Growing water needs

The latest Minister’s performance assessment reports for the three existing water plans identified changing needs that we must address.

We need to balance growing demands for water from First Nations peoples, urban development, new irrigated agriculture and in the energy industries (for example hydrogen and pumped hydro) with the known impacts of those industries and all the other identified interests and values. We think it makes sense to consider the whole of the proposed water plan area as a system.

A regional water assessment will run in parallel with this water plan review. This will identify the most viable options (infrastructure or non-infrastructure) for supporting future economic growth and water security in the area.

The Central Queensland Regional Water Assessment (CQRWA) varies slightly from other regional water assessments underway. This is because the CQRWA will, in addition to the usual regional economic development focus, include a major focus on urban water security solutions for:

• communities reliant on water supplies from the Lower Fitzroy including Rockhampton, Livingstone (Capricorn Coast) and Gladstone
• Central Highlands communities reliant on water supply from the Nogoa Mackenzie Water Supply Scheme
• Biloela.

We want to understand your views on how we should prioritise competing demands for water and how we can cater for the growing demands without affecting existing water uses and values.

More information

View the latest Minister’s performance assessment reports:

• Fitzroy Basin water plan (PDF, 3MB)
• Boyne River Basin water plan (PDF, 1MB)
• Calliope River water plan (PDF, 2MB)