Changes are proposed to access rules in the Upper Brunswick River Water Source. It is proposed to:

• Introduce a pumping restriction of 6 hours/day when flows are greater than 2 ML/day and less than or equal to 6 ML/day (currently 4 ML/day) at the Durrumbul gauge #202001 during November to May. 
• Increase the 24-hour first flush/commence to take rule to 6 ML/day (currently 4 ML/day), which follows a low flow of 2 ML/day, to protect a proportion of fresh flows. 
• Introduce a new access rule to enable and enhance the migration of Australian bass and other native fish species. The cease to take (pump) will increase to 8 ML/day for the months of June to October. 

The following changes to trade rules are proposed for the following water sources:

• Kings Creek: Trade into this water source is proposed to also be permitted from the Lower Brunswick Water Source. This is in addition to the current plan rules which permit trade from the Mullumbimby Creek, Tyagarah Creek and Upper Brunswick River Water Sources. Trade is proposed to now only be permitted to a maximum of 43 ML/year, rather than the current 70 ML/year. 
• Lower Brunswick: Trade into this water sourced is proposed to remain permitted from the Kings Creek, Mullumbimby Creek, and Upper Brunswick River Water Sources only. The trade limit is proposed to be set to no net gain above the water source entitlement at the new plan’s commencement, rather than no limit. 
• Lower Marshalls Creek: No trade into this water source is proposed to be permitted from any water source. This is a change from the current rule where trade is permitted from the Upper Marshalls Creek Water Source only. 
• Mullumbimby Creek: Trade into this water source is proposed to also be permitted from the Lower Brunswick River Water Source. This is in addition to the current plan rules which permit trade from the Kings Creek and Upper Brunswick River Water Sources. Trade is proposed to now be permitted to a maximum of 112 ML/year, instead of 105 ML/year.
• Upper Brunswick River: Trade into this water source is proposed to also be permitted from the Lower Brunswick River Water Source. This is in addition to the current plan rules which permit trade from the Kings Creek and Mullumbimby Creek Water Sources. All trades are still subject to no net gain above water source entitlement at the new plan’s commencement. 
• Upper Marshalls Creek: Trade into this water source is now proposed to be prohibited. This is a change from trade being permitted up to 302 ML/year. 

All trades within water sources are proposed to remain permitted subject to assessment. The current trade rules between and within all other water sources within the water sharing plan area remain unchanged.

It is proposed that surface water access rules will be applied to groundwater extraction from alluvium within waterfront land (waterfront land is as defined in the Dictionary of the Water Management Act 2000 and includes the bed and bank of any river, lake or estuary and all land within 40 meters of the highest bank of the river, lake or estuary).

Alluvium within waterfront land holds water that is highly connected to surface water. Extracting water from the alluvium within waterfront land has a similar impact to extracting water from the adjacent river or creek. It is therefore proposed to manage extraction of this water in the same way with the same rules to access water.

It is proposed to include new distance restriction rules for water supply works that take groundwater. This reduces the risk of introducing contaminated water into aquifers, protects human health and increases protection for high priority vegetation Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems.

The proposed new rules are:

• Distance restrictions of 500 m from contamination sources and 250 m from an on-site sewerage disposal system included for new works that access groundwater.
• The distance restriction from new production bores to high priority vegetation Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GDEs) has been standardised to 200 m, rather than setting a distance based on extraction volume.