Public comment sought on Great Artesian Basin draft plan ...

From ABC News:

Public comment sought on Great Artesian Basin draft plan

25 July 2006

The Queensland Government has released a draft water operations plan covering the Great Artesian Basin.

The basin underlies about 20 per cent of Australia.

In Queensland, it stretches from Toowoomba in the south, west to Birdsville and Boulia and into Cape York in the far north.

Randall Cox from the Department of Natural Resources says the plan has been released for public comment, but it is vital the resource is managed carefully.

"Well, the Great Artesian Basin contains a lot of water, but the amount that can be taken out on a sustainable basis is not that large and ... it's an important resource for western communities and it's the only resource available to many people," he said.

"So we do have to manage it in a sustainable way."

Source - ABC News - Public comment sought on Great Artesian Basin draft plan.