Arrowsmith groundwater allocation plan

The Arrowsmith groundwater allocation plan guides how we manage groundwater in the Northern Perth Basin from north of Jurien to Geraldton.

Last updated: 25 January 2023

Plan release information

The Arrowsmith groundwater allocation plan and Statement of response were released in August 2010.

The plan contains:

allocation limits, which define how much water is available in the Arrowsmith groundwater area
licensing policies for how groundwater resources will be allocated and managed
objectives, strategies and performance indicators for monitoring and measuring the effectiveness of the plan
how we will implement the plan and evaluate information, including implementation actions and the process for reporting on performance.

The Arrowsmith groundwater allocation plan: Evaluation statement 2010─2011 reported on the first year of implementation.

Water allocation planning in the Arrowsmith area

Demand for groundwater from the Northern Perth Basin is increasing. Commercial growth in the mining industry, new horticultural projects, and expanding urban development along the coast is leading to competition for good quality, fresh water. Careful planning is needed to provide users with access to reliable water while meeting the needs of the environment in a drying climate.

Plan area

The plan covers the Arrowsmith groundwater area, which is 200 kilometres north of Perth and covers about 10,350 km².

Along with the Jurien and Gingin groundwater areas, Arrowsmith is part of the Northern Perth Basin.

Water resources

The groundwater resources in the plan are the unconfined superficial and surficial aquifers, fractured rocks and the semi-confined to confined aquifers of Leederville–Parmelia, Yarragadee, Cattamarra, Eneabba, Lesueur and Otorowiri.

The Arrowsmith groundwater area is divided into eight subareas – Allanooka, Darling, Dongara, Eneabba Plains, Mingenew, Morrison, Tathra and Twin Hills.