CICL Update June 2024
Dear Members,
This newsletter provides Members with an update on key water issues affecting CICL and its Members’ businesses.
In this month's newsletter -
Jack Weymouth Smith
Kevin Kelly
CERC
Drainage Water
Water trade records 1 July 2024
Draft Murrumbidgee Valley Floodplain Management Plan (the Plan)
Murrumbidgee Optimisation
Coleambally Careers Day
Draft Murrumbidgee Regional Water Strategy
WaterNSW Board and Executive visit to CICL
CEO
Department of Climate Change Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW)
Allocation announcements
01/02/2024
High Security 100%
General Security 100%
Groundwater 100%
(Lower Murrumbidgee)
2023-24 CICL announcement and offers
Member benefit 10%
Additional water offers 6%
Water allocation update – NSW – DCCEEW released an outlook for the 2024/25 water year on Monday 15 May2024. It is here.
Key points from this preliminary outlook are:
The carryover volume in the Murrumbidgee is expected to be around 30 percent of general security entitlements.
On 1 July full allocations for town, domestic and stock access licences are expected.
On 1 July full access to supplementary water subject to announced events will be available.
Starting high security allocations of 95 percent.
Conveyance water allocated in accordance with the Water Sharing Plan rules.
Starting allocations for general security of at least 25 percent.
An Interstate 71V restriction limiting trade into the NSW Murray, Lower Darling and Murrumbidgee may be placed to protect NSW water users if there is a high risk of spill of storages.
The next announcement will be on Monday 1 July 2024.
Waterways (restarting in 2024/25)
T: 1300 850 105
WaterMart - The WaterMart platform can be accessed here until 12 noon 28 June 2024.
Inter-valley trade (IVT)
Up-to-date information on the IVT is here.
You can register for WaterNSW IVT alerts here.
Water operations end of season
CICL closed its river offtake on Friday 24 May 2024 to allow winter maintenance to commence.
After the river offtake closure, supply is no longer guaranteed. Delivery of orders will continue subject to water availability at a customer’s outlet.
Draining of supply channels will start in early June or as demand ceases.
The contact for Water Operations – Business Hours T: 02 6954 4003 – After Hours M: 0427 544 269.
WaterMart closure
On a recommendation from the Board of its subsidiary WaterMart Coleambally Pty Ltd, the CICL Board made the difficult decision to close the WaterMart platform effective from 1 July 2024.
CICL explained the reasons behind this decision in an update to customers on Monday 27 May 2024.
CICL acknowledges WaterMart has been an accessible, trusted source of price discovery for annual allocation trades. The Commonwealth legislated Water Market Reforms are intended to improve the quality and timeliness of water market information. Price discovery will be easier once these reforms are implemented. In the interim the WaterNSW – WaterInsights Portal includes information on completed trades here Market information is also available on private broker sites and or you can register for Waterflow™ here which provides free access to water market information after registration.
CICL 2024/2025 water charges
CICL’s Schedule of charges for 2024/2025 will be sent to customers and available on our website on Monday 17 June 2024.
Photo by Joe Briggs
Water Use Limit 2024/2025
Customers are advised the total farm water use (including on-farm bores) should not exceed 8ML/ha for the 2024/2025 season unless they have entered into Water Use Agreements with CICL.
Please contact Keith Thompson via reception on T: 02 6954 4003 for further information.
Member meeting Wednesday 26 June 2024
CICL is holding a member meeting on Wednesday 26 June at 5pm at the Coleambally Town Hall. We are pleased to announce three guest speakers - Rachel Kelly, Chair of the Basin Community Committee of the Murray Darling Basin Authority, Liz Stott, Deputy Chair of Cotton Australia and Chair Australian Cotton Conference 2024 and Justin Sutherland, Chair RGA Coleambally Branch and Chair of the RGA water committee.
Each of our speakers is passionate about irrigated agriculture and have been asked to share their thoughts and insights on our industry and how being involved can make a difference.
CICL will provide finger food and light refreshments. To ensure we have enough food please RSVP to reception on T. 02 6954 4003 by Monday 24 June 2024.
End of season closure of annual allocation trade
The trade closure date for surface water trades in the Murrumbidgee Valley is the end of June.
CICL will close all trades at 12 noon on Friday 28 June 2024.
WaterMart closes at 12 noon on Friday 28 June 2024.
Annual intravalley transfers to and from CICL’s licence close at 12 noon Friday 28 June 2024.
Annual internal transfers between CICL farms – close at 12 noon Friday 28 June 2024.
Single Farming Unit Accounting – close at 12 noon Friday 28 June 2024.
Carryover into 2024/25 water season
The carryover provisions in the Water Sharing Plan for the Murrumbidgee Regulated Water Source apply to CICL water entitlements. This means:
A volume of up to 30 percent of general security water entitlements can be carried over from 2023/24 to 2024/25.
