Western Davenport Water Allocation Planning
Water Allocation Planning for the Western Davenport Water Control District
In 2007 a Water Control District of over 24,000 square kilometres was declared for the Western Davenport region. The District is located 300km north of Alice Springs and stretches from Barrow Creek to the Devils Marbles. The Western Davenports Water Control District has an estimated population of about 1000 people, most of whom live at Ali Curung. The District is centred on the traditional lands of the Kaytetye, but also encompasses parts of the country of the Alyawarr, Warramungu, and Warlpiri peoples.
The Water Control District covers two large regional aquifers which underlie the central sandplains of the District and multiple other much smaller local aquifers, mainly associated with the ranges to the northeast and south of the District. The large regional aquifers are recharged by rainfall runoff from the Davenport Range. Virtually all water supplies in the District are drawn from groundwater, however surface water supports a lot of the biodiversity and cultural values in the area. The main local economic activities are pastoralism, irrigated horticulture and tourism.
The Water Allocation Plan for the Western Davenports was declared in 2011 for surface water and groundwater in the District. The plan defines the rules for the sharing and allocation of this water for the next ten years. The key outcomes of the Plan are:
- To maintain a safe water supply for the community
- To ensure sustainable regional economic development
- To protect the environment
- To support Indigenous culture and communities
The Water Allocation Plan was developed following consultation and meetings with stakeholders and the local community. These stakeholders included PowerWater Corp, Barkly Shire, pastoralists, horticulturalists, Central Land Council, Centrefarm, Traditional Owners, business owners and the community of Ali Curung. A draft Plan was made available for public comment in mid 2010. A summary of the consultation for the Plan is contained in the Community Consultation Report.
The Water Allocation Plan includes an assessment of water availability and potential future demand for water within the District. It takes into consideration environmental and cultural water requirements, as well as community needs. The development of the Water Allocation Plan is the first step to sustainable management of this resource. It provides security for water users and defines the rules which will enable developments that depend on groundwater to proceed in a sustainable manner.
Publications
View Western Davenport Allocation Plan publications.