A water allocation is the percentage of a licensed water user’s entitlement that is credited to their water account for use. We announce allocations each year on 1 July and regularly thereafter until all licence categories in a water source are fully allocated.

We allocate water using water sharing plans to ensure long-term water security and prioritised access to water across NSW. Allocations vary based on the water available in dams, river flows, and the prevailing catchment and weather conditions. In formal terms, allocations are sometimes known as Available Water Determinations.

A detailed description of the AWD process is provided on the DPE-Water website and can be accessed here.

The AWD for Supplementary licence accounts is a separate process and is not dependent on the water available. It is made once at the start of the year and unless there is a management change because of the growth in use strategy, it is maintained at the maximum value prescribed in the plan, which is generally 1 megalitre per share (equivalent to 100% of entitlement).

Note: This dataset is included in the General Purpose Water Accounting Reports: https://datasets.seed.nsw.gov.au/dataset/https-www-industry-nsw-gov-au-water-allocations-availability-water-accounting-gpwar