The Greater South East Irrigation Scheme (GSEIS) is being designed with environmental protection as a core priority and will be subject to rigorous environmental assessment as part of the approvals process for the project.

The GSEIS will integrate three existing schemes in the south east, and improve reliability of water supply for current and new irrigators. It will transition farmers off drinking water in two of the three existing schemes which are currently reliant on TasWater supply.

Tasmanian Irrigation Chief Executive Officer Mike Sylvester said the project is due to enter the approvals process later this year, once the final design is complete.

“Our projects are subject to assessment under Commonwealth and State environmental legislation. The legislation requires a rigorous assessment process to ensure that any potential environmental harm can be avoided or mitigated. We welcome this appropriately rigorous level of scrutiny.”

Tasmanian Irrigation has an in-principle agreement to purchase water from Hydro Tasmania from Lake Meadowbank, upstream of Meadowbank Dam, that will be delivered via underground pipes to irrigators in the south east when commissioned. The annual volume for GSEIS irrigation at full capacity is approximately 1.3 per cent of the historic average total annual water discharged from Meadowbank Dam.

“Hydro Tasmania has existing downstream summer and winter flow commitments in the Derwent River,” Mr Sylvester said. “Hydro Tasmania has confirmed that the GSEIS, once commissioned, will not affect its ability to meet those commitments.

“We will continue to work with Hydro Tasmania as the GSEIS project progresses.”

In addition to assessment under Commonwealth and State environmental legislation, the GSEIS will be subject to planning approvals under the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993, as well as requirements relating to biodiversity, cultural heritage and land management. This includes controls such as threatened species permitting, reserve management processes where applicable, and strict biosecurity and weed hygiene measures during construction and operation.

Once the GSEIS is commissioned, further environmental protection is achieved through Farm Water Access Plans, which guide the sustainable application of irrigation water on farming properties. These are property specific management plans that must be in place before an irrigator can receive water from Tasmanian Irrigation.

There will be a full public consultation process as part of assessment under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and Tasmanian Irrigation will continue to engage appropriately with all project stakeholders.