Save Mataranka & Bitter Springs

Scroll to Take Action

The Lawler Government has released a plan to take huge amounts of water from the Roper system for thirsty industries like cotton and fracking.

The plan would allow 62 billion litres of water to be taken from the underground aquifer system which supports the Roper River and the iconic springs of Elsey National Park, Rainbow and Bitter Springs.

Here’s why you should send a message calling on the government to reject the Mataranka Tindall Limestone Aquifer Water Allocation Plan:

It will mean more than 24,800 Olympic sized swimming pools of water are taken from the river.
Scientists have warned taking this much water would risk the aquifer and the Roper flowing backwards.
It could affect water supply and increase salinity in downstream communities like Ngukkur.
Less water for wildlife and native plants risks biodiversity, as well as our famous recreational fishing.
When combined with the government's surface water harvesting plan, this could be disastrous for our Top End rivers.

Together, we can make a difference. Stand with us, for the rivers, for the land, and for our future.

Take action

Send your message to the Controller of Water Resources, Hon. Kate Worden MLA, Minister for the Environment and Water Security

First Name

Last Name

Suburb

Phone

Your message

To: Water Controller; Kate Worden MLA, Minister for the Environment and Water Security

To the Water Controller, 
 
I am very concerned about the future of our rivers and their floodplains. These great Territory rivers underpin our lifestyle, tourism industry and cultural heritage. The health of these systems is at stake with recent decisions by the NT government – including the draft plan for the Mataranka Tindall Limestone Aquifer Water Allocation Plan.

I have serious concerns about the impacts of the Draft Water Allocation Plan. The Plan:  
- Doubles the water currently licensed in the plan area  
- Allocates six times the water currently used in the plan area  
- Quadruples the licensed amount in Larrimah

Combined with the Georgina Wiso Water Allocation Plan, it allows for 265 billion litres of water to be taken each year. This does not include the added risk posed by the Surface Water Take - Wet Season Flow Policy and Interference with a Waterway Guideline plans which allows floodplain harvesting and dams on rivers such as the Roper.

Communities along the Roper River have been giving a simple message: no more water out. This message was delivered to delivered to federal parliament by Traditional Owners from across the Roper catchment personally, in November 2023, along with a 13 metre long cultural map of the river, it's floodplains and sacred songlines. Plans to allocate billions of additional litres of water to the cotton and fracking industries are inconsistent with this message.

We’re already seeing the effects of water extraction at Mataranka and across the Territory. If implemented in its current form, this plan could have dire consequences for the places we love: increased extraction risks increased salinity of drinking water for downstream communities like Ngukurr; wetlands, billabongs and cultural places drying up earlier – with potentially devastating impacts on wildlife and cultural activities; and increased fire risk and impacts on dry season flows to the Roper River.

I’m asking for: 
- This Draft Water Allocation Plan to be rejected. 
- A commitment to no more water out of the Roper River beyond current allocations, which are already having a visible impact. This includes: a ban on all further water extraction, licences and surface water harvesting in the Roper catchment, including the groundwater and floodplains that are the life of the Roper.  
- Roper communities, including those downstream, to be included in all water joint-decision making.

The Northern Territory government must listen to communities and science, and prioritise the protection of our rivers, floodplains and aquifers. Territorians want to see communities listened to, and new strengthened protections for our river systems. We must avoid the fate of the Murray Darling Basin in the Northern Territory, and we want to see decision makers acting to avoid this.

Thankyou,

Phone

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.