Restricting Environmental Flows during Water Shortages

This audit examined how well the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE), water corporations and catchment management authorities managed temporary restrictions on surface water rights to meet critical needs, including steps to minimise river health damage. In particular it assessed how restrictions were planned and managed for three rivers—the Tarwin, Wimmera and Yarra.

DSE and the water corporations for the Wimmera and Tarwin rivers did not effectively manage restrictions to environmental water rights. DSE’s justification requirements for water corporations wanting to temporarily restrict water rights are sound. However, the water corporations did not consistently follow these guidelines.

Slow progress in addressing environmental risks by South Gippsland Water and a lack of action and limited accountability by Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water for environmental risks meant that it was not possible to demonstrate that they had not unnecessarily placed the health of the Tarwin and Wimmera rivers at risk.

Limited DSE oversight of how the environment’s water rights were restricted meant it could not judge whether the restrictions were effective. This meant it could not effectively identify improvements. DSE did not enforce its own requirements,

de-valuing the need to justify environmental water right restrictions.

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