Adelaide River water allocation plan
| Current plan | Currently in development, due for completion mid-2026 |
|---|---|
| Map | Adelaide River water allocation plan map PDF (1.2 MB) |
| Area | 7,640km2 |
An Adelaide River water plan is being developed to support water security for the greater Darwin region.
The plan's goal is to share water between water users, including:
- the environment and the community
- for businesses and jobs.
The plan will be informed by science and the local community.
It will cover the length of Adelaide River from its headwaters in Litchfield National Park to the coastal plains of the Arafura Sea, and all other creeks and rivers that flow into Adelaide River.
This is 0.56% of the Northern Territory (NT) and 71% of the Darwin Rural Adelaide River water control district.
Read more about the Darwin Region Water Supply Infrastructure Program on the Water Security website.
Consultation
To help with the plan's development, the community is involved through the Adelaide River Water Advisory Committee.
Progress of the committee is available on the Department of Lands, Planning and Environment website.
The public will also be invited to have their say in the second half of 2025.
To get updates on the plan's development, subscribe to the mail out list by emailing WaterResources.DEPWS@nt.gov.au.
Progress of the plan
| Year | Progress |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Funding secured for the plan - accelerating water science and other research for the catchment. |
| 2023 | Professional cross-cultural consultants identified culturally appropriate Aboriginal representation for the water advisory committee. |
| 2024 | Water advisory committee was established. Collectively, the committee members:
The Darwin rural water control district was extended to include the Adelaide River catchment. As a result:
|
| 2025 |
|
| 2026 |
|
Beneficial uses
The beneficial uses of water in the Darwin rural Adelaide River water control district are:
- Aboriginal economic development
- agriculture
- aquaculture
- cultural
- environment
- industry
- mining activity
- petroleum activity
- public water supply
- rural stock and domestic.
Read the Government Gazette PDF (373.8 KB), published 28 June 2024.
Water resources
The plan will manage and regulate the use of surface water within the Adelaide River water allocation plan.
Reports and publications
Read the Adelaide River water resource monitoring report PDF (6.9 MB).
Several other studies are also underway to inform the development of the plan and its ongoing implementation. This includes:
- ecological and aquatic health assessments
- Aboriginal cultural water assessment
- water resource and hydrology assessment
- development of hydraulic and hydrodynamic models
- groundwater, surface flows and water quality data collection.
Maps
Contact
If you have any questions about permits or licensing requirements in the area, email water.licensing@nt.gov.au.
For water planning enquiries, email waterresources@nt.gov.au.