Statement of intent – Draft Water Plan (Logan Basin) 2026 – s46 of the Water Act 2000
Release of the draft Water Plan (Logan Basin) 2026
This statement of intent is published by the Minister for Local Government and Water and Minister for Fire, Disaster Recovery and Volunteers, under section 46 of the Water Act 2000 (the Act) to inform the public of the intent and effect of a draft water plan.
The Queensland Government has prepared a draft Logan Basin water plan (PDF, 1.3MB) (draft water plan), which once finalised, will replace the current Water Plan (Logan Basin) 2007 (current water plan). A draft Logan Basin water management protocol (PDF, 656KB) (draft protocol) and a draft Logan Basin water entitlement notice (PDF, 1.1MB) (draft WEN) have also been developed for consultation. These documents once finalised will help to implement the water plan.
This page explains why the current water plan is being replaced, the factors considered in preparing a draft water plan, and the main changes being proposed. It also outlines the proposals endorsed by the Minister for inclusion in the draft water plan and invites feedback from the public.
Overview of changes
The following information is published in accordance with section 46 of the Act to inform the public of the intent and effect of a draft water plan.
Water plan outcomes
Outcomes describe the overarching priorities of a water plan, focusing on achieving a balance between different, and sometimes competing, uses. All outcomes proposed in the draft water plan have been developed to address plan-specific needs. Part 3 of the draft water plan outlines the proposed outcomes building on those in the current water plan.
New water plan outcomes have been included which seeks to promote improved understanding of:
- ecosystem requirements and characteristics
- water required for use by Traditional Owners
- water to support social and economic benefits to communities in the plan area
- the impact of climate variability on water availability and supply.
Economic outcomes (section 18, draft water plan)
The draft water plan includes provisions for the continued effect of all water entitlements and other authorisations to take or interfere with water. This aligns with economic outcomes to maintain water availability and support growth for industries that are dependent on water in the plan area.
New economic outcomes have been included to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the water allocation market in the water plan area.
Social outcomes (section 19, draft water plan)
The draft water plan provides for the security of water supplies that support population growth in towns and communities. It also supports the social wellbeing of people in the plan area by maintaining the availability of water for domestic purposes and protecting water-related aesthetic and recreational values within the water plan area.
A new social outcome has been developed to make water available for the social values and aspirations of the Traditional Owners.
Cultural outcomes (section 20, draft water plan)
Aspirations of Traditional Owners within the water plan area have been considered. The draft water plan outcomes seek to maintain flows that support water-related cultural, spiritual, and social values, and recognises the important role of Traditional Owners in the water planning processes.
New outcomes have also been included to support flows of water that are required for sites and species of cultural significance.
Environmental outcomes (section 21, draft water plan)
The Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) assessed the risk posed by water resource development in the water plan area to the environment. Strategies are proposed to maintain and if possible, improve the current condition of ecological assets in this area. While the outcomes of the current water plan have generally been achieved, the draft water plan seeks to focus on maintaining and improving water flows to support ecosystems, habitats, and species. These outcomes aim to protect freshwater habitats, riparian systems, underground water-dependent ecosystems, and water quality. They also ensure connectivity between different water environments, such as rivers, floodplains, wetlands, estuaries, and marine ecosystems, to maintain ecological health and resilience.
A new environmental outcome has been included which seeks to manage underground water for the purpose of supporting groundwater dependent ecosystems.
Water plan measures (section 22, draft water plan)
The draft water plan contains a measure to develop a water sharing rule for unsupplemented water entitlements in the Albert River and Canungra Creek subcatchments, and the Logan Basin water management protocol to be amended, if required—within 5 years of commencement of this plan. This measure is necessary to support the implementation of water licence standardisation and ensure equity between users and maintain environmental outcomes.
Underground water management
Underground water is not managed under the current Logan Basin water plan. However, a moratorium for the Springbrook and Tamborine Mountain (PDF, 137KB) areas has been in place since 6 March 2020 that prevents the construction of new underground water works (bores) for commercial use. The moratorium also prevents the construction of new works where the proposed area for irrigation is equal to or greater than 10 hectares (ha).
The draft water plan proposes to formalise the current arrangements, allowing take of water for stock and domestic, agriculture (less than 10ha irrigable area), town water supply, coordinated projects, and authorised existing use.
Seasonal water assignments
The draft plan introduces provisions for seasonal water assignment (SWA) to enhance water trading flexibility and efficiency while maintaining sustainable water use. SWAs allow the temporary transfer of unused water entitlements within the same sub-catchment subject to rules in the water management protocol for the remainder of the water year, with the entitlement returning to the original holder at year’s end.
Key rules include metering requirements for both assignors and assignees, limiting assignments to the unused volume of the assignor, restricting transfers to within the same sub-catchment, and capping volumes at 12ML per transaction (except between contiguous land parcels). Inter-catchment transfers are not permitted.
