Interfere with a waterway
If you want to carry out an activity in a waterway in the Northern Territory (NT), you may need to apply for a permit.
Find out more information about waterways in the interfering with a waterway fact sheet PDF (555.8 KB).
When you don't need a permit
You don't need a permit if you're building any of the following:
- road drainage
- culverts, bridges and urban stormwater drainage works that meet engineering standards accepted by the relevant public authority
- rural dams* with a bank height of less than 3 metres and a catchment area of less than 5km2
- soil conservation and land care activities approved by the NT Government.
*If you're constructing a dam, you may need approval under the Planning Act 1999. You should contact a planner from Development Assessment Services to discuss.
When you need a permit
You must have a permit for any activity that:
- materially changes the shape of a waterway
- materially changes the volume, speed or direction of water flow
- causes any change to the bed or bank stability, including by vegetation removal.
A waterway includes a:
- river, creek, stream or watercourse
- lake, lagoon, swamp or marsh in which water collects and is connected to a river, creek, stream or watercourse
- floodplain.
A waterway does not include any artificial channel or diversion works constructed on a floodplain.
To check if you need a permit, read the interference with a waterway guideline PDF (324.6 KB).
The guideline can help you decide:
- when a permit is required
- the type and amount of information required to support a permit application.
How to apply
To apply for a permit, you must follow these steps:
Step 1. Fill in the application for a permit to interfere with a waterway PDF (240.0 KB).
Step 2. Provide supporting documentation or information relevant to the proposed interference.
Step 3. Submit the application and supporting documents by emailing water.licensing@nt.gov.au.
Contact
If you need advice, contact the Water Resources office.