Reviewing the Warrego, Paroo, Bulloo and Nebine water plan
The Warrego, Paroo, Bulloo and Nebine water plan is being reviewed and replaced to ensure the continued sustainable management of water resources in the water plan area. The submission period for the preliminary public consultation notice closed on 28 September 2026.
The Warrego, Paroo and Nebine catchments are in the Murray-Darling Basin. The plan will need to consider recommendations from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority's review of the Basin Plan 2012 (Basin plan) and Australian Government's review of the Water Act 2007 and any subsequent amendments to those pieces of legislation to ensure that Queensland continues to meet its obligations.
The water management protocol is a statutory instrument to the water plan and will also be reviewed as part of the water plan review process.
We will consider a range of issues as we review the water plan and associated documents.
To give us enough time to consider feedback received during public consultation, complete technical assessments, develop a draft plan and then finalise the replacement plan, the current Warrego, Paroo, Bulloo and Nebine water plan's expiry date has been extended to 31 December 2028. Read the:
- Water Plan (Warrego, Paroo, Bulloo and Nebine) (Postponement of Expiry) Notice 2026
- Impact analysis statement about this postponement.
Public consultation
The submission period for the preliminary public consultation closed on 28 September 2026. We invited feedback on the current water plan and the following key topics:
- About the water plan area
- How water is managed now
- Updating the science and climate resilience
- Cultural connection to water
- Unallocated water
- Improving outcomes.
What's next
We are considering feedback received through submissions and completing technical assessments that consider the latest information available. This work will inform the draft water plan and supporting documents.
2026–27—Develop the draft water plan and supporting documents (including the water management protocol).
2027—Release the draft documents for public consultation, giving the community another opportunity to provide feedback.
2027–2028—Consider feedback on the draft documents, finalise the replacement water plan and seek the necessary approvals.
Learn more about the water plan review and replacement process.
Also consider…
- Read the public notice announcing the review.
- Understand the process to review and replace a water plan.
- Use our interactive story map to explore the ways we use science to develop, monitor, review and evaluate water plans.
- Watch our What is a water plan? video.
- Read the current rules for water management
- Water plan—to be read in conjunction with the provisions of the resource operations plan (PDF, 1.5MB) taken to be included in the water plan
- Water management protocol (PDF, 3.3MB).
Enquiries
Phone (07) 3181 5120 during business hours.