Water Management
Socio-economic assessment
Coopers Creek Water Sharing Plan – Socio-economic impacts
The results of this study provide an understanding of the socio-economic changes in the economy of the Coopers Creek catchment. The analysis provided in this report is based on the data obtained from the Department’s hydrology model and a survey of irrigation licence holders in Coopers Creek. Sixty five per cent of license holders in the Coopers Creek catchment participated in this survey. For further details see Coopers Creek Water Sharing Plan: Socio-economic impact assessment of changes to the flow rules (PDF 1.4 MB).
For further information about the water sharing plan see Amendments to the Coopers Creek Water Sharing Plan.
2009 socio-economic survey of irrigators
Some 2000 NSW irrigators have expressed their interest in participating in the 2009 survey. It is very encouraging to receive this level of support from the industry and the Socio-Economic team would like to thank all that have responded.
Telephone interviews will be completed by the consultants by the end of August. It is anticipated that the results from the survey will be published by the end of 2009.
This comprehensive survey of irrigators was undertaken across catchments and/or groundwater management areas where NSW water sharing plans have been implemented since 2004, or will be implemented before 2012. The aim of the survey is to gain a better picture of the irrigation industry.
For further information about the survey read the frequently asked questions on the 2009 Survey.
Winner of prize draw announced
The prize draw was undertaken on Friday 24 July in the office of the survey consultant Environment and Behaviour Consultants (EBC) of Townsville, Queensland. The winners of the two prizes of IGA Gift Vouchers worth $500 each (valid for 12 months from date of issue) were irrigators from Scone and Rothbury in NSW.
2006 Survey
The report below gives the outcomes of a telephone survey of 1124 irrigators covering the 2005-06 crop year.
Monitoring economic and social changes in NSW water sharing plan areas Irrigators' survey 2005-2006 (PDF 595 KB)
The survey, which was undertaken from November 2006 to January 2007, collected data to set benchmarks to monitor social and economic changes over time in the 31 areas where water sharing plans commenced on 1 July 2004. Irrigators within these water sharing plan areas were invited to participate in the voluntary telephone survey, which featured 51 questions regarding farm enterprises, water use efficiency, water trading, employment, and other economic and social indicators. This information will enhance future industry and government decision-making on water planning and management and contribute to the Natural Resource Commission's review of the water sharing plans.
This is the first report of a series under the Monitoring Economic and Social Changes in NSW Water Sharing Plan Areas project. This project is based on close collaboration with the key stakeholders including the NSW Irrigators Council and the Primary Industries and Economic Development Standing Committee of Natural Resources Advisory Council, who provided financial assistance for the survey.
The Department of Water and Energy will continue to monitor economic and social changes by undertaking future irrigators' surveys and using data from secondary sources, such as the Agricultural Census conducted every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, and information on water trading contained in the Department's water management registers and other water exchanges.
The results of the survey should be viewed with care as this was conducted at a time of severe drought.
State-Wide Economic Assessment of Water Sharing Plans
In 2002 the NSW Government commissioned ACIL Consulting to undertake an independent report into the State-wide economic impact of the draft Water Sharing Plans. The assessment was based on surface water and groundwater sources that support about 80 per cent of the state’s water extractions.
Eight surface water plans were assessed: Murray/Lower Darling, Murrumbidgee, Macquarie, Lachlan, Namoi, Gwydir and Hunter and five groundwater plans: Lower Macquarie, Lower Gwydir, Lower Lachlan, Lower Murrumbidgee and Upper and Lower Namoi.
View or download the Economic Impacts
of the Draft Water Sharing Plans (PDF 724 KB)
Socio-economic guidelines for the water management committees – 1998
These guidelines (PDF 374 KB) were prepared for the water management committees to assist them in the process of decision-making for developing the rules for the water sharing plans.