ABOUT WETLANDS: Wetlands are a crucial part of the natural environment. Wetlands provide breeding and feeding habitat for waterbirds, fish, invertebrates and plants. Wetlands may be natural or human made. The water in a wetland can be still or flowing, and can be fresh, brackish or saline.

SIGNIFICANT WETLANDS for Unregulated River Water Sharing Plans (Inland NSW): These are wetlands have been identified by the department as being suitable for listing under water sharing plans to protect their water from extraction. The wetlands are those that are recognised under the International Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar), are listed under the Directory of Important Wetlands of Australia (DIWA) or have been identified as wetlands that hold water for long periods during dry times, and have ecological values listed under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.

This data generates an interactive map of wetlands (including lakes and billabongs), considered significant for the purposes of new access and trade rules in inland unregulated water sharing plans. In NSW, all surface and groundwater is managed under water sharing plans (WSPs). WSPs cover large catchments and are subordinate to the Water Management Act 2000. A WSP has rules which protect significant wetlands.

The wetlands were identified through a method developed by the NSW government in 2023. The method does not identify all significant wetlands in a catchment. The types of wetlands in this data set are those which have a water body that is persistent for at least a few months following inundation. It does not include other significant wetlands which may be inundated for shorter periods of time but which still have significance due to the vegetation and fauna that rely on that shorter period of inundation.

This data asset can be used by landholders, conservationists and others to understand the location of significant wetlands, for the purposes of new WSP rules. The spatial data asset complements relevant pdf maps of significant wetlands for remade individual inland river unregulated WSPs (available on DCCEEW Department website).

PLEASE NOTE: In the case of any discrepancy between this digital dataset and the published Water Sharing Plan (accessible on the www.legislation.nsw.gov.au site) the instrument as made by the Minister remains the authoritative source and should be used to both interpret the intent of the Plan and in subsequent decision making. Best endeavours have been made in collating relevant Water Sharing Plan boundary and attribution contained in this dataset. However, no warranty is provided as to the accuracy or currency of this representation. The department does not warrant and is not liable for the use of this material as per the licenced sharing conditions CC-BY 4.0.

Note: If you would like to ask a question, make any suggestions, or tell us how you are using this dataset, please visit the NSW Water Hub which has an online forum you can join.