Mataranka hot springs 'at risk' in planned water carve-up, water economist warns
The plan will allow for up to 62 billion litres to be extracted from the Tindal Limestone Aquifer. (ABC News: James Elton)
A leading water economist has joined traditional owners to warn the iconic thermal springs of Mataranka may be under threat if the NT government proceeds with its draft plan to allow for a doubling of licensed extraction from an underground aquifer.
The twin springs, Bitter Springs and Rainbow Springs, are jewels in the crown of the Top End tourism industry and hold special significance for local Aboriginal people.
Quentin Grafton, a leading water economist at the Australian National University, accompanied traditional owners on a recent tour of the springs.
"There's world-class springs here – wonderful clarity of water, wonderful places that people come to, Australians and people from all over the world," Professor Grafton said.
"Those are at risk.
"They're threatened from too much extraction of water, and also what happens to wastewater."
Quentin Grafton has warned the territory risks repeating mistakes made in the management of the Murray Darling river system. (ABC News: James Elton)
Current water licences for the Tindal Limestone Aquifer, which discharges into the springs and feeds the Roper River, allow for 34 billion litres of extraction each year.
NT government data on the water use reported by licence holders suggests slightly less than half that entitlement was actually used last year.
But under the draft Mataranka Water Allocation Plan, which closed for consultation earlier this month, the NT government sets the sustainable extraction rate at 62 billion litres each year.
A final version of the plan, when complete, will be presented to the NT water minister.
Elsey National Park's thermal springs are a popular tourist destination. (ABC News: Michael Franchi)
"What they're planning on taking out scares the hell out of me," said Simone Baker, a Mangarayi woman and granddaughter of senior traditional owner Sheila Conway.
"If you don't have blood, you die. Water is a blood system to Aboriginal people, not only for cultural reasons, but for hunting, gathering, what we've been doing for so many years.
"That's how we've survived for so long. We've always taken what we need – just what we need."
Last week the powerful Northern Land Council threw its weight behind concerned traditional owners, calling the draft plan "blatantly disrespectful" and demanding a total rewrite.
Mangarayi woman Simone Baker is the granddaughter of senior traditional owner Sheila Conway. (ABC News: James Elton)
The precautionary principle
The overwhelming majority of the current allocated water is held by agricultural licence holders, with some of the biggest belonging to melon farmers.
In the draft plan, the NT environment department is confident about the resilience of the aquifer.
"Monitoring of groundwater levels and river flow in the region since the 1960s indicates that groundwater storage and discharge to the Roper River is increasing," a background report states.
A meeting between visiting water experts, environmental activists and traditional owners was held in Mataranka in May. (ABC News: James Elton)
The plan proposes most of the new extraction to be from the southern part of the plan area around Larrimah, rather than in the northern part near Mataranka, in part in recognition of the importance of the springs.
But Adam Gaston, a Mangarayi man and resident of the nearby Jilkminggan community, said he had already seen impacts from agricultural extraction on other springs in the area.
"They're saying it shouldn't affect things, and we can see it already, that it's already starting to affect us," he said.
"Just from the agriculture alone, it's stressing our rivers. And here you can see the effects of it.
"It's a beautiful place, a deadly tourist hub. A lot of people want to come down here fishing and swimming, and they're just going to sacrifice it."
Adam Gaston believes agricultural water extraction is already taking a toll on local springs. (ABC News: James Elton)
Professor Grafton, who has done significant studies of the Murray Darling Basin, said he was concerned about a "move to the north" of water-intensive industries.
"We don't know enough about the [Mataranka] system to be able to make the decisions that are being made," he said.
"There's a very famous principle called the precautionary principle, and the precautionary principle is we don't act – in this case, it's extract – unless we have the necessary evidence to make the decisions."
Stakeholders from Mataranka and beyond met in May to voice concerns over the plan. (ABC News: James Elton)
'No Indigenous voices'
Ms Baker said she was alarmed that there were "no Indigenous voices" informing the development of the final plan.
The only three Indigenous members of an advisory committee working on the plan quit in protest in September 2023.
The NT environment department defended its consultations with Aboriginal people in response to questions from the ABC, outlining a series of community meetings along the Roper River it held together with the Northern Land Council.
A spokesperson said protecting river flows and springs were "key priorities" in the draft plan and would "remain important elements in any final water allocation plan presented to the minister".