{"id":"natural-resources-management-western-mount-lofty-ranges-surface-water-prescribed-area-regulations-2005","name":"Natural Resources Management (Western Mount Lofty Ranges—Surface Water Prescribed Area) Regulations 2005","slug":"natural-resources-management-western-mount-lofty-ranges-surface-water-prescribed-area-regulations-20","collection":"regulation","jurisdiction":"sa","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":236230,"registerId":"sa-natural-resources-management-western-mount-lofty-ranges-surface-water-prescribed-area-regulations-2005-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-06","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Natural Resources Management (Western Mount Lofty Ranges—Surface Water Prescribed Area) Regulations 2005","content":"South Australia\nNatural Resources Management (Western Mount Lofty Ranges—Surface Water Prescribed Area) Regulations 2005\nunder the Natural Resources Management Act 2004\n\nContents\n1\tShort title\n2\tCommencement\n3\tInterpretation\n4\tDeclaration of surface water prescribed area\n5\tEstablishment and prescribed periods\n6\tOperation of section 124(4)\nLegislative history\n\n1—Short title\nThese regulations may be cited as the Natural Resources Management (Western Mount Lofty Ranges—Surface Water Prescribed Area) Regulations 2005.\n2—Commencement\nThese regulations come into operation on the day on which they are made.\n3—Interpretation\nIn these regulations—\nAct means the Natural Resources Management Act 2004;\nWestern Mount Lofty Ranges Surface Water Area means the area bounded by the bold red line in GRO Plan No 241/2004.\n4—Declaration of surface water prescribed area\nThe Western Mount Lofty Ranges Surface Water Area is declared to be a surface water prescribed area.\n5—Establishment and prescribed periods\n\t(1)\tThe establishment period in relation to the surface water prescribed area declared by regulation 4 commenced on 1 July 2001 and ended at the commencement of the prescribed period (14 October 2004).\n\t(2)\tThe prescribed period in relation to the surface water prescribed area declared by regulation 4 commenced on 14 October 2004 and will end on 31 December 2008.\n6—Operation of section 124(4)\nPursuant to section 124(5) of the Act, the operation of section 124(4) of the Act is excluded in relation to the surface water prescribed area declared under regulation 4.\nLegislative history\nNotes\n\t•\tFor further information relating to the Act and subordinate legislation made under the Act see the Index of South Australian Statutes or www.legislation.sa.gov.au.\nPrincipal regulations\nYear\nNo\nReference\nCommencement\n2005\n229\nGazette 20.10.2005 p3795\n20.10.2005: r 2 \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This legislation remains tightly focused on its original purpose: declaring a specific surface water prescribed area with associated timing rules. It has not expanded beyond this narrow, technical function."},"complexity_factors":["Very short: only 6 substantive regulations plus title and commencement provisions","Only 2 defined terms in the interpretation section ('Act' and 'Western Mount Lofty Ranges Surface Water Area')","Minimal cross-referencing: only references to section 124 of the parent Act and one map reference (GRO Plan No 241/2004)","Simple temporal structure with clear start and end dates","Single conditional element (the exclusion of section 124(4)) with no nested exceptions","No sub-delegation of powers or intricate administrative procedures"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this legislation does:**\n\nThese regulations **declare a specific area in South Australia** — the Western Mount Lofty Ranges Surface Water Area — as a **\"surface water prescribed area\"** under the Natural Resources Management Act 2004.\n\n**What that means in practice:**\n\nWhen an area is declared a \"prescribed area\" for surface water, it triggers special legal rules about who can take water from that area and how much they can use. It's essentially the government saying: *\"This water resource is under pressure, so we're putting it under formal management.\"*\n\n**Key details:**\n\n* **The area covered:** A specific region bounded by a red line on a government map called \"GRO Plan No 241/2004\" (this is a technical survey plan that shows exactly where the boundaries are).\n* **Timing rules:** The regulations set two important time periods:\n  * **Establishment period:** 1 July 2001 to 14 October 2004 (this was the lead-up time when the area was being prepared for formal management)\n  * **Prescribed period:** 14 October 2004 to 31 December 2008 (this was when the full water management rules were active)\n* **Special exclusion:** The regulations specifically **turn off** a particular legal protection (section 124(4) of the Act) that would normally apply. This section usually gives certain rights to people who were already using water before the area was prescribed — by excluding it, the government removed those grandfathered rights for this specific area.