Answers to Questions

MOUNT BOLD RESERVOIR

In reply to the Hon. A. BRESSINGTON (16 October 2012).

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation): I am advised:

1. The environmental flow trial will not reduce the security of metropolitan Adelaide's water supply. As part of the trial, SA Water is monitoring any potential impact the environmental flows might have on operation of the metropolitan Adelaide water supply and working with the other agencies to identify and remove these impacts.

The environmental flow trial is being conducted on the major rivers of the Western Mount Lofty Ranges and aims to test and refine the delivery of environmental water to ensure the best possible environmental outcomes are achieved with the flows available. The results will guide decision making so ongoing environmental flows can optimise benefits to aquatic health and water quality.

2. The availability of sufficient water resources to supply to the Adelaide metropolitan area was taken into account when SA Water agreed to support the Prescription of the Western Mount Lofty Water Resource including participation in the environmental flows trial.

3. The environmental flows trial began in mid 2006 but was ceased later in that year in response to the drought. The trial recommenced in December 2011 and will continue until sufficient detail is available to provide for environmental flow requirements with a high level of certainty taking into account the social and economic values of the water resource. The trial is sensitive to climatic influences and is adjusted accordingly.

4. SA Water manages reservoir levels in the Western Mount Lofty Ranges using an adaptive management framework. Pumping from the River Murray into storages is conducted as required under the framework to ensure sufficient water resources are available to meet demands and is managed within SA Water's existing River Murray water entitlement. The trial is however, adjusted according to climatic conditions to ensure it does not impact on water security and consumptive uses.

5. The environmental flows trial will in no way affect the CFS' reliance on water to fight fires as SA Water ensures that sufficient water supplies are available. Furthermore, a Memorandum of Understanding between the CFS and SA Water is in place to address water use during emergency fire fighting.

An NRM Plan has been prepared for the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges region, to guide the management of our natural resources at the landscape scale. The CFS was consulted during the preparation of this plan.

In addition, DEWNR and SA Water are members of the State Bushfire Coordination Committee and local Bushfire Management Committees, led by the CFS.