Assessment of groundwater licensing, metering and extraction estimation arrangements and techniques
| Objective: | To review jurisdictional progress against National Water Initiative groundwater licensing and metering requirements and recommend changes where applicable. Additionally, the project will review groundwater extraction estimation methodologies. |
| Funding: |
$250,000, plus applicable GST |
| Jurisdiction: | National |
| Commencing: | November 2009 |
| Completion: | December 2011 |
About the project
Appropriate monitoring, licensing and metering of groundwater use underpins all efforts to manage Australia's groundwater resources in an informed and effective manner. Metering groundwater use is a key input in managing impacts on groundwater-dependent ecosystems, and nearby groundwater users and connected surface water resources and is vitally important in many catchments and irrigation areas. Where current infrastructure or current licensing and metering arrangements do not allow for suitable data collection, various techniques are used to estimate the level of groundwater extraction. This project will:
- identify the requirements for NWI-consistent groundwater licensing and metering
- identify and compare licensing and metering arrangements applied by jurisdictions across Australia
- make recommendations on steps towards NWI compliance and a nationally consistent framework for groundwater licensing and metering
- identify the techniques used to estimate groundwater extraction around Australia
- clearly set out best-practice methodologies and produce a guide to reducing the uncertainties surrounding extraction estimates.
Project benefits
The project will set out changes required to ensure that Australia's groundwater licensing and metering are NWI compliant. It will also provide current best-practice methodologies suitable for uptake by states and territories to estimate groundwater extraction, and provide a guide to reducing estimation uncertainties.
Progress
July 2010A collaborative review of jurisdictional water metering and licensing policy and legislation is being undertaken to evaluate progress against National Water Initiative requirements. This information is being compared with licensing and metering practice to address the effectiveness of jurisdictional auditing processes and assist in the development of national metering and licensing frameworks.