Ord
Administration

Surface water and groundwater

Water legislation

There are two legislative Acts that establish the framework for managing and allocating water resources in the Ord region:

Under the Acts, the right to the use, flow, and control of the water in watercourses, wetlands, and underground water sources is vested in the Crown.

The Department of Water (Western Australia) and the Department of Land Resource Management (Northern Territory) assist their respective ministers with the water resource management powers and functions set out in the Acts, including:

  • regulating the taking of water from prescribed water management areas
  • proclaiming water management areas for surface water and groundwater.

Water management areas currently exist for the portion of the Ord region that lies within Western Australia, but not in the portion of the region within the Northern Territory. The following surface water management areas were proclaimed by the Department of Water in the Ord region (as shown in Figure A1):

  • Ord River and Tributaries: the majority of that part of the Ord region located in Western Australia
  • Ord Irrigation District
  • Wyndham Water Supply (a small area in the northwest near Wyndham).


Figure A1  Map of surface water management areas in the Ord region
Figure A1  Map of surface water management areas in the Ord region


The Canning–Kimberley groundwater area was proclaimed by the Department of Water in the Ord region as shown in Figure A2.


Figure A2  Map of groundwater management areas in the Ord region
Figure A2  Map of groundwater management areas in the Ord region

Water management plans

The Department of Water prepares water allocation plans to specify how water resources are to be shared between competing needs in particular areas. Water allocation plans define the water available for use from a particular water resource. The plans also recognise the area's environmental values and ensure that sufficient water is retained in the resources to protect aquatic ecosystems and meet specific social and cultural needs.

The Ord Surface Water Allocation Plan applies to the Ord River and Tributaries and the Ord Irrigation District surface water management areas (as shown in Figure A1). The plan sets out how the department allocates and licenses surface water in the region to manage the demands of irrigation, hydroelectricity generation, and urban and individual supply. The plan also defines the environmental water provisions for the lower Ord River, and is set with consideration for ecological, economic, and social impacts, including recognition of the cultural significance to the Miriuwung and Gajerrong peoples.

The surface water allocation plan has also been prepared to manage the increasing demands on water in the region, particularly with the proposed irrigation expansion project (see Major water initiatives). Further information on the draft plan can be found at the Department of Water website.

Water management plans and allocation plans have not been developed for groundwater resources in the region due to the limited use of groundwater compared to the availability.


Environmental water management

Environmental water legislation

The Environmental Water Provisions Policy for Western Australia guides the Department of Water in water allocation planning and decision-making in relation to allocating water to the environment. The policy describes the role of environmental water regime requirements and environmental water provisions in setting the sustainable diversion limit of a water resource.


Environmental water provisions

Environmental water provisions are specified in water allocation plans and are expressed as a water regime requirement; that is, a minimum flow regime to be achieved at key locations within the management area. Responsibility for achieving these flow regimes is placed on the storage operator and is defined in the licence conditions as part of operating strategies.

The Ord Surface Water Allocation Plan defines environmental water provisions to protect the ecological condition of the lower Ord River. Environmental water provisions are set with consideration for ecological, economic, and social impacts, including recognition of the cultural significance to the Miriuwung and Gajerrong peoples.

The Water Corporation of Western Australia (the Water Corporation) has an obligation to operate water levels in Lake Argyle and Lake Kununurra and monitor releases to maintain specific flow rates in the lower Ord River. The Department of Water monitors flows at key locations in the lower Ord River to ensure that water regime requirements are met. 

Further information regarding environmental water provisions for the 2012–13 year is provided in the Environmental benefit note.


Cultural water management

The Miriuwung and Gajerrong peoples hold native title rights to land and waters throughout the lower Ord River region (downstream of Lake Argyle). The Ord Surface Water Allocation Plan defines cultural water provisions that consider the Miriuwung and Gajerrong peoples' interests along the lower Ord River.

Short periods of low ('dry out') flows are important to Dreaming stories of the Miriuwung and Gajerrong peoples. Since dam construction, such 'dry out' flows in the lower Ord River are rare and generally only occur when maintenance or inspection work is carried out at the dams. The Department of Water and the Water Corporation have an obligation to let the Miriuwung and Gajerrong peoples know when such work is undertaken so that traditional activities can be pursued during these periods.

More information on native title rights to water in the Ord region is provided in the Ord Surface Water Allocation Plan and the Ord Surface Water Allocation Plan Methods Report.

Organisations responsible for water management

The organisations with management responsibilities for regulating water resources and supplying water services in the region are shown in Table A1.


Table A1  Organisations responsible for water management in the Ord region

 Organisation

Role

Water resources managed

Department of Land Resource Management (NT)

  • Plan, allocate and manage water resources and their use under the Water Act 1992
  • Provide water services policy advice to government
  • Keep River

Department of Water (WA)

  • Plan, allocate and manage water resources and their use under the powers of the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914
  • Grant and regulate licences to divert water from water resources
  • Provide water services policy advice to government
  • Ord River and tributaries
  • Groundwater resources

Ord Irrigation Cooperative

  • Maintain water distribution assets
  • Control the distribution of irrigation water
  • Report to regulators (Department of Water)
  • Ord River Irrigation Area infrastructure

Water Corporation

  • Provide a bulk water supply service to irrigators
  • Provide drinking water in towns (and a limited number of nonpotable water supply services)
  • Maintain infrastructure assets
  • Manage water storages
  • Report to regulators (Department of Water)
  • Lake Argyle
  • Lake Kununurra
  • Moochalabra
  • Urban water supply infrastructure at Halls Creek, Wyndham and Kununurra