The Queensland Government has announced it will conduct a full review into the Barron Water Resource Plan in a bid to examine the allocation and management of water in the Upper Barron.

State Minister for Natural Resources, Andrew Cripps, said that the review will ensure that environmental values are ‘carefully considered’ in the development of a future water management framework.

“It is vitally important that the rules governing water sharing and water trading be regularly examined and improved to ensure communities are gaining maximum benefit from their water resources,” Mr Cripps said.

“This targeted review will provide the Atherton Tablelands community with a stronger, better water planning framework that delivers on their needs.

“This is about getting it right for the long-term, so that water users can have confidence in the future and continue to make their substantial contributions to the strength and diversity of the economy on the Atherton Tablelands.”

Mr Cripps announced the review today and stressed it would target issues in the Upper Barron, to ensure the review was conducted in an efficient manner with minimal disruption to the daily operations of local water users. 

The review is expected to be completed by late 2014.