Fitzroy Basin water plan area

This information will help you understand how water is managed in the water plan area and how you can access water.

Map of the water plan area

Check whether your property is covered by the plan on the Queensland Globe water plan map (use Google Chrome for best results) or download the Fitzroy Basin water plan area map (PDF, 366KB).

What's happening?

  • 30 November 2024: Due date for meter revalidations for the Lower Callide, Prospect Creek and Upper Callide groundwater sub-areas.
  • 30 October 2023: The operation of the Rookwood Weir Water Supply Scheme is now set to commence with the finalisation of the amended resource operations licence (PDF, 250KB) and operations manual (PDF, 2.3MB).
  • 22 June 2023: The Fitzroy Basin water management protocol has been amended to support unallocated water and water allocation dealing rules associated with the operation of Rookwood Weir. View the amended water management protocol (PDF, 3MB) or read the summary of amendments.
  • 6 March 2023: 69,360ML of unallocated water from the strategic water infrastructure reserve has been granted to allow 13 licensees temporary access to water from the Dawson River until 30 September 2025. Read the evaluation report (PDF, 2.2MB) for more details about the release process.
  • 12 September 2022: Rookwood Weir is nearing completion and changes are being prepared to the operational rules and licence for the Rookwood Weir Water Supply Scheme. Visit the Sunwater project page for updates.
  • 18 August 2022: Postponement of water plan expiry date. The Water Plan (Fitzroy Basin) 2011 has been postponed to allow the department to complete technical assessments and undertake consultation to replace the water plan. The new expiry date is 30 August 2025.
  • 28 July 2022: the review of the Fitzroy Basin water plan is underway. We need to develop a replacement plan to address current and emerging issues to ensure we continue the sustainable management of water in the basin and balance the needs of all water users.

Water management

Summary

Type of waterManagement
Surface water Check the water plan information below for rules and requirements
Overland flow Check the water plan information below for rules and requirements—also refer below for notification requirements for overland flow works
Underground water Check the water plan and water management protocol for rules and requirements for the Isaac Connors, Highlands, Carnarvon, Fitzroy and Callide groundwater management areas

Check the Great Artesian Basin and other regional aquifers water plan for additional requirements that might apply

Water plan information

Notification of existing overland flow works

To ensure you meet the requirement of the water plan, you must notify us of existing overland flow works as soon as possible. Failure to do this is a breach of the Water Act 2000. Use form W2F019 – Notification of existing overland flow works (PDF, 273KB). For works installed after these dates, find out more about requirements for new works for taking overland flow.

  • If you are a landowner, you must notify us if the works were in existence prior to 13 September 2001.
  • If you are a holder of a mining tenement and or petroleum tenure, you must notify us if the works were in existence prior to 9 December 2011. You do not need to notify us if the works are to satisfy the requirement of an environmental authority issued under the Environmental Protection Act 1994.

Water supply scheme operators

The following schemes operate in the water plan area. Check the relevant operations manual for day-to-day operational, water sharing and seasonal water assignment rules.

NameOperatorLicenceManual
Callide Valley Water Supply Scheme Sunwater Resource operations licence (PDF, 249KB)Operations manual (PDF, 258KB)
Dawson Valley Water Supply Scheme Sunwater Resource operations licence (PDF, 175KB)Operations manual (PDF, 271KB)
Theodore Channel Scheme (Dawson Valley Water Supply Scheme) Theodore Water Distribution operations licence (PDF, 123KB)Operations manual (PDF, 245KB)
Fitzroy Barrage Water Supply Scheme Rockhampton Regional Council Resource operations licenceOperations manual
Lower Fitzroy Water Supply Scheme Sunwater Resource operations licence (PDF, 222KB)Operations manual (PDF, 99KB)
Nogoa Mackenzie Water Supply Scheme Sunwater Resource operations licence (PDF, 160KB)Operations manual (PDF, 1.3MB)
Emerald Channel Scheme (Nogoa Mackenzie Water Supply Scheme) Fairbairn Irrigation Network Pty LtdDistribution operations licence (PDF, 195KB)Operations manual (PDF, 511KB)

Rookwood Weir Water Supply Scheme

Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water

Resource operations licence (PDF, 250KB)

Operations manual (PDF, 2.3MB)

Accessing water

Follow the links below for more information on how to access water in the water plan area.

Announced entitlements and limits The water you can take through your water entitlement may be limited. Check announced entitlements and limits for unsupplemented water or contact the water supply scheme operator for supplemented water.
Water allocation trading - water supply schemes
Water allocation trading - unsupplemented water

Check the water management protocol (see above) for trading rules for:

  • Comet water management area
  • Dawson Valley water management area
  • Fitzroy water management area
  • Lower Callide groundwater sub-area (see current locations of water allocations)
  • Nogoa water management area
  • Theresa Retreat water management area.
Seasonal water assignment

Check the water management protocol (see above) for rules and read about the application process.

Rookwood Weir

Read about the Rookwood Weir project.

Contact us

Contact the Rockhampton business centre for more information on water management and how you can access water in the Fitzroy Basin.

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