Managing water in the Top End

It’s always a pleasure to hear what water ministers nationwide are doing when managing their state or territory’s water resources. In this issue, we welcome the newly appointed Northern Territory Minister for Water Resources, Joshua Burgoyne.

It’s great to have the opportunity to share some of the important work we are doing, in vastly different climatic environments and geological landscapes, which are unlike any in the world and unique in many ways to the rest of Australia as well.

In the Northern Territory (NT), our water resources are largely intact with wild rivers and extensive groundwater resources. Our water resources support our Territory lifestyle, and we have water available to enable the economic development required to secure a productive future for all Territorians.

In the Territory, we prioritise water remaining in the system for the environment first and foremost.

However, being self-sufficient and having economic resilience is important for the Territory. Access to water is one way Territory communities can realise their economic development aspirations and support the Territory economy.

Through water plans, we also make sure Aboriginal people have access to water to use it or trade it, as they see fit.

In December 2024, I declared the first ever water allocation plan for the Mataranka region and a revised plan for the Western Davenport in the Central Australian desert region.

As Minister for Water Resources, my decision to declare the plans was based on the scientific evidence obtained from a continuous ground and surface water monitoring regime, groundwater investigations, and water resource assessments that have been undertaken over many decades.

The measures in these plans ensure water resource management is proportional to the nature and scale of opportunities for using the water in these regions, and the impact it may have on the environment.

The Mataranka plan specifically protects and manages the Tindall Limestone Aquifer that provides the base water flows to the Roper River, the Territory’s second largest river.

I’m sure many readers will recognise the renowned thermal pools of Mataranka and Bitter Springs – a highlight of the road trip to Darwin for many, and on countless Australians’ travel bucket lists – both of which are protected by the plan.

It is a region where some water dependant development has occurred, primarily for agriculture, tourism and for public water supply, which has further informed the understanding of the resource and its response to extraction. Through our research we have seen groundwater storage increase steadily since the 1960s, despite water extraction which started in the early 2000s.

With more than 32 million megalitres of water stored in the aquifer and a precautionary, sustainable extraction limit that has been set by the plan of 62,474 megalitres per year, the plan balances environmental needs with economic potential.

The Mataranka plan recognises the outstanding environmental values of the iconic Rainbow and Bitter springs. It preserves more than 90 per cent of the dry season flows to the Roper River, supporting connectivity and ecosystems that drive the abundance of fish and other wildlife synonymous with the Roper River.

To protect flows in the more sensitive areas, water licenses have been capped at current levels in both the North Mataranka and South Mataranka zones.

There is opportunity for increased water extraction for agriculture, industry and development in the Larrimah zone, where extraction has been shown to have minimal impact on flows in the Roper River. Aboriginal communities are supported with 4,574 ML per year allocated to the Aboriginal water reserve specifically for their economic development.

In stark geographic contrast, the Western Davenport region in Central Australia covers an area of 24,594 km², with the Central Plains holding an estimated 138 million megalitres of water.

There is strong interest in increasing agricultural and horticultural development in the district, with mining exploration also occurring in the general area. A ten-year plan provides certainty for business investment, while ensuring any development in this arid region is sustainable over the long-term.

Groundwater depths are highly variable, ranging from near surface to 50 metres below ground level, with shallower groundwater responsible for sustaining groundwater dependent ecosystems, including large trees, especially during long periods of no rainfall.

The plan recognises the importance of groundwater dependent ecosystems and protects 70 per cent of them from the impacts of development in the area.

The plan allows a maximum of 87,700 megalitres per year to be taken from the groundwater for the next 10 years which is just 0.06 per cent of the total groundwater storage annually, ensuring the aquifer remains a reliable resource for future generations. Over 100 years, taking this amount means that 94 per cent of water would remain stored underground even if no recharge (significant rainfall) events occurred in the century.

Approximately 30,000 ML per year of groundwater remains available for licensing in the Central Plains water management zone.

The plan significantly increases the volume of water available for Aboriginal economic development, with 25,677 ML per year now allocated to the Aboriginal water reserve.

Declaring these plans are the first step towards sustainable water management.

Ongoing monitoring, assessment, and modelling are commitments of both plans. This ensures water management is able to adapt to change, to the climate, and best reflect our understanding of the resource or the local context.

Water under these plans cannot automatically be extracted for commercial use. It is still subject to a water licensing process that considers the local impacts of taking water. This is overseen by the NT’s independent Controller of Water Resources. This ensures my role to set this strategic direction though the plan, is separated from permitting and licensing functions.

All plans are reviewed regularly, with mandatory statutory reviews as well as specific triggers set in each plan.

I am committed to responsible management of our water resources, for the benefit of current and future generations.