Second meeting for the Adelaide River water advisory committee
The Adelaide River water advisory committee held their second meeting on at the start of October. The committee are providing advice and local perspective to the department as the Adelaide River water allocation plan is developed.
The second meeting of the Adelaide River water advisory committee was held over the 2 and 3 October 2024 including a field trip spent touring the greater Adelaide River catchment. The 2 days provided the committee further history and context of public water supply to Darwin, as well as the science that informs the understanding of the catchment over the last two decades for development of the water allocation plan.
The meeting included a presentation from Power and Water Corporation (PWC) on the history of Darwin’s water supply, including Manton Dam, Darwin River Dam and the Howard Springs bore fields. The committee discussed the current projects, including the Manton Dam return to service in conjunction with the proposed Adelaide River off-stream water storage (AROWS), with the AROWS site being a unique geological and geographical feature in the Top End landscape that has potential to provide large volumes of water without damming the Adelaide River. The Department of Logistics and Infrastructure (DLI) presented to the committee explaining the current projections for greater Darwin’s future water use and identifying the need for additional water supply beyond 2030.
Water Resources of the Department of Lands, Planning and Environment (DLPE) provided an overview of the science and monitoring program timeline. Water monitoring in the catchment started in 1950 and continues today. A presentation on the summary of the ground water systems of the Darwin Rural Adelaide River water control district was also presented. There was also an update on the Darwin rural water regulation strategy, and the transitional arrangements for the Adelaide River catchment. These temporary arrangements provide a 2-year period for commercial water users to transition into the licencing regime, after which it may be difficult for water users to get a licence. The department emphasised the advice to the committee to advise people in the catchment to contact the department now to received advice and assistance.
The second day involved a tour of parts of the Adelaide River catchment with a site visit of the AROWS basin and a drive-by tour of the Marrakai horticultural precinct and its varied produce and groundwater dependence.
The committee will next meet in December this year and will focus on identifying and mapping the values of the catchment, as identified through different stakeholder groups and water users. The meeting will also explain the existing policies that guide the water allocation across the Territory.
