Groundwater
How much groundwater is used in Goulburn-Murray Water's region?
Goulburn-Murray Water is delegated to manage the sustainable use of groundwater resources,in accordance with the Water Act 1989, including the use and licensing of groundwater and the construction of bores.
There is 488 GL of groundwater licence entitlement in Goulburn-Murray Water's region with 133 GL of metered and estimated usage in 2009/20010. This does not include the volume of groundwater used for stock and domestic purposes.
A further 9.9 GL of groundwater licence entitlement was transferred (traded) in 2009/2010. making the G-MW region one of the most active groundwater trading areas in Australia.
More information about specific licence entitlement and trading volumes in groundwater areas refer to appendix C of the Goulburn-Murray Water annual report.
How many bores are in Victoria?
More than 120,000 bores have been drilled across Victoria. Information including bore logs, groundwater levels and chemistry are kept by the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) on a central Groundwater Database (GMS) for more than 50,000 bores. Approximately 55,000 bores are recorded in GMS for the Goulburn-Murray Water region.
All of this information has been checked for reliability and pieced together with the data gained from strategic drilling programs during the 1970s and '80s to develop our understanding of our groundwater resources. The results are a series of maps, records and reports which detail many facets of groundwater and the associated geology.
Where groundwater development is significant or intensive, Groundwater Management Areas (GMAs) and Water Supply Protection Areas (WSPAs) have been declared in accordance with the Water Act 1989.
Who is responsible for statewide groundwater management?
The Department of Sustainability and Environment is responsible for coordinating statewide groundwater management activities and providing Victoria's groundwater policy direction. For more information on Groundwater from DSE please go to the Our Water Our Future Page. For the DSE page click here.
Goulburn-Murray Water actively works with DSE and regional communities to improve how groundwater is managed in Northern Victoria.
Click on the groundwater management unit to see a detailed map of the area
Groundwater Announcements
Loddon Highlands WSPA
The Minister for Water gives notice under section 27(9) of the Water Act 1989 of decisions to:
- Abolish the Spring Hill Groundwater Supply Protection Area (GSPA) declared in 1999;
- Abolish the Upper Loddon Water Supply Protection Area (WSPA) declared in 2002;
- Revoke the Spring Hill GSPA Groundwater Management Plan approved in 2002; and
- Declare the Loddon Highlands Water Supply Protection Area (WSPA).
These changes took effect from 1 August 2010.
The extent of the area to be declared the Loddon Highlands Water Supply Protection Area is shown on plan reference LEGL/09-421. It extends from Newlyn and Lake Burrumbeet in the south to Dunolly in the north incorporating the townships of Creswick, Newlyn, Smeaton, Learmonth, Ascot, Clunes, Talbot and Maryborough.
The Loddon Highlands WSPA will apply from the surface to all depths.
The declaration of the Loddon Highlands WSPA triggers the appointment of a consultative committee to develop a draft groundwater management plan. Effective from 1 August 2010 G-MW will manage the Loddon Highlands WSPA under Interim Management Rules until a groundwater management plan is approved. For a copy of the Interim Management Rules, click here .
Carryover for groundwater is available to groundwater licence holders in the former Spring Hill WSPA. Carryover enables groundwater licence holders to carry over unused authorized volumes into the following season. For a copy of the carryover fact sheet, click here .
For further information contact: Bob Knowles on phone (03) 5833 5500.
Lower Campaspe Valley WSPA
The Minister for Water gives notice under section 27(9) of the Water Act 1989 of decisions to:
- Abolish the Campaspe Deep Lead Groundwater Supply Protection Area (GSPA) declared in 1999;
- Revoke the Groundwater Management Plan for this area approved in 2003; and
- Declare the Lower Campaspe Valley Water Supply Protection Area (WSPA)
These changes took effect from 1 August 2010.
The extent of the area to be declared the Lower Campaspe Valley Water Supply Protection Area is shown on plan reference LEGL/09-253 . It extends from Lake Eppalock to the River Murray and incorporates the townships of Echuca, Pine Grove, Lockington, Rochester, Elmore, Goornong, Barnadown, Fosterville and Axedale.
In areas overlaid by the Shepparton Irrigation Region GSPA and the Campaspe West Salinity Management Plan area it will apply from below 25 m to all depths. In all other areas it will apply from the surface to all depths.
The declaration of the Lower Campaspe Valley WSPA triggers the appointment of a consultative committee to develop a draft groundwater management plan. Effective from 1 August 2010 G-MW will manage the Lower Campaspe Valley WSPA under Interim Management Rules until a groundwater management plan is approved. For a copy of the Interim Management Rules, click here .
For further information contact: Bob Knowles on phone (03) 5833 5500.
