Review of allocation announcement process
Background
In late 2018 the Department for Environment and Water (DEW) worked with the irrigation community to identify water allocation information they need and when they need it. Based on this feedback, DEW updated its approach to allocation statements for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 water years.
While the updated approach has been generally well-received by the irrigation community, there was also interest in exploring further refinements to the approach.
Independent review
DEW commissioned Aither to undertake the independent review. Aither is one of Australia’s leading advisors in water policy, water markets, infrastructure, and natural hazards.
Aither (now a Ricardo company) found recent changes to the South Australian River Murray allocation announcement process enabled DEW to provide better and more timely allocation information during two very dry years when a robust process was needed more than ever.
The current allocation announcement process was seen as working well and providing valuable information to market participants at suitable time intervals. However, there are additional practical actions that DEW can take over the short and medium term to further improve the products it produces for water users.
View the Aither report.
Implementing recommendations
DEW actioned a suite of recommendations ahead of the 2021-22 water year. All the 'must do' recommendations, and the majority of the short-term recommendations, were implemented before the first allocation announcement on 15 April 2021. The remainder of the recommendations were addressed or investigated in the subsequent 12‑18 months.
| Number | Recommendation | Priority | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Consistently provide a spectrum of opening allocation outlooks every year and in all pre-season announcements. | Must do | Actioned - included in the 2021-22 allocation statements |
| 2 | Amend graphical presentation of scenarios. | Must do | Actioned - included in the 2021-22 allocation statements |
| 3 | Clarify the allocation announcement process and improve explanation of the relevance of the water allocation plan. | Short-term | Actioned - included in the 2021-22 allocation statements |
| 4 | Improve visualisations of water available. | Short-term | Actioned - included in the 2021-22 allocation statements |
| 5 | Retain allocation announcement statements in a central, online repository. | Short-term | Actioned - DEW website updated |
| 6 | Develop a standard template for allocation statement. | Short-term | Actioned - included in the 2021-22 allocation statements |
| 7 | Release Version 1 of the State Water Calculator as soon as possible. | Short-term | Actioned - see link to calculator on DEW website |
| 8 | Finalise and release Version 1 of the Personal Water Calculator by April 2021. | Short-term | Actioned - see link to calculator on DEW website |
| 9 | Review the approach used to develop and select allocation outlook scenarios | Short-term | Actioned |
| 10 | Work with the MDBA and basin states to make the water availability assessments publicly available. | Medium-term | Actioned after 21 April 2021 |
| 11 | Review outlook scenario definitions and nomenclature. | Medium-term | Actioned after 21 April 2021 |
| 12 | Engage an independent communication specialist. | Medium-term | Actioned after 21 April 2021 |
| 13 | Provide synthesised discussion of the scenarios and supporting data / information included in allocation statements. | Medium-term | Actioned after 21 April 2021 |
| 14 | Work with industry to deliver an annual program of water literacy workshops. | Medium-term | Actioned after 21 April 2021 |
| 15 | Integrate climate projections into water availability assessments. | Medium-term | Actioned after 21 April 2021 |
| 16 | Work with MDBA and basin states to develop tri-state water calculator. | Medium-term | Actioned after 21 April 2021 |