Carryover is not available on high security or G class water entitlements.
The maximum account limit on general security water entitlements in 2024/25 including carryover and the announced allocation is 100 percent.
Members with more than 30 percent available in their general security water allocation account, or water remaining in their high security water allocation account, should note the closing date for WaterMart, Single Farming Units and annual transfers of 12 noon Friday 28 June 2024.
CICL 2023/24 Invoices
CICL will issue its 2023/24 invoices to customers no later than Thursday 27 June 2024 with invoices due for payment no later than COB on Wednesday 31 July. Invoices will be emailed and posted.
The invoice for any additional water offer accepted in 2023/24, if not previously paid is also due on this date. A statement including all unpaid amounts will also be emailed and posted in the first week of July.
When paying your 2023/24 invoice please allow sufficient time for any payments to be cleared before COB on Wednesday 31 July.
Active member eligibility
Members are reminded to be an Active Member and eligible for any Member Benefit announced by CICL, members must meet the Active Membership criteria in CICL’s Rules, Rule 9 which includes payment of all their 2023/24 invoices or entering a payment arrangement with CICL by COB on Wednesday 31 July 2024.
Water charge ready reckoner
CICL has prepared a “ready reckoner” to assist customers calculate their 2023/24 charges. The ready reckoner and a guide to using it are available on our website here.
The ready reckoner will be updated with the 2024/25 charges in July 2024.
Foreign Ownership Register
Register of Foreign Ownership of Australian Assets (Foreign Ownership Register) came into effect on 1 July 2023 with the Register of Foreign Ownership of Water or Agricultural Land Act 2015 being repealed on this date. The CICL Rules have been updated accordingly.
Rule 138.3 requires that if a Member is, or becomes, or ceases to be, a foreign person during a financial year (1 July to 30 June), the Member must give notice of that circumstance to the Co-operative by the seventh day after the end of the financial year but this Rule does not apply if either:
(a) the Member is not a foreign person at the end of the financial year and was not a foreign person at the end of the previous financial year; or
(b) the Member is no longer a Member at the end of the financial year.
CICL is also required to register if it considers it is foreign owned. CICL therefore requires any of its Members who have become, or ceased to be foreign owned to notify the Company Secretary. Members that are considered foreign owned are requested to comply with CICL Rule 138.
Winter works
CICL’s winter works involve works at our offtake, along with works at Grants regulator, Bundure four offtake and Boona regulator number eight. These works will take a number of weeks. We also have a small number of minor works, such as bank rebuilding, weed removal and desilting.
As part of our planning for future works we will be completing inspections including condition assessments with external engineers on a number of regulators and bridges during winter 2024.
Staff profiles
JACK WEYMOUTH SMITH - SENIOR CHANNEL TECHNICIAN
How long have your worked for CICL and what is your role? I am a Senior Channel Technician and have been with CICL for nine years.
What were you doing before you joined CICL? I started with CICL when I finished school in 2015.
What does your job entail? Ensuring the accuracy and maintenance of our flume gates and installations and training of new Technicians.
What’s a common question you get from customer’s/members and staff? Is there much rain and have you been catching many fish lately?
What is the favourite part of your job? Draining channels and getting ready for winter maintenance.
What do you like to do when you are not working? Footy and fishing take up my weekends when I am not working.
What is your favourite quote? “The only place “Success” comes before “Work” is in a dictionary.”
KEVIN KELLY - ASSETS & MAINTENANCE MANAGER
How long have your worked for CICL and what is your role? I have worked at CICL for 28 years and I am the Assets and Maintenance Manager.
What does your job entail? I am responsible for managing CICL’s infrastructure assets and our maintenance of the channels.
What has been an interesting part of your work with CICL? I have been fortunate to be involved in a number of important research and innovation projects whilst at CICL.
Who led the development of these projects? Most of the work was facilitated by the Australian National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (ANCID).
What are some of the most important projects you have been involved with?
“How Far Do You Go” where the ANCID members and the state government entities shared notes on their strategies of how to adapt and implement emerging Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) technology for open irrigation channels.
“Know the Flow” (KTF) project where 42 of Australia’s irrigation providers came together with the flow measurement industry to write the specifications for an open channel flow measurement device. This led to the development of the MACE “AgriFlow”, the Combined instruments “MagFlow”, the AWMA integrated MagFlow and SCADA controlled vertical lift door and the Rubicon “FlumeGate”. Prototypes of all these technologies were installed and trialled at CICL.
“Know the Losses” channel loss identification which led to seepage identification and remediation break even analysis. This was followed up by David Allen’s PhD involving Hydro-geo-physics research and loss identification calculations.
What is your favourite quote? “Do it the right way the first time.”
