Water Plan (Gulf) 2007 (Qld)

Water Plan (Gulf) 2007

Chapter 1 Preliminary

1 Short title This water plan may be cited as the Water Plan (Gulf) 2007.

2 Purposes of plan The following are the purposes of this plan— (a) to define the availability of water in the plan area; (b) to provide a framework for sustainably managing water and the taking of water; (c) to identify priorities and mechanisms for dealing with future water requirements; (d) to provide a framework for establishing water allocations to take supplemented surface water; (e) to provide a framework for reversing, where practicable, degradation that has occurred in natural ecosystems; (f) to regulate the taking of overland flow water; (g) to regulate the taking of groundwater.

3 Definitions The dictionary in schedule 13 defines particular words used in this plan.

Chapter 2 Plan area and water to which plan applies

4 Plan area This plan applies to the area shown as the plan area on the map in schedule 1.

5 Groundwater management areas Each part of the plan area that is within a groundwater management area shown on the map in schedule 2 is a groundwater management area for this plan.

6 Catchment areas Each part of the plan area that is within a catchment area shown on the map in schedule 3 is a catchment area for this plan.

7 Subcatchment areas Each part of the plan area that is within a subcatchment area shown on the map in schedule 3 is a subcatchment area for this plan.

8 Declaration about watercourse—Act, s 1006(2) (1) Groundwater in an aquifer under a prescribed watercourse, or under land within 1km of a prescribed watercourse, is declared to be water in the watercourse. (2) Subsection (1) does not apply to water the chief executive is satisfied is not hydraulically connected to the water in the watercourse. (3) The owner of land within 1km of a prescribed watercourse may take groundwater that is water in the watercourse for stock or domestic purposes. (4) In this section— prescribed watercourse means each of the following— (a) the Nicholson River to the extent it is downstream of node 2; (b) Lawn Hill Creek to the extent it is downstream of node 3; (c) the Gregory River to the extent is downstream of node 4; (d) the Leichhardt River; (e) the Cloncurry River; (f) the Flinders River; (g) the Gilbert River; (h) the Einasleigh River to the extent it is downstream of node 5; (i) the Norman River; (j) the Staaten River.