Water Plan (Burdekin Basin) 2007

Each of the following is a general outcome for water in the plan area—

to provide for the use of all water entitlements and other authorisations in the plan area;

to provide for the continued use of all existing overland flow works;

to protect the probability of being able to take water under a water allocation;

to make water available to support—

population growth in towns and communities dependent on surface water resources in the plan area; and

growth in industries dependent on surface water resources in the plan area;

to make water available in the Lower Burdekin and Haughton subcatchments to support—

water supplies for Townsville; and

growth in irrigated agriculture in the Lower Burdekin, Gumlu and Bowen areas; and

water supplies for other urban, industrial and mining uses; and

the natural and artificial recharge of the Lower Burdekin delta groundwater system;

to make water available in the Upper Burdekin subcatchment to support—

growth in irrigated agriculture; and

water supplies for the local government area of the Charters Towers Regional Council and the mining industry;

to make water available in the Belyando-Suttor subcatchment to support growth in irrigated agriculture;

to make water available in the Bowen and Broken subcatchments to support water supplies for urban, industrial, mining and other uses at Collinsville and in neighbouring areas;

to manage access to water to support the ongoing management of the Lower Burdekin delta groundwater system;

to encourage continual improvement in the efficient use of water;

to support water-related cultural values of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the plan area;

to ensure water is available to support natural ecosystem processes.