Ti Tree Water Plan: Midterm review complete
This month, the midterm review for the Ti Tree water allocation plan was completed!
The Ti Tree plan manages groundwater in the Ti Tree basin approximately 200 km north of Alice Springs. Water plans are part of sustainable water management in the Northern Territory. Under the Water Act 1992, must be reviewed at periods of no longer than 5 years.
The review documents the significant management activities that have been undertaken over the last five years, including the establishment of an Aboriginal Reference Group, ongoing water monitoring program, high resolution survey data collection and state of the water resource reporting.
The review of the Ti Tree plan found that the plan is largely delivering against its objectives. Scientific assessment has confirmed that the plan is appropriate to remain in place for the reminder of its term.
Scientists in Water Resources Division use a network of 40 monitoring bores to monitor water levels and input this data into the groundwater model of the Ti Tree basin. The review found that new data collected aligned with the understanding of the resource that feeds into the groundwater model. Additional monitoring bores were added June last year to better understand recharge mechanisms of the Ti Tree basin.
The plan aims to deliver on 31 implementation actions over its 10-year tenure. At the time of the review: 14 actions were completed, with 12 in progress and 5 not yet started. The review was finalised by the Minister for Water Resources on the 18 February 2025, and identified 3 priority activities that will improve future management decisions.
- Improve understanding, and protection, of water-related Aboriginal cultural values of the resource.
- Improve the understanding of the groundwater recharge and basin stratigraphy.
- Undertake a one-off water quality audit across the plan area to confirm baseline conditions and detect change over time.
The Department of Lands, Planning and Environment has commenced work on re-calibration of the groundwater model and an Aboriginal water science project to inform the next iteration of the plan in 2030. Both projects have received support from the Australian Government through the National Water Grid Fund Science Program.
Alongside the midterm review, an annual update on the ‘State of the Water Resource’ for the Ti Tree plan area has also been published.
The review report, water resource assessment and more information about the plan, go to the Northern Territory Government website.
Ti Tree Water Allocation Plan Aboriginal Reference Group
The Ti Tree Aboriginal Reference Group met in November 2024, with a focus on the completion of the 5 year review of the Ti Tree Water Allocation Plan 2020-2030 (water plan). All members agreed that significant progress has been made against the implementation actions, with almost 50% of them being completed. The group feel it is important to continue with the work given the plan is at the halfway point, and on track for success.
The group also discussed its participation in the Ti Tree Aboriginal Water Science project, funded by the Australian Government through the National Water Grid Authority, that will investigate the opportunities to include Aboriginal water science and management techniques into the water plan. The project will start early in the new year and the group look forward to meeting the other members of the project, at the commencement meeting in March 2025.
