Floodplain harvesting

Floodplain harvesting is the practice of capturing water that flows across the floodplains, generally during or after periods of heavy rain.

The Department of Planning and Environment – Water has developed the NSW floodplain harvesting policy which sets out the process for bringing floodplain harvesting into the existing water licensing framework.

The NSW Government’s licensing and measurement reform to control floodplain harvesting within legal limits became law in Water Sharing Plans for the Border Rivers and Gwydir Valleys from 1 August 2022.

On 1 September 2022, floodplain harvesting licence holders in the Border Rivers and Gwydir valleys had their water accounts credited and the floodplain harvesting framework became fully operational.

Licences for the Macquarie, Barwon-Darling and Namoi valleys are still to be determined.

How do water users comply with the floodplain harvesting rules?

Floodplain harvesting licences will afford water users the right to capture and store water as it flows across the floodplain but, they will also come with significant obligations.

Water users with licences to floodplain harvest will be required to measure and report their water take in accordance with licence conditions. Typically, this will require the installation and certification of metering equipment in line with the floodplain harvesting measurement framework.

All water taken in NSW must be done in accordance with water licence and approval conditions or with an exemption, or basic landholder right. Water users without appropriate licences and approvals to floodplain harvest can’t capture and store water from the floodplains.

What is NRAR’s compliance approach?

All water taken in NSW under the Water Management Act 2000 must be done so in accordance with the terms and conditions of a relevant licence, approval, exemption or basic landholder right.

Water users who are capturing water from the floodplains without a licence may be subject to enforcement action by NRAR.

Unlawful floodplain harvesting will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. We will consider:

• the water take – we will look at the volume of the water taken and whether the water user has a water licence/approval that allows water to be taken.
• licence applications – we will also consider whether the water user has applied to the department for a floodplain harvesting licence and associated approvals. Visit the department's website for more information about applying for a floodplain harvesting licence.
• the flood work or water supply work - the legal status of the flood work water supply work approval that was used to capture and store the water.

What technology is used to monitor compliance?

NRAR uses satellites and smart data to determine how much water is taken into and out of on-farm water storages.

This technology allows us to monitor changes in the volume of water in on-farm storages on a five-day cycle, and if needed, day-by-day.

After a major rain event we’re able to tell whether water has been diverted from the floodplain and stored in an on-farm dam or surge area, and if so, how much.

We’ll compare this data to the floodplain harvesting entitlement and any other entitlements to determine if water has been taken in accordance with any relevant licences and approvals.