin Porous Rock Water Resource Plan - closed
Public exhibition of the NSW MDB Porous Rock Water Resource Plan is now closed. All submissions are currently being reviewed by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.
- Read the draft plan, the schedules and appendices
- Read the proposed changes to the existing water sharing plan/s
The new draft Murray Alluvium Water Resource Plan and the resulting proposed changes to the existing water sharing plans was on public exhibition from 22 July 2019 to 30 August 2019. This plan outlines how New South Wales will meet the requirements of the Basin Plan in the NSW MDB Porous Rock Water Resource Plan Area. A water resource plan must comply with the requirements of Chapter 10 of the Basin Plan 2012 for it to be accredited under Division 2 of Part 2 of the Commonwealth Water Act 2007.
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.
Submissions
Submissions closed at 5 pm on Friday 30 August 2019. All submissions are being reviewed by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment. Individual submissions, where permitted, will be published on this site after this process is completed.
For more information email nswporousrock.gw.wrp@dpi.nsw.gov.au
What changes have been proposed to the existing water arrangements?
You can find out more about the proposed changes on the fact sheets below, and by attending a public information session.
- Proposed changes to the groundwater sharing plans
- Relationship between the water resource plan and 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. These public information sessions also included presentations which you can find below.
- Gunnedah, 13 August 2019
- Orange, 14 August 2019
- Yass, 15 August 2019
For more information please email water.relations@dpi.nsw.gov.au
Draft NSW MDB Porous Rock Water Resource Plan
The water resource plan has built on existing water planning arrangements such as the statutory water sharing plan, and consists of the water resource plan main body, accompanying schedules and appendices.
What areas and water sources does the plan cover?

The NSW Murray Darling Basin Porous Rock Water Resource Plan covers all the porous rock groundwater resources of the Gunnedah-Oxley Basin, Oaklands Basin, Sydney Basin MDB and Western Porous Rock.
The NSW Murray Darling Basin Porous Rock Water Resource Plan covers all the porous rock groundwater resources of the Gunnedah-Oxley Basin, Oaklands Basin, Sydney Basin MDB and Western Porous Rock.
What is the status of other water resource plans?
If you would like to have more information on the status of other water resource plans and the current plans on public exhibition and their information sessions visit stakeholder engagement.
If you would like to have more information on the status of other water resource plans and the current plans on public exhibition and their information sessions visit stakeholder engagement.
Privacy
We respect your right to privacy. Before lodging your submission you will be asked to confirm that you have read our privacy statement. If you wish to maintain your privacy in this submission process you must:
- request your name be withheld from the list of submitters by ticking the relevant box in the submission form
- not include any of your personal information in your submission or attachments.
When you make a submission we will publish:
- the content of your submission and any attachments, including any personal information about you which you have chosen to include in those documents
- a list of submitters, which will include your name (unless you request your name be withheld from the list by ticking the relevant box below) and your suburb or town.