The Lower Collie surface water area is located approximately 200 km south of Perth and covers over 800 km2. The plan covers the lower Collie river catchment, from the base of the Wellington reservoir, and the Brunswick and Wellesley rivers.
Surface water resources in the Lower Collie plan area
The Lower Collie surface water allocation plan area is shown below in Figure 1. There are twenty four smaller areas, called resources, within the plan area. The department has set an allocation limit for each resource.
Figure 1 lower Collie plan area
Water planning in the lower Collie area
The department released an allocation plan for surface water resources in the lower Collie area for public comment on 25 May 2011. The three month comment period for the Lower Collie surface water allocation plan: for public comment closed on 29 August 2011.
The department will respond to all submissions in a statement of response. The statement of response summarises the issues and questions raised during the public comment period and how we will address them. It will also show how we have used comments to improve the plan. We will release the statement of response document either before or with the final plan, which we expect to release in 2012.
The Lower Collie plan contains allocation limits that define how much water can be abstracted from the water resource units each year and release rules for the Wellington reservoir, to meet environmental needs. It includes policies for how we will allocate and manage water resources and informs how we will monitor, measure and evaluate the objectives of the plan.
Why has the department prepared this water allocation plan?
We developed the Lower Collie surface water allocation plan: for public comment to set how much water is available, and how the department will manage surface water in the area, to deal with the challenges of expanding industry and declining rainfall.
It sets allocation limits and rules that guide how water is stored, taken and or released in the plan area.
We expect implementation of the lower Collie surface water allocation plan to:
- maximise the amount of time that people can take their full water entitlements
- maintain critical ecological and social values in the lower Collie for future generations
The plan sets:
- allocation limits – which are the annual volume of water set aside for consumptive use from a water resource
- environmental water provisions – which will be used to set release rules for the Wellington and Worsley reservoirs
- local licensing policies – which guide how water is taken, stored and released in self supply areas
- take rules for the Wellington reservoir based on dam storage levels
For the first time in WA, CSIRO projections of a future climate were used as part of setting the allocation limits and management rules. The climate scenario adopted to develop the lower Collie surface water allocation plan projects that runoff will be 17 per cent less at 2020 than the runoff recorded in the area between 1975 and 2007.
How can I make a submission on the Lower Collie plan?
We invite you to comment on the Lower Collie allocation plan. A statement of response that summarises your comments and our responses to them, will be released with the final plan.
Submissions for public comment close 29 August 2011
You can send your comments or register your interest in an information session on the plan by contacting Clare Mason from the Department of Water:
Phone: (08) 6364 7198
Email: allocationplanning@water.wa.gov.au
Post: Water Allocation Planning Branch, Department of Water, PO Box 6822, Perth, WA, 6842
How can I access any of the information on Lower Collie that the department has produced?
We are committed to making our technical information, which was used in the planning process, available to the public on our website. The most recent reports can be seen via the publications area at the top right of this page.
Please click on the links to access the following documents:
Allocation plan and supporting documents
Lower Collie surface water allocation plan [Draft for public comment]
Publish Date: 25/05/2011
Lower Collie surface water allocation plan methods report
Publish Date: 25/05/2011
Ecological reports
Environmental flow regime for the lower Collie River: Shenton's Elbow reach
Publish Date: 19/08/2011
Environmental flow regime for the lower Collie River: Wellington reach
Publish Date: 19/08/2011
The ecological water requirements of the Brunswick River
Publish Date: 15/07/2009
Collie River: ecological values assessment, 2008 : final report
Publish Date: 01/04/2009
Social and cultural reports
Lower Collie River social values study [prepared for Department of Water]
Publish Date: 21/01/2010
Nyungar values of the Collie River [prepared for Department of Water]
Publish Date: 21/01/2010
The social values of South West water resources [prepared for Department of Water]
Publish Date: 01/06/2009
Brunswick River : surface water management : issue scoping report [prepared for Department of Water]
Publish Date: 21/01/2010
Hydrological reports (or hydrogeological)
Wellington Reservoir water balance simulations : a summary of the TwoRes model scenarios
Publish Date: 13/04/2011
Surface water hydrology of the lower Collie catchment : supporting information for the lower Collie surface water allocation plan
Publish Date: 13/04/2011
Water balance modelling of the the Leschenault Catchment
Publish Date: 28/08/2009
Further information
For licensing information, please contact the Bunbury Regional office on 08 9726 4111, or visit the Water regions website
For planning information, please contact the Department of Water's Water Allocation Planning branch by phoning 08 6964 7600 or email allocationplanning@water.wa.gov.au