The Great Artesian Basin Strategic Management Plan is now available.
The Australian, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australian and New South Wales governments worked together to prepare it.
We developed the Plan in consultation with the Great Artesian Basin Coordinating Committee (GABCC), stakeholders, and considered feedback through a public consultation process.
The Plan provides a framework for governments, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, water users and other stakeholders to achieve economic, environmental, cultural and social outcomes for the Great Artesian Basin (the Basin) and its users.
Implementation of the Plan will assist all parties to identify and respond to the risks, issues, challenges and opportunities associated with use of Basin water.
Guiding principles
Basin governments, community and industry representatives agreed to 7 guiding principles. These are used to achieve economic, environmental, cultural and social outcomes for the Basin.
The principles are:
- coordinated governance
- a healthy resource
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values, cultural heritage and other community values
- secure and managed access
- judicious use of groundwater
- information, knowledge and understanding for management
- communication and education.
The Plan spans 15 years (ending 2034). It will be reviewed every 5 years.
Download
Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, 2020
Download
| Document | Pages | File size |
|---|---|---|
Great Artesian Basin Strategic Management Plan PDF |
53 | 2.0 MB |
Great Artesian Basin Strategic Management Plan DOCX |
53 | 1.2 MB |
If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for help.
Public consultation
We considered feedback from a consultation period in 2018. We received 112 submissions from stakeholders about the draft Plan.
We thank the GABCC for developing the draft Plan and the stakeholders who responded to the review process.
For more information, please contact gabsecretariat@dcceew.gov.au
Great Artesian Basin Springs Adaptive Management Plan
The Great Artesian Basin Springs Adaptive Management Plan helps protect springs on productive land while minimising disruption to productive water extraction and land use. It is used by landholders, water managers and decision makers.
We developed the Plan using the best science and local knowledge available. The Plan includes evidence-based, cost-effective strategies for identifying and managing risks to the Basin springs.
It details practical guidance on protecting the springs, including how to:
- classify springs and assign value to different spring groups
- identify threats and risks to spring health
- develop intervention strategies
- monitor activities.
The template can be tailored to each spring according to their individual characteristics or level of risk from water extraction or land use.
See The Great Artesian Basin – A Plan for the Future
Great Artesian Basin Strategic Management Plan 2000–2015
The Great Artesian Basin Strategic Management Plan 2000– 2015 was endorsed by the Australian, New South Wales, South Australian, Queensland and Northern Territory governments in September 2000.
The Plan provided a 15-year strategic framework for responsible groundwater and related natural resource management in the Basin.
It guided governments, water users and other stakeholders on the policies, programs and actions necessary to achieve optimum economic, environmental and social benefits from the existence and use of Basin groundwater resources.
Great Artesian Basin Strategic Management Plan 2000—2015.
Reviews of the Great Artesian Basin Strategic Management Plan 2000–2015
The new Great Artesian Basin Strategic Management Plan was informed by the 2007 and 2015 reviews of the first Great Artesian Basin Strategic Management Plan 2000-2015.
The 2015 review identified the achievements of the Plan and the ongoing and new emerging issues for the Basin. The review informed the development of the new Plan.
The 2007 review refocused the Plan from 2008 to 2015 by:
- supporting new development
- continuing bore rehabilitation
- reforming water management policy and industry policy
- continuing state and territory government water planning improvements.