The Territory Labor Government is giving landholders, anglers and key industries certainty around water use, while also providing protection for our water ways with the release of the Surface Water Intake – Wet Season Flows Policy.
Water is vital for the future economic development of the Territory but, first and foremost, it needs to be used in a manner that does not compromise environmental and cultural values. This policy sets clear guidance to industry about access to wet season flows, and a pathway for responsible and sustainable economic development.
The policy is highly precautionary, reducing the volume of water otherwise available under existing policy from 20% to less than 5% of wet season flows in Top End rivers. Alternatively, a safe volume may be specified by a water allocation plan, based on scientific evidence.
The policy calculates the amount of water available based on dry conditions and does not allow water to be taken in the driest years, through setting minimum flow conditions in licences.
The Interference with a Waterway Guideline operates with this policy to ensure that infrastructure required for surface water take in the wet season is considered at the same time.
The Territory Government has and will continue to modernise our laws, regulations, policies and licences to protect our diverse and complex environment.
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