Australian Capital Territory

Water Resources Environmental Flow
Guidelines 2013 (No 1)

Disallowable Instrument DI2013—44

made under the

Water Resources Act 2007, section 12 (Environmental flow guidelines)

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
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The Water Resources Act 2007 requires the Environment Protection Authority (the Authority) to prepare a draft Environmental Flow Guidelines (the Guidelines). The purpose of the Guidelines is to ascertain the water flow in the ACT’s streams, rivers and impoundments that are necessary to maintain aquatic ecosystems. The Guidelines supports the legislative framework to ensure that ecological processes in the ACT water bodies are protected. 
In preparing the draft Guidelines, the Authority’s primary consideration is the ecological needs of the aquatic ecosystems. The Authority based its consideration using numerous instruments including the Territory Plan, ACT legislation, Commonwealth threatened species legislation, ACT Government policies and knowledge gained from research to ensure that the Guidelines are current and comprehensive. The Authority also took into account environmental, economic and social impact of the Guidelines. 
The draft Guidelines were prepared by the Authority and released for public comment on 1 August 2011. The Authority targeted consultation with a range of stakeholders in the development of the Guidelines, including Government agencies, the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment, the Conservation Council and community groups. The Guidelines have been amended to incorporate comments received where possible and appropriate. 
The Guidelines replaces the Water Resources Environmental Guidelines 2006.