Bill Johnson, 1st May 2020
In the Macquarie Valley, tributary flows downstream of Burrendong Dam are considered part of the regulated supply for the purpose of meeting water orders or other commitments. If the tributaries are flowing their water is used, where possible, to meet demands that would otherwise be met from the regulated supply in Burrendong Dam. Read Bill Johnson’s comments
Professor Richard Kingsford, 9th June 2020
The key elements of these objectives are delivery efficiency, reduction in transmission losses, and maximising available water for general security. This identifies that the proposed weir and re-regulating storage structure is aimed to capture unregulated flows in the Macquarie River so that they can be diverted primarily for irrigation. This water is currently not diverted for irrigation. It goes to support the riverine environment, including
downstream wetlands such as the Macquarie Marshes and its dependent organisms. The proposed re-regulating storage on the Macquarie River will reduce flows downstream to these important, nationally significant and Ramsar-listed wetlands, and will have socio economic impacts on downstream areas of the Macquarie Marshes. It will be able to redirect planned environmental water and unregulated water from the Little Bell River, the Bell River and the Talbragar Rivers – all of which are currently unregulated and exhibit flows
consistent with natural regimes – for irrigation use downstream. The quantity of flows which will be taken from the environment, as a result of this proposed structure remains unknown. Read Professor Kingsford’s submission here
Dr Martin Mallen-Cooper, 30th June 2020
The proposed Macquarie Re-regulating Structure would have a major negative impact on the river ecosystem, reducing biodiversity and reducing native fish populations. There are four major impacts….. Read Dr Mallen-Cooper’s comments here
Healthy Rivers Dubbo 