Mitchell water plan provides for regional growth

The Queensland Government today announced the release of the draft Mitchell water resource plan (WRP) for public comment.

Minister for Natural Resources and Water Craig Wallace said the WRP would provide opportunities for regional growth in the MitchellRiver catchment while ensuring the environment’s water needs are met.

“The WRP sets aside additional water of up to 70 000 megalitres per annum (ML/a) to support new opportunities for growth in water-using industries like mining and irrigated agriculture,” Mr Wallace said.

“It also ensures that the catchment’s communities have a secure entitlement to water to meet their future needs.”

The deadline for comment on the draft WRP has been extended to January 31, 2007, from the January 19 date as previously advertised in public notices.

On average, the catchment discharges some 11.3 million ML/a of water to the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Mr Wallace said only 5920 ML/a, or less than 0.1 per cent of this average discharge volume was currently allocated for town, mining, industrial and irrigated agricultural uses.

“As the community and its industries look to the future for growth, more demand will be placed on the catchment’s water resources,” he said.

“While the plan allows for growth opportunities, it also limits water use to less than one per cent of the median annual discharge.

“In this way, interests that rely on water remaining in the system, like fisheries, tourism, cultural and environmental values are not compromised.”

Mr Wallace said the draft plan did not allow for any new large in-stream dams, similar to those often associated with large-scale irrigation.

“Private investments in off-stream water harvesting storages are favoured under the draft plan to allow steady growth in property-scale irrigation areas.

“New licences for irrigation will require land and water management plans to ensure water use is ecologically sustainable, offering an added environmental safeguard.”

Mr Wallace said the draft Mitchell Water Resource Plan addressed the management of in-stream water, overland flow water and groundwater.

“In addressing these sources as a single resource, the draft plan recognises that the free movement of water between floodplains, streams and aquifers is important to the catchment’s health.”

The draft Mitchell WRP is open for public comment until 31 January 2007.

The Department of Natural Resources and Water will have information on display on:

27 November 2006: 8.30am to 11.30am at the MitchellRoom, Centre for Tropical Agriculture, Peters Street, Mareeba.

27 November 2006: 2.00pm to 4.00pm at the Meeting Room, The Hub, Queen Street, Chillagoe.

More information on the Mitchell WRP can be found at www.nrw.qld.gov.au/wrp/mitchell

Media contact: Paul Childs 0407 131 654 or paul.childs@ministerial.qld.gov.au