Katunga WSPA

Katunga Water Supply Protection Area

The Katunga Water Supply Protection Area (WSPA) incorporates parts of the flood plains of the Murray River, Broken Creek and the Goulburn River. The WSPA extends between Yarrawonga to Barmah and includes the towns of Strathmerton, Cobram, Numurkah and Nathalia.

The Katunga WSPA applies to groundwater at depths greater than 25 metres below the ground surface and is typically overlain by the Shepparton Irrigation Region Groundwater Management Area.

Facts and stats

Area: 2,100 km2
PCV: 60,577 ML
Allocations: 100%

Groundwater management

The Katunga WSPA Groundwater Management Plan was developed by a Consultative Committee appointed by the Minister for Water. The Plan was approved in 2006 and amended by a Consultative Committee in 2017.

The Plan provides the local community, and in particular licensed groundwater users, with information about the groundwater system and rules describing how the resource is managed.

Please be aware that if you apply to transfer licence volume within the Katunga WSPA when an allocation is in place, the volume being transferred will also be reduced in line with allocation percentage.

How to calculate your allocation if allocation is less than 100%?

Licenced volume (ie 100 ML) x allocation (Katunga WSPA 70% )

100 x 0.70 = 70 ML available to use.

What happens if I want to transfer extra licence volume?

You will need to transfer additional water to account for the allocation.

If a buyer is seeking to transfer 101.5 ML for use in the current season, a seller would need to transfer 145 ML.
I.e. 145 x 0.70 = 101.5 ML
Alternately, 101.5 / 0.7 = 145 ML

Please note there may also be other scenarios such as multiple year or permanent licence volume transfers which may not work as shown above. Temporary licence volume transfers are also subject to meeting Prescriptions of the Plan, including a 125% limit rule for intensive areas. If you require further clarification on these please contact your local Diversion Inspector, or contact GMW on 1800 013 357 for assistance.

The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action has developed a Water Measurement Information System, with data collected through the Regional Water Monitoring Partnerships. 

To access data on the Lower Campaspe Valley WSPA, follow these steps:

  1. Go to https://data.water.vic.gov.au/
  2. Click on “Explore Data” at the top right of the page.
  3. Enter the bore number in the search box on the left side - near magnify glass symbol. For example, 69710, 92446, 48282, 83964, 51001, 69545.
  4. The entered bore number location will appear on the map screen.
  5. To navigate the map screen, hold left click and move your mouse, use the scroll wheel to zoom in or out of the map, or press “ESC” if you have accidentally clicked on an undesired location.
  6. Click the bore (symbol) on the map screen.
  7. Click the Data Tab to the bottom left of the screen.
  8. Scroll down to see the different data graph types you can select.
  9. If you are unsure what the data is representing, hover over the “i” icon symbol for a description of the data graph information you wish to select.
  10. Example: Click on the Depth Below Natural Surface - rectangle box.
  11. At the top of the page, click on the calendar icon next to the dates to select a fixed date range options - Press “Apply” - view graph data.
  12. Click on “Custom Period” then enter the dates you require - press “Apply” to view graphed data.
  13. At the top of the page, click the curved arrow then click “As CSV” to download the data as a table or click “Create Short URL” to create a URL link to the graph and its data.

For an accessible version of these documents, or copies of annual reports not listed here, please phone 1800 013 357 or email reception@gmwater.com.au 

Contacts

For further information or to obtain technical material relied upon for management arrangements, please contact the Groundwater and Streams section at GMW on 1800 013 357.