Assessment Documentation for Strategic Assessment of the Water Access Program for the Midlands Water Scheme

​​​The final Program Report (available at the bottom of the page) for the Strategic Assessment for the Water Access Program, Midlands Water Scheme, Tasmania (2011) was endorsed by the federal Minister for the Environment on 11 April 2011.

The Program describes the policies, regulatory framework and processes in Tasmania that will govern how irrigation water is made available to the Midlands region of Tasmania whilst meeting commitments and undertakings for the protection and management of the matters of national environmental significance (MNES). It covers the proposed construction of two irrigation schemes: the Arthurs Pipeline Scheme and the Lower South Esk​ Scheme, the sourcing of water and the planning processes required at the farm level to receive water.

It also describes how the delivery of irrigation water fits into the framework and how these proposed irrigation developments will be sustainable.

The Program has three components:
  1. planning and assessment processes for infrastructure development to service the MWS (Construction);
  2. water availability/certainty of access: water management planning, licensing & allocation (Operation); and
  3. the systems and processes developed to meet legal requirements and enable sustainable on-farm use of irrigation water provided by the MWS (the Water Access System).
The Strategic Impact Assessment Report and the Supplementary Report (available below) also prepared by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania provide an assessment of how the Program will achieve its objectives and what changes were made to the Program as a result of public consultation:

For further information contact:

Primary Industries and Water Division
Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania
GPO Box 44, Hobart, Tasmania, 7001
Phone: 03 6165 3222
Email: Water.Enquiries@nre.tas.gov.au​


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Water Access Program - Midlands Water Scheme, Tasmania Draft Strategic Impact Assessment Report September 2010

Main body of the Report
Contents include: Part 1 - Executive summary, Part 2 - Introduction; Part 3 - Project purpose and description; Part 4 - Promoting ecologically sustainable development; Part 5 - Existing environment; Part 6 - Impacts and mitigation; Part 7 - Auditing, reporting and review; Part 8 - Conclusion; Part 9 - Interpretations and Definitions; Part 10 - References; Part 11 - List of Appendi​ces (which appear below).


Appendices

 Appendix F - Water Licence Application Process (PDF 617Kb)

 Appendix G - Generic Principles for Water Management Planning (PDF 204Kb)

 Appendix H - Risk Assessment Methodology (PDF 618Kb)

 Appendix I - Sites Listed on the Register of the National Estate (PDF 164Kb)

 Appendix J - Landscape Monitoring for the Midlands Water Scheme (PDF 80Kb)

 Appendix K - Dam Assessment Process (PDF 391Kb)

 Appendix L - Guidelines for Natural Values Assessment (PDF 110Kb)

 Appendix M - Methods for Modelling Recharge Sensitivity (PDF 47Kb)

 Appendix N - Bibliography of Salinity Work Relevant to Midlands Water Scheme (PDF 45Kb)

 Appendix O - Distribution of MNES in Midlands Water Scheme (PDF 596Kb)

Water Access Program - Midlands Water Scheme, Tasmania supplementary Report

Main body of the Report
Contents include: Introduction; The program; Submissions & the consultation process; Key issues; Outcomes for the program; Terms of reference and endorsement criteria; Conclusions, References; and List of appendices (which appear below).

​  Program Report - Appendix A - Indicative Map of the Midlands Water Scheme  (PDF 366Kb)