New NT water plan reduces available extraction by 50 per cent

In short: 

The amount of water available for extraction in the Western Davenport region has been cut by 70,705 megalitres. 

Environment Minister Kate Worden says the reduction is a reflection of community consultation, including with traditional owners.

What’s next?

The water plan will be reviewed after three years, while its largest licence holder, Singleton Station, needs environmental approval before it can start using its 40,000 megalitre licence. 

The NT government says it has significantly reduced groundwater available in the Western Davenport region south of Tennant Creek, in response to community concerns. 

The change to the area’s water allocation plan means Singleton Station’s controversial 40,000 megalitre (ML) licence now makes up 86 per cent of all water available for commercial use.

The new three-year Western Davenport water allocation plan was not announced by the government but appeared in a gazette notice two days before it entered the caretaker period ahead of the NT election.

The final plan has undergone significant revisions from its draft version, reducing both the amount available for industry and the allocation set aside for Aboriginal economic development.

• 2021-2022 plan: 138,405ML/year available for extraction
• 2023 draft plan: 87,700ML/year available for extraction
• 2024-2027 plan: 67,700ML/year available for extraction

In response to questions from the ABC, the Minister for the Environment and Water Security Kate Worden said the declaration of a shorter plan with reduced allocations was a reflection of “significant consultation over a number of years”.

“Water is an incredibly valuable resource that needs to be managed for all Territorians,” Ms Worden said.

“[We must] find the balance between supporting development and agriculture industry, but not at the expense of the environment.

“During consultation, members of the Western Davenport water advisory committee suggested exploring the option of reducing the estimated sustainable yield to address concerns … including by traditional owners.

“My decision provides an opportunity to address these concerns and increase transparency and governance pertaining to the committee and the water planning process.”

Only seven businesses have licences to use groundwater in the Western Davenport, two of which are Indigenous-owned.

The largest licence is held by Fortune Agribusiness, which is working to get environmental approval to establish 3,500 hectares of irrigated horticulture at Singleton Station.

NT Farmers chief executive Greg Troughton said the final water plan was disappointing. 

“We absolutely respect culture and the environment, but I think development is coming last in this race,” he said.

“Obviously, the best science available suggested an estimated sustainable yield [of 87,700ML] was appropriate, but then the minister has taken an extra precautionary approach.

“As far as I’m concern this [result] is largely about community perception and concerns, rather than the best science.”

Water licences over-allocated 

NT executive director of water resources, Amy Dysart, said there was about 50,000ML of water already licensed to farms in the region, including the 40,000ML set aside for Singleton Station.

She said those water licence entitlements “will be honoured” despite their total exceeding the new plan’s allocation to industry of 46,456ML each year.

Because of that commitment to current water licences, the amount of water available for “Aboriginal economic development” in the region has been cut by about 8,000ML/year.

The Arid Lands Environment Centre, which was critical of the draft proposal, said the new plan still allocated too much water for extraction. 

Chief executive Adrian Tomlinson said it also showed Singleton Station’s large water licence was a mistake. 

“The Singleton licence now amounts to 86 per cent of the water available for consumptive uses like agriculture and industry, outside the Aboriginal water reserve,” he said. 

“It also means the Aboriginal water reserve is not fully available to local Aboriginal people.

“This highlights the unacceptability of the Singleton licence, which will also damage ecosystems at a vast scale.”

The Central Land Council, which represents traditional owners and is appealing an unsuccessful challenge to Fortune Agribusiness’ water licence in the Supreme Court, declined to comment on the new plan. 

Fortune Agribusiness also declined to comment. 

Water extraction subject to conditions 

The plan includes a trigger for its review when groundwater taken exceeds 70 per cent “to provide a mechanism for assessment of the adaptive management actions to ensure these are occurring as expected”.

“This includes limitations on where extraction can occur to maintain agreed depth to groundwater and rules to limit or amend take where there are impacts beyond allowable limits to groundwater-dependant ecosystems,” the plan said.

The plan also includes a guideline that 70 per cent of groundwater-dependent ecosystems should be protected. 

But the Arid Lands Environment Centre (ALEC) said: “This guideline has to go.” 

“[The plan] will result in the widespread destruction of groundwater-dependent trees, soaks, and wetlands, which depend on shallow groundwater,” ALEC said. 

“Sacred sites are at risk and the salinity impacts put the long-term viability of the water resource at risk.”