Water Resources had a water planning focus in the 2010s
Five water allocation plans were declared in the decade: Western Davenport Water Control District Water Allocation Plan 2011–2021, Alice Springs Water Allocation Plan 2016–2026, Berry Springs Water Allocation Plan 2016–2026, Katherine Tindall Limestone Aquifer Water Allocation Plan 2019–2024, Oolloo Dolostone Aquifer Water Allocation Plan 2019–2020.
The team also made significant progress on water plans for Ti Tree and Mataranka Water Allocation Plans. Starting in 2016, the Division helped phase out the longstanding water exemption for Darwin’s Rural Water Control District, previously allowing water extraction up to 15 litres per second.
This change meant all commercial water users needed a licence, triggering a wave of applications and strengthening our commitment to balancing community development with sustainable water use. By 2020, 272 water extraction licences had been issued in the Darwin Rural area.
By 2017, the Division participated in an Independent Review of Water Extraction Licences to ensure our processes were fair, transparent, and consistent. The review confirmed that decisions were sound and offered recommendations to improve how we manage licences.
From this, new policies were developed, such as the Prioritising Licence Applications policy, to improve transparency. That same year, the Division proudly advanced the Strategic Aboriginal Water Reserve Policy Framework, ensuring water access to support Aboriginal economic development.
In 2019, the Division helped enshrine these protections into law, securing water for Aboriginal landholders now and in the future.
