Water Management Act 1999

Without limiting section 56, the Minister may determine that a water allocation of a licence may be – taken from, or used on, only a specified area of land; or used only for a specified purpose; or used only to allow the taking of water into a specified dam or proposed dam; or used only in accordance with conditions for the avoidance, minimisation or management of associated environmental risks.

Where a water allocation is determined under subsection (1)(c) to be used for the taking of water into a proposed dam or to increase the quantity of water to be taken into an existing dam, the allocation may be made conditional on the completion of – the construction of the proposed dam; or the dam works increasing the existing dam's capacity.

In this section – environmental risk means a material risk that a water allocation may, in respect of any water resource or land, cause – a rise in underground water levels; or soil waterlogging; or increased salination; or increased soil erosion; or the destabilisation of the bank or bed of a watercourse; or the degradation of a riverine or estuarine environment; or a deterioration of water quality.