These provisions aim to support economic growth, improve water-sharing flexibility, and address stakeholder concerns, while ensuring environmental and operational conditions are protected.
Standardising water licences
The draft water plan provides for entitlements to be amended to reflect contemporary requirements, to provide equity and clarity for water users, and improve monitoring and compliance with entitlement conditions. As part of the plan, the draft WEN proposes amendments to unsupplemented surface water licences to:
- state a purpose of ‘any’ or ‘stock and/or domestic’
- state a nominal entitlement (NE) for the water year, in megalitres
- include a maximum rate of take (RoT) in megalitres per day (ML/d)
- amend or remove licence conditions that are outdated or no longer required.
The draft plan transitions from area-based (hectare) licences to volumetric entitlements using a conversion factor of 6ML/ha to provide transparency and improved management by clearly defining water shares. This conversion factor is based on updated hydrological modelling, average annual crop irrigation demands, and the amount of water available in each sub-catchment.
The draft plan allows water licence holders to request an adjustment to their NE or maximum RoT if they can demonstrate a need for additional water. Approved increases in NE will result in a proportional increase to the maximum RoT, while approved changes to the maximum RoT will not automatically result in a change to the NE. The Logan Basin plan also includes specific provisions for water harvesting licences, with nominal entitlements calculated as the daily RoT (ML/day) multiplied by 30 days, reflecting average annual water harvesting opportunities.
Licence holders are encouraged to review their licences, water requirements, and the proposed draft provisions to inform submissions supporting their requests. This initiative recognises historical and current lawful water use while excluding unlawful use or future development plans, ensuring no one is disadvantaged by the changes.
Licence applications and dealings
The draft Logan Basin water plan outlines water licence applications and dealings that will not be accepted or may be exempt, ensuring the protection of existing authorised water users, the environment, and the achievement of water plan outcomes. A new section in the draft plan explicitly prohibits dealings that increase the volume of water taken under an entitlement or the RoT beyond specified limits, protecting equitable access and sustainable water use.
Additionally, the draft plan introduces flexibility by delegating certain water licence and allocation dealing rules to the water management protocol, allowing for tailored management of dealings that may be permitted, prohibited, or assessed. These rules are designed to maintain consistency with the plan’s objectives while addressing the specific needs and challenges of the Logan Basin plan area.
The draft Logan Basin water plan introduces a modernised framework for water licence dealings and applications to align with contemporary water management practices and ensure consistency across Queensland. Key changes include establishing nominal entitlements (annual volumetric limits) for licences to provide clearly defined water shares, improve compliance, and enable seasonal trading within sub-catchments.
The plan also standardises water licence dealings, such as seasonal water assignments, amendments to existing licences, and applications for new licences, while prohibiting dealings that increase the volume or RoT beyond entitlement limits. Maximum RoT will now be specified in ML/d to improve equity and flexibility for water users.
These updates aim to simplify processes, enhance transparency, and support sustainable water use, while stakeholders are encouraged to provide submissions on proposed changes through the WEN process.
Setting the plan objectives
The draft water plan outlines strategies to achieve its outcomes. Sections 23 and 24 introduce new performance indicators for environmental flow objectives (EFOs) and water allocation security objectives (WASOs) to provide greater confidence and improve risk-based assessments and decision making.
EFOs are derived from flow information (reported and simulated) to assess risks to ecological outcomes. These indicators consider factors like flow magnitude, timing, and seasonality, with new assessment points added in tributaries to assess risk and guide decision making.
For WASOs, the plan adopts a performance ratio, consistent with other contemporary Queensland water plans. This ratio compares the average annual water volume taken to the total nominal volume, ensuring fair resource sharing while offering greater flexibility for water users.
Water trading
The draft Logan Basin water plan builds on the existing framework for water trading by introducing provisions to enhance flexibility and sustainability. It allows for the permanent trade or seasonal assignment of supplemented and unsupplemented water allocations within the Logan River Water Supply Scheme (WSS) and water management areas (WMAs).
New provisions include SWAs for surface water licences, enabling the temporary transfer of unused water within the same sub-catchment. These assignments are governed by strict rules, such as metering requirements, volume limits, and alignment with original licence conditions, to ensure sustainable water use. The plan also amends water licences to specify volumetric entitlements and maximum RoT, making seasonal trading measurable and enforceable.
These changes aim to modernise water trading practices, improve water use efficiency, and provide equitable access while protecting environmental and user interests.
Have your say
Submissions are being accepted until 30 April 2026. I encourage anyone with an interest in the Logan Basin water plan area to put forward their thoughts on the water resource management strategies identified in the draft water plan through a submission.
Submissions can be made online.
This notice is dated 9 March 2026.
The Hon. Ann Leahy MP
Minister for Local Government and Water and
Minister for Fire, Disaster Recovery and Volunteers
Hamish Butler
Executive Director South Region (as the Chief Executive’s delegate)