Resource Name:
The River Murray Prescribed Watercourse
SDL resource unit:
South Australian Murray (SS11)
Form of take:
Take from a regulated river
Total volume of the class on issue:
Fees and charges:
A natural resources management water levy is payable in respect of a class 3 water access entitlement. Details on current rates can be accessed on the Department for Environment and Water.
Historic reliability of the class:
Class 3 is a new water access right that has been created by consolidating classes 3a, 3b, 4 and 7 at the beginning of the 2018–2019 water year. Historically, holders of the 4 classes that have been consolidated to form class 3 have generally received a 100% allocation if South Australia's full state entitlement flow has been received. 100% allocations have been declared against these water access entitlements in 82% of years (or 31 out of 38 years) since 1975–76 (when licensing of the South Australian River Murray Prescribed Watercourse commenced).
Since the 2007–08 water use year, water allocations have been prioritised to classes of water access entitlement deemed to be critical human water needs. As a result, in some years, allocations to these classes were less than 100%.
Class 3 water access entitlements have high reliability and are likely to receive a 100% allocation if South Australia's full state entitlement flow of 1,850 GL is received.
The annual water allocation announcement percentages for the consolidated classes as reported at the end of the water use year since 2009–10 are:
- 2009–10 = 62%
- 2010–11 = 67%
- 2011–12 = 100%
- 2012–13 = 100%
- 2013–14 = 100%
- 2014–15 = 100%
- 2015–16 = 100%
- 2016–17 = 100%
- 2017–18 = 100%
Carryover arrangements:
Carryover may be permitted if carryover is allowed by the minister pursuant to section 152(7)(b) of the Natural Resources Management Act 2004 (South Australia). The South Australian Water Licensing: River Murray Private Carryover Policy provides the current framework under which private carryover may be allocated. This policy can be accessed on the Department for Environment and Water website.
Timing and manner of making allocation announcements:
Pursuant to section 146(4) of the Natural Resources Management Act 2004 (South Australia) the minister will from time to time, by notice in the Gazette, determine the volume of water that is to be made available from a consumptive pool for allocation. A water allocation made in respect of a class 3 water access entitlement will relate to a period specified by the minister not exceeding 12 months unless the relevant water allocation plan or the minister allows the water to be carried over.
The minister may subsequently vary a water allocation during a water use year. In doing so, the minister may take into account any principles for review of water allocations contained in the annual River Murray Water Allocation Framework.
Information on current water allocations, water allocation media releases and the River Murray Water Allocation Framework can be accessed on the Department for Environment and Water.
How allocation levels are determined:
The maximum volume of water that can be made available for allocation on account of a class 3 water access entitlement is 1 kilolitre per unit share. Water access entitlement holders are likely to receive a 100% allocation if South Australia's full state entitlement flow of 1,850 GL is received.
The River Murray Water Allocation Framework is used to determine how water available to South Australia will be shared between the different consumptive uses, including irrigation and other entitlement holders, the environment and critical human water needs. The allocation framework applies to South Australia's 1,850 GL entitlement flow only and excludes any other required flow to South Australia. Other required flow includes River Murray Unregulated Flow, extra dilution flows, water rights that are traded into South Australia, and deliveries of deferred water.
The River Murray Water Allocation Framework can be located on the Department for Environment and Water website.
Areas to which this water access right may be traded:
Subject to any restriction on intrastate or interstate trade, a water access entitlement or water allocation may be transferred anywhere within the South Australian River Murray Prescribed Watercourse. A water access entitlement or water allocation may also be transferred interstate to the areas or zones permitted under the Murray–Darling Basin Agreement (Schedule D – Permissible Transfers between Trading Zones) Protocol 2010.
The protocol provides that a water access entitlement and/or water allocation may be transferred to the following Trading Zones from the South Australian Murray (includes River Murray in South Australia and Trust districts): Trading Zone 6, 7, 10, 11 and back trade only to Trading Zone 1, 3, 4A, 4C, 5A, 6B, 13, 14. The 3 cap valleys to which water entitlements and water allocations may be transferred are:
- South Australian Country Towns
- South Australian Reclaimed Swamps, and
- South Australian All Other Purposes.
For a graphical representation, refer to the southern connected Interstate Water Trading Zones Map and to the Trading Zones Table.
Areas from which water access rights may be traded:
The Murray–Darling Basin Agreement (Schedule D – Permissible Transfers between Trading Zones) Protocol 2010 provides that a water access entitlement and/or water allocation may be transferred from the following Trading Zones to the South Australian Murray (includes River Murray in South Australia and Trust districts): Trading Zone 1, 3, 4A, 4C, 5A, 6B, 7, 11, 13, and back trade only from trading zones 6 and 10 subject to the trading rules applicable to trade across the Barmah Choke.
For a graphical representation, refer to the southern connected Interstate Water Trading Zones Map and to the Trading Zones Table.
