New draft plan to guide groundwater use from 2026
A draft amended Water Allocation Plan for Eyre Peninsula’s groundwater resources is now available for stakeholder feedback.
Updated science and information about the region’s long-term reductions in rainfall, falling groundwater levels, increasing salinity risks, the health of groundwater dependent ecosystems, and supply and demand considerations, were used to inform the drafting of the amended Plan.
Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board General Manager Jonathan Clark says a reduction in the allocation available to some licence holders is necessary, as outlined in the draft plan.
“The latest data from the Department for Environment and Water clearly shows that water extraction at current rates is not sustainable under a changing climate in some areas, with the risk of irreparable damage to the basins,” Mr Clark says.
“The SA Water desalination plant at Port Lincoln has been designed to offset these reductions in groundwater availability for public water supply.
“The Bramfield basin, which supplies water to Elliston, is facing risks from falling groundwater levels and changes in water quality due to seawater intrusion.
“The draft amended Plan has a simplified process to reduce allocations when groundwater storage drops due to a lack of rainfall and recharge in drier years. This allocation approach aims to provide adequate water for the Elliston town water supply, even after a dry year. However, increasing groundwater salinity may require alternative town water supply options to be revisited in the future.”
Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board’s Program Manager Water, Andrew Solomon, says the draft plan presents a clear way forward for more sustainable management of the region’s groundwater resources.
“Groundwater resources must be protected, because falling groundwater levels and increasing risks from salinity threaten both public and private water supplies, the integrity of the aquifers themselves, and ecosystems and cultural values that rely on groundwater,” Mr Solomon says.
Stakeholders can consider the summary of the major items in the Plan, review the draft amended Plan in its entirety, and have their say on the Plan by completing a survey on YourSAy by 5pm on December 16, 2025.
The Board will also be holding community consultation drop-in sessions at the Elliston Sporting Club on November 19, 2025 from 3.30-6.30pm and at the Port Lincoln Yacht Club on November 20, 2025 from 3.30-6.30pm.
Following this consultation period, all feedback received will be considered, and where appropriate incorporated into the final Plan which will be provided to the Minister for Climate, Environment and Water for approval in early 2026. Any changes to licences as a result of the amended Plan, which are issued by the Department for Environment and Water, will come into effect on 1 July 2026.
To get involved, visit the YourSAy page at https://yoursay.sa.gov.au/ep-water-allocation-plan-draft-2026.
Written submissions can be emailed to EPLBAdmin@sa.gov.au or posted to EP WAP Revision, Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board, PO Box 2916, Port Lincoln, SA 5606, strictly needing to be received by December 16, 2025.
Background information
An amended Water Allocation Plan for Southern Basins and Musgrave Prescribed Wells Areas has been prepared following a review of the condition of the peninsula’s prescribed groundwater resources. The review indicated that the groundwater resources are no longer able to supply the same amount of water to support the region’s needs. Stakeholder and community consultation on the review of the 2016 Water Allocation Plan was undertaken from October 2024 to April 2025.
The groundwater resources of the prescribed areas provide water to meet the demands of the public water supply system, stock and domestic users, irrigators and the aquaculture and mining industries. Additionally, the groundwater resources provide water to environmental systems such as Sleaford Mere in the Southern Basins and Lake Newland in the Musgrave area. The surface expression of groundwater also has significant cultural value within these areas for the Nauo, Wirangu and Barngarla peoples. There are currently 18 licence holders in the Southern Basins and 9 in the Musgrave area.
The Uley South basin in the Southern Basins, near Port Lincoln, supplies approximately 75 per cent of the public water supply for Eyre Peninsula - from Port Lincoln to Cowell and up to Ceduna. This is supplemented by River Murray water via a pipeline to Lock. The townships of Coffin Bay and Elliston are reliant on local groundwater supplies to meet the public water supply demand.
