Alice Springs water control district
| Control district area | 10,040 km2 |
|---|---|
| Declared | 4 July 2007 |
| Gazette number | G27 2007 PDF (530.1 KB) |
| Control district map | Alice Springs water control district map |
Water control districts in the Northern Territory (NT) are areas that need increased management of water resources.
Alice Springs is the second largest population centre in the NT, outside of the greater Darwin area. Being in the arid zone, where water is limited, water must be managed carefully to support the community long term.
The most important water resource in the water control district (WCD) is the Amadeus Basin. It consists of several aquifers that store water from wetter times and receive limited modern recharge.
The main system in the basin is the Mereenie aquifer. It supplies most of the town’s water and is pumped from the Roe Creek borefield.
Mereenie is a high quality water supply that yields more than 20 litres per second.
Water allocation plans
Water allocation plans identify how much water can be taken from groundwater and surface water resources while protecting the resource and environment.
They establish Aboriginal water reserves and enable trade of water entitlements.
The WCD has one water allocation plan.
The Alice Springs water allocation plan covers the northern 45% of the WCD.
Licensing and permits
You need a licence or permit for activities within this WCD.
Water management rules apply to anyone wanting to access and use water within the WCD.
This includes applying for:
- water extraction licences to take surface and groundwater and
- bore construction permits.
Exemptions
Water for rural stock and domestic use is exempt from licensing under section 11 and 14 of the Water Act 1992.
An exemption also applies if the combined groundwater use from all bores on a parcel of land extracting groundwater is less than 5 megalitres per year. Get Gazette S109 2018 PDF (176.4 KB).
Small rural dams and some forms of road and drainage works are exempt PDF (247.8 KB) from needing an interference with a waterway permit.
Contact
If you have any questions about permits or licensing requirements in the area, email water.licensing@nt.gov.au.
For water planning enquires, email waterresources@nt.gov.au.