South East Queensland: Water management
- Administration of basic water rights and entitlements is governed by four water plans covering the region under the Water Act 2000 and Water Regulation 2016.
- These water plans specify strategies for sustainable management of surface water, overland flow and groundwater in the region.
- Resource operations plans and/or water management protocols are used to implement these strategies.
For further information on the region's water management scroll down this page or click on the links below:
Surface water and groundwater management
Water legislation
- The Water Act 2000 (Water Act) provides authority for the administration of basic water rights and water entitlements (interim allocations, water licences, water allocations and unallocated water) in Queensland, supported by the Water Regulation 2016 (Water Regulation) which provides details on the procedures and fees associated with water access entitlements and trading.
- Water plans are prepared under Section 42 of the Water Act to advance the sustainable management of water. Four water plans are in place across the South East Queensland region: the Water Plan (Gold Coast) 2006, Water Plan (Logan Basin) 2007, Water Plan (Moreton) 2007, and Water Plan (Mary Basin) 2006.
- The construction of overland flow works/infrastructure is regulated under the Queensland Planning Act 2016.
Water management plans
- The Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy is in the process of implementing a new water planning framework. Current water management planning instruments are summarised in Table R2.
- The four water plan areas in the region—Gold Coast, Moreton, Logan Basin, and part of the Mary Basin—are shown in Figure R7.
- Draft amendments to the Water Plan (Moreton) 2007 and Moreton Water Management Protocol were published in November 2018, which seek to establish water allocation and management arrangements for existing entitlement holders in the Central Lockyer Valley Water Supply Scheme.
- Five groundwater management areas—Cressbrook Creek Alluvial, Lockyer Valley, Warrill Bremer Alluvial, Watercourse Buffer Zone, and Cooloola Sandmass subartesian area—exist within the region, as shown in Figure R8. These are all located in the Moreton water plan area, except the Cooloola Sandmass which lies within the Mary Basin water plan area.
- The Great Artesian Basin and Other Regional Aquifers (GABORA) water plan area also underlies part of the region, though GABORA resources are not included in the region account.
Water plan | Water management protocol | Resource operations licence |
Water Plan (Gold Coast) 2006 | Gold Coast Water Management Protocol | |
Water Plan (Logan Basin) 2007 | Logan Basin Water Management Protocol (currently in preparation) |
|
Water Plan (Moreton) 2007 | Moreton Water Management Protocol |
|
Water Plan (Mary Basin) 2006 | Mary Basin Water Management Protocol (currently in preparation) |
Figure R7 Water plan areas in the South East Queensland region
Figure R8 Groundwater management areas in the South East Queensland region
Environmental water management
- Water plans are produced in accordance with the Water Act. These must establish environmental flow objectives and ecological outcomes, and consider environmental values listed in the Environmental Protection (Water) Policy 2009.
- Environmental flow objectives aim to retain certain temporal flow characteristics at different locations in the river system. These are met through rules which govern storage releases and allowable abstraction.
- Various performance indicators are used for assessing environmental flow objectives, as described in the Environmental benefit note.
- More details on environmental flow objectives can be found in the four water plans active in the region (Gold Coast, Moreton, Mary Basin, and Logan Basin).
Cultural water management
- The four water plans in the region support water-related cultural values. Allowing cultural use of the plan area by traditional owners is listed as a general outcome for surface water and/or groundwater in all four water plans.
- The water plans also require decision makers to consider the proposed impacts of various actions on cultural values including, for example, cultural values of traditional owners, and where appropriate impose conditions to ensure these cultural values are maintained. These actions include taking water from waterholes or lakes, granting water from general, strategic and town water supply reserves, and deciding operational and supply arrangements for water infrastructure.
- Other relevant plans include the South East Queensland Natural Resource Management Plan 2009–2031, which emphasises recognising traditional owners as natural resource managers, and acknowledges the SEQ Traditional Owner Cultural Resource Management Plan and its targets and actions as an integral element of regional natural resource management planning.
- The South East Queensland Traditional Owners Alliance (SEQTOA) is the peak body formed by traditional owner cultural groups in the South East Queensland region to represent and advance their interests in cultural and natural resource management.
Organisations responsible for water management
- Organisations responsible for water management in the South East Queensland region are shown in Table R3.
- The Queensland Water Directorate (qldwater) does not manage water, but coordinates centralised provision of water data for almost all Queensland water management entities.
Organisation | Principal roles | Major storages managed by organisation |
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy |
| None |
Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science |
| None |
Queensland Government Department of National Parks, Sport and Racing |
| None |
Seqwater |
| Hinze, Bromelton Off-Stream Storage, Cedar Grove Weir, Enoggera, Gold Creek, Atkinson, Clarendon, Bill Gunn, Lake Kurwongbah, Lake Manchester, Lake Maroon, Lake Moogerah, North Pine, Somerset, Wivenhoe, Little Nerang, Mount Crosby Weir, Leslie Harrison, Wyaralong, Baroon Pocket, Cooloolabin, Ewen Maddock, Lake McDonald, Poona and Wappa |
Tarong Energy |
| Splityard Creek |
Queensland Urban Utilities, Council of the City of Gold Coast, Logan City Council, Redland City Council, Unitywater, South Burnett Regional Council |
| None |
Toowoomba Regional Council |
| Cressbrook and Perseverance |
Figure R9 Utility service areas in the South East Queensland region