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Objective

Recommendation

Key issues

What has been achieved 1998-2003

Tasmania Together

Related Issue Reports

Objective

To provide equity and efficiency in access to irrigation water resources.

Recommendation

In association with the recommendation on Consumption-Based Pricing of Water, it is recommended that:

• incentives and encouragement are provided to promote the introduction of more efficient irrigation systems; and
   
• trends in crop types and irrigation systems are tracked through the Agricultural Census undertaken by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
   

Key issues

In addition to climate-related variations and constraints, a variety of users and demands for water extraction affect water quantity and the availability of water to protect aquatic ecosystems in Tasmanian inland waters.

Intensive irrigation is one of the key influences on the environmental state of aquatic systems in Tasmania. Indicators show an increasing appropriation of water from the environment. Annual growth of water use for irrigation has been about 6% over the past four decades. Most of the State's developed areas regularly experience dry summer periods when water demands place stress on natural river flows.

Supporting information for this recommendation is contained in Water Quantity and Water Use and Land Use and Inland Waters. However, there are links between water quantity and a number of the issue reports within the Inland Waters and Wetlands Chapter. For example, demands on surface water resources can lead to greater pressure on groundwater resources (see Groundwater).

What has been achieved 1998-2003

A number of initiatives have been undertaken since the previous SoE Report that have contributed to improving the management of water resources in Tasmania. The State Government has made specific commitments for the development of Water Management Plans for a number of water resources over the next few years. These commitments have been made under the COAG Framework for Reform of the Australian Water Industry (National Competition Policy) and the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality.

• The Water Management Act 1999 was introduced, providing for the sustainable use and development of water resources. The Act supersedes statutory water management provisions in 13 other Acts.
   
• As a requirement of the Water Management Act 1999, DPIWE has released Draft Policy Guidelines to Assess Applications for New Water Allocations from Watercourses.
   

Tasmania Together

Relevant Tasmania Together goals and standards for 'Inland Waters and Wetlands' are listed in the linked file. The Tasmania Together Progress Board reported on progress toward targets for benchmarks set (Tasmania Together Progress Board 2003). Indicators, targets and baseline data are available in the latest Progress Report June 2003. Further information, including progress report updates, is available from Tasmania Together.

Related Issue Reports