North West region
Water is a defining feature of the North West landscape. Most of Western Australia's surface water is in the Kimberley, with the largest volumes carried by the Ord and Fitzroy rivers – supporting irrigated agriculture and pastoral industries. In the Pilbara, groundwater is increasingly vital for the towns, ports and mining industry which drive economic activity. Water is also an essential feature of the unique and rich biodiversity of the region's environment and is vital to its socio-cultural character.
Water availability in the Kimberley and Pilbara is highly dependent on tropical rains and cyclones. Major floods can be followed by equally severe droughts.
Water allocation planning supports the North West Region's future prosperity and development. Water alloction plans help ensure that water resources are sustainably managed in a way that accounts for periods of water abundance and scarcity.
Water allocation plans
For more information on the water allocation plans in this region, click on the plan image below. Alternatively, click directly to the plan document under related publications on the right.
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| Ord River surface water allocation plan | La Grange groundwater allocation plan | Pilbara groundwater allocation plan |
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| Skuthorpe allocation statement | West Canning Basin allocation statement |
Water planning in the Fitzroy River catchment |
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| Cover Derby groundwater allocation plan |
Lake Kununurra on the lower Ord River in the Kimberley. Photo taken from a helicopter in May 2012.
The lower Fortescue River in the Pilbara. Photo taken in April 2008.
