A water plan for diversity and growth in the Gulf Country

The Queensland Government today announced the release of the Gulf Water Resource Plan (WRP) for public comment.

Minister for Natural Resources and Water Craig Wallace said the draft WRP would establish a water management framework for industry and communities across the Gulf Country.

“This will allow communities to continue to grow without compromising the natural values of rivers and landscapes,” Mr Wallace said.

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.

The draft WRP includes the catchments of the Staaten, Gilbert, Norman, Flinders, Leichhardt and Nicholson rivers, the Morning Inlet and Settlement Creek.

These eight catchments are connected by the annual wet season that revives the region’s environments, including its grazing lands, wetlands and the Gulf of Carpentaria fisheries.

Mr Wallace said the draft plan honoured existing entitlements to water totalling about 147 000 megalitres per annum (ML/a) for mining, irrigated agriculture, industrial and town water uses.

“It also sets aside a further 177 900 ML/a to support regional and economic growth.

“Interests such as fisheries, tourism, cultural and environmental values will all be provided for through the final plan.”

On average, the eight catchments of the plan area discharge 23 million ML/a of water to the Gulf of Carpentaria.

“The draft plan limits water use in the plan area to less than 1.5 per cent of this average discharge volume or just over two per cent of the equivalent median annual discharge.”

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, like those already established in parts of the Flinders and Leichhardt river catchments, are favoured under the draft plan to allow steady growth in property-scale irrigation areas. Land and water management plans will ensure water use is ecologically sustainable.”

Mr Wallace said the draft Gulf Water Resource Plan would also secure water supplies for MountIsa and the mining industry through the creation of tradable water allocations.

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

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

28 November 2006: 8.30am to 10:30am at Etheridge Shire Hall, Saint George Street, Georgetown.

28 November 2006: 2.00pm to 4.00pm at the Board Room, Carpentaria Shire Council Chambers, 29-33 Haig Street, Normanton.

29 November 2006: 11.00am to 2.00pm at the BurkeShireTown Hall, Musgrave Street, Burketown.

30 November 2006: 9.00am to 12.00pm at the Foyer, MountIsa Civic Centre, West Street, Mount Isa.

30 November 2006: 2.00pm to 4.00pm at the Meeting Room, Cloncurry Shire Hall, Scarr Street, Cloncurry.

1 December 2006: 8.30am to 11.30am at the Supper Room, Richmond Shire Hall, Goldring Street, Richmond.

1 December 2006: 2.00pm to 4.00pm at the Meeting Room, Diggers Entertainment Centre, 21 Brody St Hughenden.

More information on the draft Gulf water resource plan can be found on at www.nrw.qld.gov.au/wrp/gulf

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