Strategic reserve water release (Flinders River catchment)

The Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water is releasing unallocated water held as strategic reserve for the Flinders River catchment area under the Water Plan (Gulf) 2007 to support the development of the Saint Elmo Vanadium Project.

Purpose of the release

The Saint Elmo Vanadium Project is a project of regional significance and is currently the only project eligible to access strategic reserve water.

A release of unallocated water within this catchment area for a project of regional significance will stimulate the economic recovery of regional Queensland.

Type of water entitlement

The unallocated water will be released by fixed price sale. An options contract to buy water at a predetermined price will be granted. This option can be exercised when specified preconditions are satisfied within the expiry period.

Impacts to existing entitlements and the environment

We will only grant a licence subject to conditions that are designed to meet environmental flow objectives described under the Gulf Water Plan and to protect existing water users.

A new licence will not compromise the reliability of existing water authorisations. The flow thresholds will also ensure that ecological benefits to waterholes, floodplains, estuaries, and Gulf fisheries continue in accordance with the outcomes under the Gulf Water Plan.

For more information about the release, contact waterinfonorth@rdmw.qld.gov.au.

Tender process

A tender process for the release of unallocated water from the general reserve is currently open to support primary production and processing, and large-scale water supply projects which support irrigated agriculture.