Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder
CEWH · Commonwealth Environmental Water Office · CEWO
3 March 2008 – present
Independent statutory office that manages the water entitlements the Commonwealth has recovered for the environment, mainly in the Murray-Darling Basin, deciding when and where that water is delivered to rivers, wetlands and floodplains. It is supported by the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office within the environment department.
How it came into existence
Created as a statutory position by Part 6 of the Water Act 2007 when the Act's main provisions commenced on 3 March 2008, and placed in the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, with a senior departmental officer appointed to the position, to manage the environmental water being recovered by the Commonwealth.
- Management of water recovered for the environment
Created as a statutory office within the department, which supplied its staff.
Legislation: Water Act 2007
Changes during its life
- 14 September 2010Moved to the new Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.
- 18 September 2013Moved to the new Department of the Environment, where it stayed when water policy moved to the agriculture portfolio in 2015.
- 19 July 2016Moved to the Department of the Environment and Energy.
- 1 February 2020Moved to the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.
- 1 July 2022Moved to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Main functions
- Holding and managing Commonwealth environmental water entitlements
- Planning and delivering environmental watering events
- Trading water allocations to meet environmental objectives
- Monitoring and evaluating the outcomes of environmental water use
- Working with Basin states, the MDBA and local communities on water delivery
Where it sits
In the portfolio of Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Lineage
Loading lineage…
Sources
Primary sources
- Australian Government Organisations Register (Department of Finance, data.gov.au) (listed from 11 December 2014 to the latest release (30 June 2026))
- Water Act 2007 (as made)
Some dates or links for this organisation are not fully confirmed. Corrections are welcome.