Burdekin Basin water plan area
This information will help you understand how water is managed in the water plan area and how you can access water.
Map of the water plan area
Check whether your property is covered by the plan on the Queensland Globe water plan map (use Google Chrome for best results) or download the Burdekin water plan area map (PDF, 423KB).
What's happening?
- 30 November 2024: Due date for meter revalidations for the Burdekin groundwater management area.
- 18 August 2023: A notice was gazetted (PDF, 58KB) to postpone the expiry date of the water plan by 3 years to 1 September 2026. This will allow the department to complete technical assessments and undertake adequate consultation to address emerging issues as part of the replacement process.
- May 2023: The Burdekin Regional Water Assessment is underway to set out how existing infrastructure, new infrastructure and non-infrastructure solutions can be used to maximise water supply in the Burdekin and drive economic growth.
- 10 March 2023: the review of the Burdekin Basin water plan is underway. We need to develop a replacement plan to address current and emerging issues to ensure we continue the sustainable management of water in the basin and balance the needs of all water users.
Water management
Summary
| Type of water | Management |
|---|---|
| Surface water | Check the water plan information below for rules and requirements |
| Overland flow | Check the water plan information below for rules and requirements |
| Underground water | Check the Water Regulation 2016 for requirements in the Burdekin, Greater Western and Highlands water management areas. Check the Great Artesian Basin and Other Regional Aquifers water plan for underground water and spring water in the Great Artesian Basin and other important regional aquifers. |
Water plan information
- Water plan.
- Water management protocol (PDF, 597KB).
- Access historical documents and reports and previous water plans.
- Access the Minister's performance reports for the plan.
Water sharing rules
Water supply scheme operators and manuals
The licences contain information about the roles and responsibilities of the licence holders. Check the operations manuals for day-to-day operational, water sharing and seasonal water assignment rules.
| Name | Operator | Licence | Manual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burdekin Haughton Water Supply Scheme | Sunwater | Resource operations licence (PDF, 161KB) | Operations manual (PDF, 148KB) |
| Bowen Broken Water Supply Scheme | Sunwater | Resource operations licence (PDF, 116KB) | Operations manual (PDF, 158KB) |
| Lower Burdekin | Lower Burdekin Water Board | Distribution operations licence (PDF, 66KB) | Operations manual (PDF, 92KB) |
Accessing water
Follow the links below for more information on how to access water in the water plan area.
| Announced entitlements and limits | The water you can take through your water allocations or licences may be limited. Check announced entitlements and limits for unsupplemented water or contact the water supply scheme operator for supplemented water. |
|---|---|
| Unallocated water releases | Check current release process |
| Water allocation trading - water scheme areas | Bowen Broken Rivers: Allocation trading and rules | Current locations of water allocations Burdekin Haughton: Allocation trading and rules | Current locations of water allocation |
| Water allocation trading - unsupplemented water | Trading available in the Lower Burdekin, Haughton, Bowen Broken, Upper Burdekin and Cape Campaspe water management areas. Check the Water management protocol (PDF, 597KB) for trading rules. |
Contact us
Contact the Ayr business centre for more information on water management and how you can access water in the Burdekin Basin.
Also consider...
- Explore the various ways we use science to develop, monitor, review and evaluate our water plans using our interactive storymap.
- Read Queensland's water plans in a variable and changing climate report to understand how water plans incorporate climate science and manage the risks of climate variability.
- Find out more about Indigenous water reserves.
- Get streamflow and groundwater data from the Queensland Government Water monitoring information portal.
- Access maps and water data using Queensland Globe or the water entitlement viewer.
- Find out about river improvement trusts and their work.
- View price information for permanent water allocation trades and relocatable water licences.
- Read about water planning and learn where to find information in the new water planning documents.
- Read the Water planning science plan 2020–2030 to find out how we use science to develop water plans and improve water planning.