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
- 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 water | Management |
|---|---|
| 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
- Water plan
- Water management protocol (PDF, 3MB)
- Access historical documents and reports and previous water plans
- Access the Minister's performance reports for the plan
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.
| Name | Operator | Licence | Manual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 licence | Operations 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 Ltd | Distribution operations licence (PDF, 195KB) | Operations manual (PDF, 511KB) |
Rookwood Weir Water Supply Scheme | To be developed |
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:
|
| 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.
Also consider...
- Find out more about Indigenous water reserves.
- Get streamflow and groundwater data from the Queensland Government Water monitoring information portal.
- Access maps and water data using Queensland Globe or the water entitlement viewer.
- Find out about river improvement trusts and their work.
- View price information for permanent water allocation trades and relocatable water licences.
- Read about water planning and learn where to find information in the new water planning documents.
- Read the Water planning science plan 2020–2030 to find out how we use science to develop water plans and improve water planning.
- Last reviewed: 28 Jul 2022
- Last updated: 8 Sep 2023