AGY-1142 | Department of Water Resources

Full description

The Department of Water Resources was established by the Water Administration Act, 1986 (Act No. 195 1986), which repealed the Water Resources Commission Act, 1976 (Act No.34 1976) and consequently abolished the Water Resources Commission. The Department commenced operation on 1 January 1987. (1)

The Water Resources Commission had been responsible for farm water supply (for both domestic and agricultural purposes) and for making loans under the Farm Water Storages Advances Scheme. These functions were both transferred to the Soil Conservation Service under the Farm Water Supplies (Transfer of Functions) Amendment Act, 1986 (Act No. 104 1986). (2) The order to transfer relevant officers and employees was issued by the Governor on 17 December 1986. (3)

The responsibilities of the Department of Water Resources included:
a) planning, designing and constructing rural dams, weirs, irrigation channels etc.
b) operating and maintaining the network of major dams throughout the State
c) administering and controlling the use of water from the State's rivers and streams and from underground water systems
d) operating and maintaining water supply and drainage systems in the State's Irrigation Areas
e) undertaking flood management work in both rural and urban areas and carrying out stabilising work to prevent erosion of river channels which convey regulated flows
f) advising clients on surface and underground water matters
g) maintaining and improving aquatic environments
h) developing a water-related land information system

The Department of Water Resources was divided into four divisions: Water Policy, Technical Services, Corporate Services and Rural Water Supply (later called Regional Water Supply). The eight rural regions were Barwon, Hunter, Lachlan, Lower Murray Dowling, Macquarie-Western, Murray, Murrumbidgee, and North Coast. The Gumly Gumly Irrigation Scheme near Wagga Wagga became a professional private irrigation district in June 1993. (4)

The Irrigation Corporations Act, 1994 provided the mechanism to move government irrigation enterprises from public ownership to private control. The Department was involved in developing water management plans and business plans for the new owners plus identifying infrastructure including culverts and bridges, which were to be transferred to Local Government control. (5)

The Department of Water Resources was abolished on 6 April 1995 with all its branches added to the new Department of Land and Water Conservation. (6)

Endnotes
1. New South Wales Government Gazette Volume 4, 19 December 1986 p.6267
2. Annual Report of the Soil Conservation Service of New South Wales for the year ended 30 June 1987 p.7
3. New South Wales Government Gazette Volume 4, 19 December 1986 p.6267
4. Annual Report of the Department of Water Resources for the year ended 30 June 1993 p.12
5. Annual Report of the Department of Water Resources for the year ended 30 June 1994 p.3
6. New South Wales Government Gazette, 7 April 1995 p.1861