Overview
The Marne and Saunders catchments lie in the Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges and Murray Plains area, and include the towns of Springton, Eden Valley, Keyneton and Cambrai. The Marne River and Saunders Creek begin in the high rainfall hills area, flowing east down the hills, through gorges and then out onto the Murray Plains to eventually join the River Murray. Rainfall and stream water also soaks down into the pores and cracks of water-bearing rock and sediment layers known as aquifers to become groundwater.
Community concern led to the prescription of the Marne and Saunders water resources in March 2003, covering surface water, watercourse water and groundwater.
The prescription process is made up of two linked, but independent processes:
- Licensing and water allocation to existing users (responsibility of the Minister for Environment and Conservation, through the Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation (DWLBC)); and
- Development of a Water Allocation Plan (WAP) that sets out rules for licensing and long-term, sustainable management of water resources (responsibility of the Board).
The WAP does not set out how allocations to existing users are determined, as this process occurs under a different part of the Natural Resources Management Act 2004 and is the responsibility of the Minister. However, the WAP does set out the sustainable limits for the water resources and provides a framework for setting licence conditions for existing users.
The WAP development process
The process for developing a WAP is set out in the in the relevant legislation. The Marne-Saunders prescription process began under the Water Resources Act 1997, which has since been replaced by the Natural Resources Management Act 2004.
Marne-Saunders Water Resources Planning Committee
Community consultation is a central part of the water allocation planning process, and as a first step, the Board appointed the Marne-Saunders Water Resources Planning Committee from community members following a call for nominations. The Committee plays a key advisory role to the Board by developing and discussing policies for water sharing and management with the community to ensure a fair balance of social, economic and environmental needs.
The Committee represents different areas, industries, skills, interests and experience and is made up by:
- Joe Keynes (elected Chair): Dryland farmer on the North Rhine
- David Lillecrapp (elected Deputy Chair): Retired vigneron and dairy farmer from Eden Valley
- Gioia Small: Viticulturalist - Sustainable Systems with Foster's Wines Estates
- Peter Ward: Dryland olives at Sanderston
- Roger Lillecrapp: Dryland farmer at Keyneton
- Roger Schmidt: Vineyard Manager at Eden Valley
- Rosemary Laucke: Lucerne at Kongolia
- Sharon Starick: Intensive animal husbandry at Kongolia and Milendella
Draft WAP
The draft WAP is currently being developed on the basis of the policy proposal discussion papers (See: Policy Papers) and the consultation responses as appropriate. Once completed, the draft WAP will be presented for comment to the community and stakeholders. Opportunities for comment will include public meetings and written submissions, and will be advertised through the local papers and by mail outs to stakeholders. Please contact Mardi van der Wielen if you would like to be included and have not previously had consultation material posted to you.
Mardi van der Wielen
SA Murray-Darling Basin NRM Board
Strathalbyn Office
Box 4, STRATHALBYN, SA 5255
Phone: 08 8536 8125 - Mob: 0408 443 582
Fax: 08 8536 8126 or
Email to: mardi.vanderWielen@samdbnrm.sa.gov.au