Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search

Queensland and NSW floods 2022

Visit recovery.gov.au to see what help is available.

Close
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Ministers
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Climate change
    Climate change Driving climate action, science and innovation so we are ready for the future.
    • Climate science and adaptation
    • Australia's climate change strategies
    • Emissions reduction
    • Emissions reporting
    • International climate action
    • Climate Active
    • Climate change publications and data
    • Australia’s National Greenhouse Accounts (Emissions Data)
    Stronger action on climate change

    Stronger action on climate change

    See how the Australian Government is committed to taking more ambitious action on climate change.

    Find out more

  • Energy
    Energy Building a secure and sustainable energy system for all Australians.
    • Energy policy in Australia
    • Energy and Climate Change Ministerial Council
    • Renewable energy
    • Energy publications
    • energy.gov.au
    • Energy Rating
    • Commercial Building Disclosure Program
    • Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS)
    • Your Home
    • Reducing transport emissions
    Photo of commercial laundry focused on a washer and dryer

    Energy Ratings labels

    Helping consumers choose energy-efficient appliances

    Helping consumers choose energy-efficient appliances

  • Environment
    Environment Improving stewardship and sustainable management of Australia’s environment.
    • Bushfire recovery
    • Climate change and the environment
    • Biodiversity
    • EPBC Act
    • Environmental information and data
    • Environmental markets
    • International activities
    • Invasive species
    • Land
    • Marine
    • Partnerships
    • Protection
    • Report a breach of environment law
    • Threatened species & ecological communities
    • Waste and recycling
    • Wildlife trade
    Decorative image

    New Nature Positive laws: public webinar

    Watch our public webinars to learn more about proposed changes to our environment laws.

    Watch now

  • Water
    Water Improving the sustainable management of Australia’s water supply for industry, the environment and communities.
    • Coal, Coal seam gas (CSG) and water
    • Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder
    • Water policy and resources
    • Wetlands
    Water matters

    Water Matters

    Keep up with the latest news on the department's work in managing Australia's water resources.

    Read the latest edition here

  • Parks and heritage
    Parks and heritage Managing Australia’s iconic national parks, historic places and living landscapes.
    • Australian Marine Parks
    • Australian National Botanic Gardens
    • Booderee National Park
    • Kakadu National Park
    • Christmas Island National Park
    • National parks
    • Norfolk Island National Park
    • Heritage
    • Pulu Keeling National Park
    • The Great Barrier Reef
    • Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park
    The reef

    Great Barrier Reef

    Australia is protecting and conserving this World Heritage Area.

    Find out more

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Climate change
    • Australia's biological resources
    • National Environmental Science Program (NESP)
    • Office of the Science Convenor
    • Australian Biological Resource Study (ABRS)
    • State of the Environment (SoE) reporting
    • Bird and bat banding
    • Supervising Scientist
    Our climate is changing

    Our climate is changing

    Find out more about how climate science helps Australians with the impacts of climate change.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us We lead Australia’s response to climate change and sustainable energy use, and protect our environment, heritage and water.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • People and jobs
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    • Campaigns
    2023-24 May Budget

    2023-24 Budget

    The 2023-24 Budget has been delivered. Find out what's been announced.

    Find out what's been announced

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Climate Change, Energy, Enviroment and Water

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Water
  3. Water policy and resources
  4. Murray–Darling Basin
  5. Northern Murray-Darling Basin
  6. Northern Basin Toolkit

Sidebar first - Water

  • Northern Murray-Darling Basin
    • Northern Basin Initiatives
    • Northern Basin Toolkit

Sidebar first - EN - International activity

Northern Basin Toolkit

The Australian Government is working with the NSW and Queensland governments to implement environmental works and measures identified in the Northern Basin Review, collectively known as the ‘Northern Basin Toolkit.’

Northern Basin Toolkit measures

The 6 Northern Basin Toolkit measures include:

  1. arrangements to protect environmental flows
  2. targeted recovery of water
  3. event-based mechanisms (such as options for pumping and store-and-release)
  4. improvements to the coordination and delivery of environmental water
  5. environmental works and measures to promote fish movement and habitat (such as building fishways)
  6. removal of physical constraints in the Gwydir catchment to improve flows to the wetlands.

Each of these Toolkit measures will be implemented via a range of targeted projects and activities.

Northern Basin Toolkit projects

The Australian Government is providing up to $180 million for the implementation of Northern Basin Toolkit environmental works and measures projects. In August 2023, Basin ministers agreed to extend the completion of projects to 31 December 2026.

10 Toolkit projects have been approved, either for immediate implementation or progression to the business case development phase.

These projects are designed to complement environmental outcomes in the northern Basin. They also support an additional 70 GL of water being kept in productive use in the northern Basin and provide a much-needed economic stimulus to communities in the region.

Potential Toolkit projects were assessed by an independent expert panel to determine which would have the best ecological benefits. The panel's findings are available to download below.

The approved projects

Of the 10 Toolkit projects in NSW and Queensland, 7 are approved for implementation:

  1. NSW Fish for the Future: Reconnecting the Northern Basin project
  2. NSW Scoping Initiative: Macquarie Marshes enhanced watering project
  3. NSW Fish for the Future: Fish-friendly Water Extraction project
  4. Queensland Fish-friendly Water Extraction: Condamine-Balonne and Border Rivers project
  5. Gwydir - Gingham Watercourse project
  6. Gwydir - Lower Gwydir Watercourse project
  7. Gwydir - Lower Mehi River project

Three projects were approved for business case development and have not progressed to implementation. These are:

  1. Enhance the Flexibility and Capability for Distributing and Managing Low Flows through the Lower Balonne River System Bifurcation Weirs project (Lower Balonne River System Bifurcation Weirs project)
  2. Queensland Reconnecting Catchments: Condamine-Balonne project (Jack Taylor and Beardmore dams)
  3. Queensland Improving Within-Catchment Fish Resilience – Lower Balonne project (Culgoa). Note this project was descoped and combined with the Lower Balonne River System Bifurcation Weirs project.

The business cases submitted by Queensland Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water (DRDMW) and summaries of our assessment are available to download below.

Download

Document

Northern Basin Toolkit Ecological Prioritisation of Proposed Project Report (PDF 3.2 MB)
Business case for Queensland Lower Balonne River System Bifurcation Weirs Project - Submitted by Queensland DRDMW (PDF 48 MB)
Commonwealth assessment summary for Queensland Lower Balonne River System Bifurcation Weirs Project (PDF 6.3 MB)
Commonwealth assessment summary for Queensland Lower Balonne River System Bifurcation Weirs Project (DOCX 1 MB)
Business case for Queensland Reconnecting Catchments: Condamine-Balonne Project - Submitted by Queensland DRDMW (PDF 45 MB)
Commonwealth assessment summary for Queensland Reconnecting Catchments: Condamine-Balonne Project (PDF 6.9 MB)
Commonwealth assessment summary for Queensland Reconnecting Catchments: Condamine-Balonne Project (DOCX 1 MB)

The Northern Basin Toolkit Ecological Prioritisation of Proposed Project Report and Queensland business cases were not prepared by the department and may not meet Australian Government accessibility guidelines. If you require an accessible version of these reports, please contact the author.

For more information on the approved Toolkit projects, visit Northern Basin Projects on MDBA’s website.

Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip
dcceew energy art

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI
Last updated: 15 November 2023
dcceew footer small

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present.

© Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water