The Queensland Government has released the Fitzroy Basin Water Resource Plan (WRP), which determines the future use of watercourses, lakes, springs, overland flow and, for the first time, groundwater.

 

“The new WRP has been developed to protect the region’s environment and ensure farming operations are still economically viable,” State Natural Resources Minister Rachel Nolan said.

 

“We are confident that the new WRP provides for groundwater management, additional tradeable water allocations, overland flow management and future development while maintaining environmental flows that support a range of important ecological assets.”

 

Strategies have been developed to address the over-allocation and overuse of groundwater in the Callide Valley alluviums.

 

Unallocated surface water has been allocated to water infrastructure projects including the Connors River Dam, Nathan Dam and Lower Fitzroy storages as well as providing for future demands for state, environmental, Indigenous and general purposes in the plan area.

 

“In December 2010 we released a draft WRP and overview report were released for public consultation and held six public information sessions throughout the catchment in February 2011,” Ms Nolan said.

 

Further details of the Fitzroy Basin WRP are available on the Department of Environment and Resource Management’s website http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/wrp/fitzroy.html.