These seven project make up 26.5 per cent of the water expected to be recovered by the $1.4 billion SDLAM program.
The projects are a key part of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan and are designed to offset the need to recover an additional 605 Gl of water.
The independent report by Indec found seven of the 37 SDL projects were unlikely to be delivered on time in their current form.
One of the projects ‘at risk’ of missing the June 2024 deadline is a constraints project in the Goulburn-Broken system — the only one which is the sole responsibility of Victoria, while several other multi-jurisdictional projects, of which Victoria is a part of, are also at risk.
“With just over three years remaining in the original time frames for project delivery, we consider that there would be merit in conducting a more detailed review of these ‘constraints’ projects,” the report said.
“These projects share a number of traits which, due to their complexity and inherent nature, are unlikely to be overcome using ‘normal’ project management processes.”
Of the seven ‘at risk’ SDLs, four are NSW projects (Menindee Lakes, Yarrawonga to Wakool, Murrumbidgee to Yanco and Murrumbidgee general), one is a Victorian project (Goulburn River constraints) and two are joint system-wide projects (Hume to Yarrawonga and enhanced environmental delivery).
Of the 37 projects, Victoria and NSW each have nine, South Australia has five, while Victoria and NSW have six joint projects, and the three states are co-operating to implement seven projects.
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