About the area
West Wimmera Groundwater Management Area (GMA) incorporates the area from the west of the Wimmera River to the South Australia border, and north to the Big Desert.
The area is largely dependent on groundwater for urban and agricultural water supply, the main resource being the Tertiary Limestone Aquifer. This aquifer is the primary supply for domestic and stock, irrigation and town supplies across the area.
The West Wimmera Groundwater Management Strategy sets out the rules on how the area is to be managed.
There are 6 management zones within West Wimmera GMA, some of which also have sub-zones. Management rules can differ slightly within each sub-zone.
The area that extends 20 km east from the border forms part of the Designated Area for the purposes of the 1985 Border Groundwaters Agreement between Victoria and South Australia.
Management responsibilities within the Designated are shared between Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water and the Government of South Australia.
More information on the GMA can be found on the Grampians Wimmera Mallee website.
Groundwater level trends
Table 1: Groundwater level trends, West Wimmera GMA
Groundwater restrictions
80% restriction in the Neuarpur subzone 1
Licence holders in the Neuarpur subzone 1 — a trading zone in the West Wimmera GMA — were restricted to 80% of their licence volume in 2022-23, the same as the previous year.
Entitlements and use
Groundwater entitlements have been issued for licensed (non-urban) use and urban supply to Apsley, Edenhope, Goroke, Harrow, Kaniva, Kiata, Lillimur, Miram, Nhill and Serviceton in the West Wimmera GMA. Groundwater is also available for domestic and stock use.
Entitlement volumes
Table 2: Groundwater entitlements at 30 June, West Wimmera GMA
Available water and use
The table below shows the total water available and used under entitlements, and estimated domestic and stock use in 2022-23. Total water available under entitlements is the sum of opening carryover, allocation issued and the net trade in or out of water.
Estimated domestic and stock use is calculated based on an assumed usage per registered bore per year. In this GMA, 2 ML usage per bore per year is assumed.
More information on groundwater use and availability has been detailed in How we account for .
Table 3: Available water and use, West Wimmera GMA
Compliance
Compliance against water entitlements is reported for this groundwater management unit (GMU) in 2 areas:
- entitlement issued: that the volume of entitlements issued in the GMU does not exceed relevant permissible consumptive volumes (PCVs) or has not increased without appropriate approvals
- water extracted: that the volume of water taken under entitlements during the year does not exceed the total water available to licence holders.
Key points on compliance against entitlements
There was an allowed increase in the total entitlement volume from the previous year
A new licence was issued for 5 ML. This volume of water was available within the PCV.
Entitlement volume did not exceed the PCV
The volume of entitlements (53,330 ML) in the West Wimmera GMA did not exceed relevant PCVs (57,409 ML).
Total volume extracted under licences was within the available volume
The total volume extracted under licences (12,244 ML) was within the volume available for the year (62,000 ML).
Table 4: PCV vs total entitlement volumes, West Wimmera GMA
Management responsibilities
Management of water in the West Wimmera GMA is undertaken by various parties.
| Authority | Management responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water |
|
| Government of South Australia |
|
