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Planning the Water Future » Allocation Planning » Northern Perth Basin

The northern Perth Basin groundwater areas

NPBGWA map

The northern Perth Basin is a major groundwater resource located between 40 km and 380 km north of Perth.

Increasing demand for water from the mining; agricultural and horticultural industries is driving northern Perth Basin groundwater to be a significant resource for the state.

Groundwater resources in the plan area

For management purposes the groundwater resources of the northern Perth Basin are divided into three management areas. These are the Gingin, Jurien and Arrowsmith groundwater areas.

The groundwater resources of the northern Perth basin are contained in unconfined superficial and surficial aquifers, fractured bedrocks and the semi-confined to confined aquifers of the Poison Hill, Mirrabooka, Leederville, Leederville - Parmelia, Yarragadee, Cattamarra, Eneabba, Lesueur, and Otorowiri.

Developing water management plans for northern Perth Basin groundwater areas

We are developing three water management plans in the Gingin, Jurien and Arrowsmith Groundwater Areas to reflect the management areas. This management plans are non-statutory and we are planning to prepare a statutory plans by 2011.

Why is the Department preparing water management plans?

Demand for groundwater from the groundwater areas of the northern Perth Basin is increasing. Commercial growth in the mining industry, new horticultural projects, and expanding agriculture is leading to competition for good quality water. Planning is needed to provide users with access to water and security, while meeting the needs of the environment in a drying climate.

What will be in the water management plans?

The management plans will include allocation limits to define water availability for the groundwater water resources in the plan area. It will include a set of rules and policies for how water resources will be allocated and managed over the next few years, until the statutory plan is complete.

How does the Department of Water develop a water management plan?

We develop allocation plans in three main phases. These are outlined here.

How can I access any of the information that the Department has collected as part developing the plan?

We are committed to making the technical information that we use and consider in our water management planning available for public use.

Please click on the links to access the following reports:
  The Northern Perth Basin water management plan
Adobe Portable Document Format Interim Arrowsmith groundwater management strategy
An Interim Sub-Regional Allocation Strategy for managing the wate resources of the Arrowsmith groundwater area. 
 
Adobe Portable Document Format Interim Gingin groundwater management strategy
An Interim Sub-Regional Allocation Strategy for managing the wate resources of the Gingin groundwater area. 
 
Adobe Portable Document Format Interim Jurien groundwater management strategy
An Interim Sub-Regional Allocation Strategy for managing the wate resources of the Jurien groundwater area. 
 

  Hydro-geological reports
Adobe Portable Document Format HG 03 - Hydrogeology of the Coastal Plain Between Cervantes and Leeman, Perth Basin
Kern, A. M., 1997, Hydrogeology of the coastal plain between Cervantes and Leeman, Perth Basin. Water and Rivers Commission, Hydrogeology Record Series No HG 3.  
 
Adobe Portable Document Format HG 04 - Hydrogeology of the Dongara line
Hydrogeological Record Series, Report HG 4 
 
Adobe Portable Document Format HG 10 - Groundwater investigation program in Western Australia (2005 to 2020)
This report outlines an investigation program for the next 15 years (2005 to 2020) that will extend throughout Western Australia, but is concentrated in areas of high groundwater use.  
 
Adobe Portable Document Format HG 11 - The Hydrogeology of Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems In The Northern Perth Basin - Report
This study covers the Northern Perth Basin, where recent increases in the allocation of groundwater resources, primarily for horticulture, have created the need to identify and characterise potential Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GDEs) to ensure their protection.  
 
Adobe Portable Document Format HG 17 – Mid West Minerals Province – Groundwater Resource Appraisal
This report aims to provide an overview of groundwater occurrence, potential yield, quality, and current use of groundwater resources in the Mid-West. It has been compiled in response to requests from the public for the previously unpublished Water and Rivers Commission report HR129 from 1999. Interpretations contained in this report are based on data up until 1997.  
 

  Social and economic reports

How long until the plan is developed?

A draft plan will be ready by the middle of 2008.

Further information

Please contact the Department of Water's allocation planning branch if you require further information. Phone (08) 6364 7600 or email: allocationplanning@water.wa.gov.au