Barron general reserve

If you are located where water is being released, and are interested in accessing general reserve water, you should start planning for a project, including the location(s) and volume of water that you are seeking:

• Establish whether you can construct and operate works to take water at the proposed location(s).
• For all projects, consider best practice principles and guidelines in determining the required annual volume of water and land area.

Determine whether the location is a watercourse.

The watercourse identification map will help you to search for your property, the location of take and identify the water feature(s) at that location. It will help you distinguish:

• watercourse water—from features mapped as a 'watercourse'

To search for your property within the watercourse identification map:

• click on the search function on the left hand side menu and either click on 'Street Address' or 'Lot on plan'
• enter the relevant details and this will take you to your property
• you may need to zoom in or out to see your entire property or location of take.

Blue lines represent a 'watercourse'.

If water features have not been determined from where you wish to access water (light grey lines) or there are no lines shown, you will need to request a watercourse determination from us as soon as possible via WaterServicesNorth@dlgwv.qld.gov.au.

The request should include the following information:

• the address or the lot/plans of the property
• the proposed location(s) from where you intend to take (e.g. GPS location or marked on a map)
• photos of the water features including the bed and banks, vegetation within the bed or along the banks of the feature and any water flow or water holes
• information about duration of water flows, the persistence of waterholes following the wet season, and spring discharge that may be present or has been observed.

We will contact you if we require more information.

Constructing a dam or weir to impound water on a watercourse

If you intend to impound water within a watercourse via a dam or weir to enable you to take water, you may apply for a water licence. An application can be made to the department if you are successful in being granted unallocated water. The structure must not be greater than is necessary for the purposes of taking water that has been granted. See advice on general approvals below about seeking clarity on other approvals that maybe triggered. And advise the department during the upcoming release process if you intend to construct a dam or weir.

General approvals advice

The State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) can act as a centralised contact to provide free information and advice on relevant legislative requirements specific to your project.

We recommend you request pre-lodgement advice from SARA on relevant approvals if these are triggered.

Phone (07) 4037 3214 or email CairnsSARA@dsdilgp.qld.gov.au