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n\n* Landholders and water users in the Western Mount Lofty Ranges region\n* Anyone wanting to take surface water (from rivers, creeks, or runoff) in that area\n* The government agency managing water resources\n\n**Why it matters:**\n\nThis is a **time-limited, technical regulation** that was part of South Australia's water reform process in the mid-2000s. It allowed the government to control water use in a stressed catchment area during a specific 4-year window. The exclusion of section 124(4) is particularly significant — it meant that even people who had been using water for years didn't get automatic rights to keep using it; they had to fit within the new management system."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The regulations implement a declaration (the mapped area), prescribe establishment and prescribed periods, and exclude operation of section 124(4) for that area. They do not, on their face, expand or narrow the area or add substantive new powers beyond those modifications to the Act’s operation described in the instrument."},"complexity_factors":["Very short instrument with limited provisions (declaration, dates, and a single statutory exclusion).","Legal effect depends on cross-reference to the Natural Resources Management Act 2004 (not reproduced here), notably sections 124(4) and 124(5).","Geographical scope is defined by an external map (GRO Plan No 241/2004), requiring access to that plan to identify exact boundaries.","Temporal rules set fixed historical and future dates, which are straightforward but require attention for compliance timelines.","Low procedural detail in the instrument — operational consequences and compliance obligations are governed by the Act, increasing reliance on secondary sources for full effect."],"plain_english_summary":"These regulations declare the Western Mount Lofty Ranges Surface Water Area (as shown on GRO Plan No 241/2004) to be a \"surface water prescribed area\" and set its establishment period (1 July 2001–14 October 2004) and prescribed period (14 October 2004–31 December 2008). They also exclude operation of section 124(4) of the Natural Resources Management Act 2004 for that area, changing the Act’s default legal effect and thereby affecting landholders, water users and regulators within the mapped area."},"summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Scope cannot be meaningfully assessed as the legislative text was not retrievable. The regulation title suggests a focused, geographically specific instrument with a singular purpose — prescribing a surface water area in the Western Mount Lofty Ranges — which is consistent with its apparent original intent. No evidence of scope change could be identified from the available material."},"complexity_factors":["The actual legislative text was not available — only a 404 error page was provided, making full analysis impossible","Natural resources management regulations typically involve geographic boundary definitions that require specialist knowledge to interpret","Surface water prescription regimes interact with broader NRM planning frameworks, water allocation plans, and licensing schemes","Regulations of this type often cross-reference parent Acts and other subsidiary instruments, adding interpretive layers","Score is conservative given no actual text was analysed — true complexity may be higher or lower"],"plain_english_summary":"The regulation was intended to declare the Western Mount Lofty Ranges a prescribed area for surface‑water management, giving the government authority to regulate taking and use of surface water within that region. It would mainly affect landowners, farmers, irrigators and businesses who rely on local streams and watercourses, potentially requiring licences and limits to protect supplies that feed Adelaide and surrounding areas.\n\nNote: the regulation text was not retrievable (page not found); this summary is based on the title and general practice, not the instrument’s specific provisions."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/natural-resources-management-western-mount-lofty-ranges-surface-water-prescribed-area-regulations-20","history":"/api/acts/natural-resources-management-western-mount-lofty-ranges-surface-water-prescribed-area-regulations-20/history","analysis":"/api/acts/natural-resources-management-western-mount-lofty-ranges-surface-water-prescribed-area-regulations-20/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/natural-resources-management-western-mount-lofty-ranges-surface-water-prescribed-area-regulations-20/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/natural-resources-management-western-mount-lofty-ranges-surface-water-prescribed-area-regulations-20/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/natural-resources-management-western-mount-lofty-ranges-surface-water-prescribed-area-regulations-20/documents"}}