Watering amounts and entitlements
An environmental water entitlement is a legal right to a share of the water available at a location and is solely to benefit the environment. Rules and conditionsfor each entitlement determine how much water is available and when.
The amount of water for the environment available to South Australia varies each year because the water comes from several types of entitlements (each with different rules) and depends on:
- seasonal conditions (rainfall and runoff in catchments)
- the amount of water already available in storages.
The Environmental Water Register in South Australia
Held Environmental Water (HEW)
As of July 2024, there was 253,582 megalitres (ML) of HEW held in South Australia for the South Australian River Murray.
HEW is available under a water access right or held on a water licence for achieving environmental outcomes. HEW entitlements are publicly listed on the South Australian River Murray Water Resource Plan Held Environmental Water Register. More information on the current shares and classes of water held on each entitlement is available by searching the licence number on the MyWater Water Register.
South Australian River Murray Water Resource Plan Held Environmental Water Register (July 2024)
| Sustainable Diversion Limit Resource Unit Name | Water source | Licence number | Owner | Number of shares on entitlement (kilolitre)** |
| SS11 | River Murray Prescribed Watercourse | 197352 | Minister’s* Class 9 Licence (managed pool connected wetlands) | 37,573,915 |
| SS11 | River Murray Prescribed Watercourse | 213146 | Minister’s* Reserve Licence | 6,561,499 |
| SS11 | River Murray Prescribed Watercourse | 160029 | Minister* (TLM) | 45,025,561 |
| SS11 | River Murray Prescribed Watercourse | 153066 | Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder | 163,041,554 |
| SS11 | River Murray Prescribed Watercourse | *** | Private Water Holders | 1,380,000 |
| Total HEW | 253,582,529 (that's 253,582 ML) |
*Minister for Climate, Environment and Water.
** Entitlement licence not provided for private water holders.
Planned Environmental Water (PEW)
PEW is not held on a licence but it is committed or preserved for environmental outcomes through a plan or legislation. It cannot be used for anything else except in emergencies.
PEW is fully defined in the South Australian River Murray Water Resource Plan and includes:
- dilution and loss
- unallocated entitlement
- unregulated flows to South Australia
- additional dilution flow
- Lindsay River allowance
- Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges inflows.
Who holds the environmental water entitlements?
Environmental water entitlements are largely held by State and Commonwealth government agencies called 'environmental water holders'.
In South Australia, the holders are:
Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH)
CEWH manages environmental water allocated under the Basin Plan and other national water reforms.
The total Commonwealth environmental water holding in the Southern Connected Basin as at 31 August 2024, was ~1,623 GL long-term annual average yield registered entitlements, of which 163,042 ML is held in SA and forms part of SA’s Entitlement Flow.
Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA)
The MDBA holds SA’s environmental water under The Living Murray and River Murray Increased Flows.
The Living Murray project has recovered ~489 GL long-term annual average yield of water, of which ~45 GL is held in SA and these form part of SA's Entitlement Flow.
South Australian Minister for Climate, Environment and Water
The South Australian Minister for Climate, Environment and Water holds other water access entitlements for environmental purposes, including the Class 9 / Minister’s Reserve.
As at June 2022, the Minister held ~45.2 GL of water access entitlements committed to environmental purposes and form part of SA's Entitlement Flow.
Occasionally, South Australia also receives water from environmental water holders in New South Wales and Victoria.
