AGY-1140 | Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission [II]

Full description

The Conservation Authority of New South Wales Act, 1949 (Act No.8 1949) came into force on 1 June 1949 with the Minister for Conservation ceasing to be Chairman of the Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission. The control of water conservation (other than town and domestic supplies) was vested in a reconstituted Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission consisting of three Commissioners appointed by the Governor. (1) The Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission operated a series of major water conservation installations including the - a) Burrinjuck Dam on the Murrumbidgee River b) Keepit Dam on the Namoi River c) Burrendong Dam on the Macquarie River d) Lake Ballyrogan Storage (later known as Lake Brewster Storage) e) Menindee Lakes Storage Project (which commenced on 22 April 1949) f) Darling River Weirs g) Glenbawn Dam on the Hunter River h) Wyangala Dam The Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission also provided farm water supplies, and sank sub-artesian bores plus artesian bores. The Irrigation Network controlled and maintained by the Commission included the Coomealla, Curlwaa, Hay, and Murrumbidgee Areas plus the Tullakool Irrigation Area (established in 1947 for the settlement of ex-servicemen). Throughout these areas domestic and stock water flowed to a series of Irrigation Districts that included - Benerembah, Berriquin, Deniboota, Denimein, Gumly, the Jemalong-Wyldes Plains, Lowbidgee, Medgun, Tabitta, Wah Wah, and Wakool. Works were undertaken on behalf of Irrigation Trusts such as the Goodnight Irrigation Trust on the Murray River. The Warkworth Flood Mitigation and Water Conservation Act, 1950 (Act No.6 1950) authorised the construction of the first flood control dam in New South Wales. Flood prevention works followed in the Lowbidgee and Medgun Irrigation Districts. Under the Rivers and Foreshores Improvement Act, 1948 (Act No.20 1948) field inspections and subsequent remedial work was done to combat the siltation or erosion of rivers. The Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission administered the lands under its control through Perpetual Leases, Permissive Occupancy Leases, Irrigation Act Leases (mainly for grazing and cultivation), special land boards, sale of land holdings, and township improvements. Electricity was supplied to farms, factories and homes while scientific research was conducted at the Irrigation Research Station Griffith to assist primary producers. The Hunter Valley Flood Mitigation and Hunter Valley Conservation Trust, (Amendment) Act, 1968 (Act No.52 1968) commenced on 10 December 1968 and entitled riparian owners to claim alternative works to be constructed or receive compensation when a pumping station was negated by flood prevention or mitigation measures. Under the Hunter Valley Flood Mitigation Act, 1956 (Act No.10 1956) the constructing authority had been the Department of Public Works. The Blowering Dam on the Tumut River was officially opened on 6 September 1968 (2). Although the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority carried out the design and construction of the dam the Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission was responsible for the (3) - a) dam design b) supervisory control of the construction work c) acquisition of land for the purposes of the project d) relocation of part of State Highway No. 4 inundated by the waters of the dam The Pindari Dam on the Severn River was officially opened on 21 March 1969. (4) The Carcoar Dam on the Belubula River approximately three miles upstream from Carcoar was officially opened on 11 December 1970. (5) The Lostock Dam on the Paterson River was officially opened on 10 March 1972 while the Toonumbar Dam was completed on 30 June 1972. (6) The Mollee, Gunidgera and Weeta Weirs Act, 1972 (Act No.56 1972) came into operation on 31 October 1972 and provided for the construction of three weirs on the Namoi River. The Private Irrigation Districts and Water (Amendment) Act, 1973 (Act No.47 1973) commenced on 22 June 1973 and enabled groups of land owners working 30 or more separate properties to petition for the constitution of their lands as private domestic and stock water supply districts. These 'new' districts would be administered by Boards of Management who would construct and repair facilities, levy charges, and hold group licences for water supply. (7) The River Murray Waters (Amendment) Act, 1974 (Act No.34 1974) came into operation on 19 April 1974 transferring the duties, functions, and liabilities imposed on the Minister for Public Works by the River Murray Waters Act, 1915 (Act No.8 1915) to the Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission. This included all property, claims, contracts, and construction work, remedies and other matters arising from the River Murray Waters Act 1915. (8) On 30 April 1976 the Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission was reconstituted as the Water Resources Commission with additional responsibilities and functions for water management in New South Wales. FOOTNOTES (1) Annual Report of the Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission for the year ended 30 June 1949 in the Joint Volumes of Papers presented to the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly 1948-49-50 Vol. 3 page 547. (2) Annual Report of the Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission for the year ended 30 June 1969 in the Joint Volumes of Papers presented to the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly 1969-70-71 Vol. 9 page 709. (3) Annual Report of the Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission for the year ended 30 June 1968 in the Joint Volumes of Papers presented to the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly 1968-69 Vol. 5 page 43. (4) Op. cit page 709. (5) Annual Report of the Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission for the year ended 30 June 1971 in the Joint Volumes of Papers presented to the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly 1971-72 Vol. 4 page 1157. (6) Annual Report of the Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission for the year ended 30 June 1972 in the Joint Volumes of Papers presented to the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly 1972-73 Vol. 5 page 439. (7) Annual Report of the Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission for the year ended 30 June 1973 in the Joint Volumes of Papers presented to the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly 1973-74 Vol. 3 page 745. (8) Annual Report of the Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission for the year ended 30 June 1974 in the Joint Volumes of Papers presented to the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly 1974-75 Vol. 5 page 468.