Tennant Creek water control district

Water control districts (WCDs) in the Northern Territory (NT) are areas that need increased management of water resources.

The Tennant Creek WCD was first declared in 2002 to manage public water supply for the town of Tennant Creek in a sustainable way.

Tennant Creek draws water from the Cabbage Gum and Kelly Well aquifers. The WCD also includes highly prospective Cambrian limestone aquifers in the Wiso Basin.

The WCD covers 0.71% of the NT. There are no beneficial uses declared in the WCD.

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.

There are currently no water allocation plans for the WCD.

Licensing and permits

You need a licence or permit for activities within this WCD.

Water management rules apply to people 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.

There are currently 4 licences in the WCD:

• 2 for public water supply
• 2 for mining activity.

View the groundwater or surface water licences.

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 located 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.