Macalister River Environmental Entitlement 2010

The Minister for Water, Peter Walsh, has received a request from the Victorian Environmental Water Holder under Section 48K of the Water Act 1989 to increase the entitlement volume in the Macalister River Environmental Entitlement 2010 by 3,114.9 ML of high-reliability entitlement and 1,557.5 ML of low-reliability entitlement. This increase in the environmental entitlement recognises water savings achieved under the final stage of the Macalister Channel Automation Project.

The amendment of the Macalister River Environmental Entitlement 2010 does not affect other entitlement holders in the Thomson-Macalister River Basin as the new entitlement volumes relate to a reduction in system losses achieved through the Macalister Channel Automation.  The water savings were estimated in accordance with the Department of Sustainability and Environment’s Protocol for the Quantification of Water Savings from Irrigation Modernisation Projects and the estimates have been independently audited.  Also, water resource modelling has confirmed that the granting of these entitlements will not impact on the reliability of supply of entitlements held under the Bulk Entitlement (Thomson/Macalister – Southern Rural Water) Conversion Order 2001.