Risks in the current groundwater regulation approach in the Beetaloo region, Northern Territory, Australia

Plans are underway to greatly increase rates of groundwater extraction from the Northern Territory's Cambrian Limestone Aquifer (CLA), particularly above the Beetaloo sub-basin, to allow expansion of shale gas and agricultural industries. We analyse current groundwater regulations in the NT, and the state of knowledge regarding key aspects of the region's hydrogeology and values sustained by groundwater. We find that the current rules governing the administration of groundwater licencing in areas without a Water Allocation Plan (WAP) - the Top End and Arid Zone rules - are poorly suited to protect ecological, Indigenous socio-cultural and other water use values. These rules (as currently applied) allow the depletion of substantial groundwater storage in areas that fall within the 'arid zone' (as defined in NT policy). Such depletion risks the reduction or loss of groundwater flows to ecosystems and stygofauna habitat and reduced throughflow of groundwater between different regions, within the highly connected CLA system. This may disrupt water flows that sustain local livelihoods and those that are integral to Indigenous peoples' beliefs and cultural practices. The new WAP that applies over much of the Beetaloo sub-basin (Georgina-Wiso WAP) is also deficient in key areas. It has failed to comply with national water policy, in that no substantive steps have been taken to understand Indigenous cultural and ecological values sustained by groundwater prior to setting an Estimated Sustainable Yield. A more precautionary, inclusive approach to determining groundwater regulations would involve a) setting of conservative water extraction limits combined with trigger levels for ecosystem protection and b) co-management in partnership with Aboriginal peoples, with both consultation and decision-making processes that recognise their inherent rights and interests in water. This will be critical to avoiding long-term environmental and socio-cultural harm from over-extraction of groundwater.