❓ Question on Notice regarding the impact of water entitlements on the Karijini National Park's inland water systems. The Minister provides information on DWER's ongoing evaluations, aquifer volumes, recharge rates, and water allocation mechanisms.
AnsweredQoN 115Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Has the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) conducted (or committed to conducting) any evaluation on the impacts of the
current water entitlements on the inland water systems of the Karijini area, which may be having a material impact on the National Park: (a) if
no to (1), why not; (b) if
yes to (1), when were they conducted; and (c) if yes to (1), will copies of these studies be tabled? (2) Can the Minister commit to an urgent, independent,
transparent review into the current water entitlements coming from aquifers
that interact with, or intersect with, the Karijini National Park and conduct a
full assessment of the environmental impact of those entitlements on the
National Park: (a) if no to (2), why not? (3) In relation to existing aquifers that flow into or sit within
the Karijini National Park, I ask: (a) how many are there; (b) what are they and what are their respective estimated volumes; (c) what
is the current allocation from each of those aquifers; (d) how
much of the water allocation is pumped back into aquifers; (e) what
is the recharge rate of those aquifers from dewatering and reinjection; (f) what
is the recharge rate of those aquifers from rainfall; (g) is
the rainfall anticipated to reduce over time; (h) in reference to (g), how will this impact the recharge rate; and (i) has
there been a cumulative impact assessment on these aquifers? (4) What
mechanism is there for the Government to revise down water allocation for
existing mining projects? (5) Are
water allocations from these aquifers dependent on rainfall? (6) How
does DWER consider cumulative impacts on aquifers in this region when
considering a water license application?
current water entitlements on the inland water systems of the Karijini area, which may be having a material impact on the National Park: (a) if
no to (1), why not; (b) if
yes to (1), when were they conducted; and (c) if yes to (1), will copies of these studies be tabled? (2) Can the Minister commit to an urgent, independent,
transparent review into the current water entitlements coming from aquifers
that interact with, or intersect with, the Karijini National Park and conduct a
full assessment of the environmental impact of those entitlements on the
National Park: (a) if no to (2), why not? (3) In relation to existing aquifers that flow into or sit within
the Karijini National Park, I ask: (a) how many are there; (b) what are they and what are their respective estimated volumes; (c) what
is the current allocation from each of those aquifers; (d) how
much of the water allocation is pumped back into aquifers; (e) what
is the recharge rate of those aquifers from dewatering and reinjection; (f) what
is the recharge rate of those aquifers from rainfall; (g) is
the rainfall anticipated to reduce over time; (h) in reference to (g), how will this impact the recharge rate; and (i) has
there been a cumulative impact assessment on these aquifers? (4) What
mechanism is there for the Government to revise down water allocation for
existing mining projects? (5) Are
water allocations from these aquifers dependent on rainfall? (6) How
does DWER consider cumulative impacts on aquifers in this region when
considering a water license application?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
17 June 2025
Responded by
Leader of the House representing the Minister for Water
Response time
7 days
(1a-c) Yes, DWER conducts ongoing evaluations as part of its core business.
(2-a) DWER is currently undertaking a hydrogeological and climate review for relevant aquifers as well as a targeted compliance review of relevant environmental and water approvals.
(3a-c)
Broad aquifer groupings
Estimated Volumes
Licenced Volumes
Hamersley – Fractured Rock
Estimated volumes vary for example fractured rock resources are difficult to measure accurately because water is stored in cracks in the rock, which are unevenly distributed. This makes regional estimates unreliable and not useful for decision-making.
97.5 GL/annum
Noting that actual volumes taken are significantly less than licensed volumes.
Hamersley – Fortescue
Water available for licensing is assessed on a case-by-case basis through the licensing process.
44.7 GL/annum
Noting that actual volumes taken are significantly less than licensed volumes.
Pilbara - Ashburton -Wittenoom – Wittenoom
The water allocation limit, which is a proportion of the total water within an aquifer, is set at 20 GL per annum.
8.3 GL/annum
Noting that actual volumes taken are significantly less than licensed volumes.
Pilbara – East Pilbara -Wittenoom – Wittenoom
The water allocation limit, which is a proportion of the total water within an aquifer, is set at 50 GL per annum.
22.65GL/annum
Noting that actual volumes taken are significantly less than licensed volumes.
(3d). From data currently available, at least 10.5 GL/annum was reinjected into the aquifers in the Karijini area during the 2024 water year.
(3e). Reinjection and natural recharge both contribute to this, and each operation has its own water balance approach.
(3f). Groundwater recharge is from sporadic, intense, highly variable and often localised rainfall events. Recharge near Karijini National Park is about <1–8 per cent of annual rainfall, with some geographically-restricted areas experiencing ≤30 per cent recharge.
(3g). The latest climate change science indicates that both extreme wet and extreme dry future climate states are plausible for the Pilbara region.
(3h). Recharge in the Pilbara will vary according to future rainfall volumes.
(3i). Yes
(4) The adaptive water licencing framework in Western Australia.
(5) Yes
(6) Please refer to answer to the same question in Question Without Notice provided on Thursday 1 May 2025 from Hon Dr Brad Pettitt to the Minister representing the Minister for Water.
(2-a) DWER is currently undertaking a hydrogeological and climate review for relevant aquifers as well as a targeted compliance review of relevant environmental and water approvals.
(3a-c)
Broad aquifer groupings
Estimated Volumes
Licenced Volumes
Hamersley – Fractured Rock
Estimated volumes vary for example fractured rock resources are difficult to measure accurately because water is stored in cracks in the rock, which are unevenly distributed. This makes regional estimates unreliable and not useful for decision-making.
97.5 GL/annum
Noting that actual volumes taken are significantly less than licensed volumes.
Hamersley – Fortescue
Water available for licensing is assessed on a case-by-case basis through the licensing process.
44.7 GL/annum
Noting that actual volumes taken are significantly less than licensed volumes.
Pilbara - Ashburton -Wittenoom – Wittenoom
The water allocation limit, which is a proportion of the total water within an aquifer, is set at 20 GL per annum.
8.3 GL/annum
Noting that actual volumes taken are significantly less than licensed volumes.
Pilbara – East Pilbara -Wittenoom – Wittenoom
The water allocation limit, which is a proportion of the total water within an aquifer, is set at 50 GL per annum.
22.65GL/annum
Noting that actual volumes taken are significantly less than licensed volumes.
(3d). From data currently available, at least 10.5 GL/annum was reinjected into the aquifers in the Karijini area during the 2024 water year.
(3e). Reinjection and natural recharge both contribute to this, and each operation has its own water balance approach.
(3f). Groundwater recharge is from sporadic, intense, highly variable and often localised rainfall events. Recharge near Karijini National Park is about <1–8 per cent of annual rainfall, with some geographically-restricted areas experiencing ≤30 per cent recharge.
(3g). The latest climate change science indicates that both extreme wet and extreme dry future climate states are plausible for the Pilbara region.
(3h). Recharge in the Pilbara will vary according to future rainfall volumes.
(3i). Yes
(4) The adaptive water licencing framework in Western Australia.
(5) Yes
(6) Please refer to answer to the same question in Question Without Notice provided on Thursday 1 May 2025 from Hon Dr Brad Pettitt to the Minister representing the Minister for Water.
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