Environmental Compliance
Community Environmental and Reference Committee (CERC) nominations
As advised in the information sent with the Call for Nominations for Regional Representatives on the Community Environmental and Reference Committee (CERC), a minimum of one valid nomination from each of the six regions (Coly, Argoon, Boona, Yamma and West Coleambally Channel and Kerarbury Channel Pty Ltd) was to be received by 24 April 2024, to re-establish the CERC.
As at close of nominations, there were insufficient nominations received and the CICL Board have confirmed that the CERC will not be re-established at this time. The Board thanks those nominees for their interest.
Drainage Water
Customers are advised that draining water contaminated with pesticides, at a level above the EPA notification level, into the CICL drainage system is a breach of CICL’s Rules. As part of routine compliance monitoring for our Environmental Protection Licence, CICL staff regularly monitor the drainage network and sample water from drainage outlets. If you are unsure of the quality of on-farm water you wish to drain, customers may request on-farm water testing. If you have accidently released contaminated water into the drainage system, please contact Keith Thompson on M: 0439 084 569.
EXTERNAL ISSUES
Water trade records must be kept from 1 July 2024
The Commonwealth Department of Climate Change Energy Environment and Water (DCCEEW) have released information to explain the new requirements for records of water trades to be kept from 1 July 2024 here.
The Water Amendment (Resilient Rivers) Act 2023 (the Act) requires irrigators completing annual allocation trades and permanent trades of water entitlements and/or delivery entitlements to keep a record of all documentation relating to this transaction for at least five years. This includes when the trade is between a related party.
The Act also requires all forms to be completed truthfully, this means where the form requires price and reason for trade the information provided must be accurate, even if the information is commercially sensitive, commercial in confidence or personal information.
The 2024/25 CICL Form 8 External Annual Transfer will be updated to include a seller/buyer declaration the information provided on the WaterNSW Form 71 is truthful.
The Inspector General Water Compliance and the ACCC will have new powers to ensure compliance of all market participants and approval authorities with the Water Market Reforms. Failure to comply may result in serious civil penalties.
The Inspector General Water Compliance is the enforcement agency for the data accuracy on trade forms requirements. These new obligations apply to customers. CICL advises customers they should not rely on CICL being able to provide these personal records, to the regulator upon the request of a customer.
CICL recommends customers, when completing transfers including through a water broker they retain copies of the completed forms for each transaction.
Draft Murrumbidgee Valley Floodplain Management Plan (the Plan)
CICL made a submission to the NSW Department of Climate Change Energy the Environment and Water (the Department) on the draft Plan. CICL’s primary concern is that the draft Plan does not capture the existing floodplain development including CICL’s authorised Water Supply Works and Flood levees east of the Main Canal. CICL is also concerned the draft Floodplain boundary includes parts of CICL’s area of operation which are not impacted by river flooding. CICL is continuing its discussion with the Department about the Plan.
Further information is available here.
Murrumbidgee optimisation
CICL and Murrumbidgee Irrigation continue to advocate for feasibility funding for the Murrumbidgee optimisation study, in the most recent discussions with the Commonwealth and State this project is likely to be a “supply” project. (i.e. a project that reduces the volume to be recovered from the consumptive pool). The Act allows for the states to propose new supply projects by June 2025. With the recent announcement by the NSW government, it intends to withdraw the Yanco Weir as a “supply” project and the significant rescoping of the Menindee Lakes “water savings” project it is imperative NSW has new supply projects.
Coleambally Careers Day Wednesday 26 June 2024
CICL is participating in the first ever Careers Day in Coleambally on Wednesday 26 June 2024 at the Coleambally Club starting at 9.15am.
CICL is assisting the Coleambally Central School P & C with the planning and organisation of the day. The day includes contributions from former students. CICL will be showcasing the diverse range of employment opportunities we offer to students.
Draft Murrumbidgee Regional Water Strategy
The NSW Government has released the draft Murrumbidgee Regional Water Strategy. This strategy is intended to address the Murrumbidgee catchment’s water needs over the next 20 to 40 years. The strategy is on public exhibition until 14 July 2024.
The strategy can be accessed here or you can attend an on-line event on Wednesday 10 June between 5 and 6.30pm here or on Friday 14 June between 12.00noon and 1.30pm here.
WaterNSW Board and Executive visit to CICL
Last week CICL was pleased to host the Board of WaterNSW and most of their Executive for a half day tour. We had the opportunity to showcase our infrastructure, explain our Total Channel Control system for water deliveries and stress the importance of “working together” with River Operators.
Conclusion - CEO
I encourage you to attend our Member meeting on Wednesday 26 June 2024, please RSVP and put the date in your diary. We will finish this meeting before the State of Origin game for those members who are keen rugby league supporters.
We have a busy “winter works” program as we make the most of the short period where our channels are drained. Please take care around these works and look out for slow moving machinery and vehicles.
Julian Speed, CEO
CEO
