Delivery
What’s Happened So Far
February 2021
Public Information Sessions, initial Feasibility Report & Demand Assessment
August 2021
August 2021
September 2021
October 2021
Prepare funding proposal for submission to National Water Grid Authority
december 2022
Application to National Water Grid Fund submitted by QLD Government on behalf of Water for Warrill
2024
DRDMW engaged consultant to meet with stakeholders and review all existing material to prepare a report outlining Water Options for Agricultural Manufacturing & Processing in the Warrill.
September 2024
Report submitted to DRDMW for consideration, outlining key actions
July 2025
New funding agreement signed with the DLGWV to progress the investigations in 3 stages
December 2025
Stage 1 Report Submitted to Government with early intervention recommendations to govt
February 2026
Stage 1 Report Commence impolementation with Seqwater to improve water security
June 2026
Stage 2 Report Submitted to Government covering longer term changes to further improve water security
July 2026
Stage 3 Report to be submitted to progress business case for infrastructure options
August 2026
Commence Stage 4 business case and market readiness report.
Stage 2 Outcomes
Stage 2 looked to:
Identify where current planning settings may be constraining system performance
Test whether targeted reforms may improve outcomes
Identify areas requiring further technical refinement
Establish whether sufficient merit exists to justify progression to a future business case stage
The investigations indicate that a coordinated package of modest planning and operational reforms may deliver material improvements in:
-
- water reliability;
- system flexibility;
- drought resilience;
- economic productivity;
- flood mitigation outcomes; and
- utilisation of existing water resources.
The Stage 2 work also reinforces the importance of adopting a portfolio approach to water management, combining existing surface water supplies with flood harvesting, recycled water, groundwater and operational flexibility mechanisms.
The findings provide a strong platform for future engagement with Government regarding:
-
- the replacement Moreton Water Plan;
- future infrastructure investigations;
- strategic water reserves;
- operational reforms; and
- future business case funding pathways.
Stronger, More Productive Farms
The Stage 2 Study demonstrates that improving water reliability is the single biggest lever to lift on-farm productivity.
A “portfolio approach” — combining surface water, flood harvesting, groundwater and recycled water — allows growers to:
Maintain production in dry years
Shift into higher-value horticulture
Improve output per megalitre of water
This approach enables structural change in agriculture, with farms moving from lower-value production into high-value crops such as vegetables and horticulture.
The result is:
Higher farm incomes
More efficient water use
Greater resilience to drought and climate variability
Reliability matters just as much as volume. When growers can rely on water, they invest, diversify, and produce more value from every drop.
Supporting Queensland's Water Productivity Agenda
Water for Warrill is directly aligned with the Queensland Government’s focus on unlocking water productivity and economic growth from existing water systems.
The Stage 2 findings show that targeted reforms can:
Increase irrigation supply reliability by up to 15-16%
Enable more flexible water markets, improving efficiency
Support better allocation of water to higher-value uses
Deliver economic uplift without increasing pressure on high-security water supplies
The project demonstrates how policy reform, infrastructure and market flexibility can work together to:
-
- Improve productivity per megalitre
- Strengthen regional economies
- Enhance drought resilience
Importantly, these outcomes can be delivered while:
-
- Maintaining environmental flows
- Reducing downstream flood impacts
- Protecting existing water users
Water for Warrill is a practical example of how Queensland can boost water productivity — delivering more economic value, more resilience, and stronger regional communities.
A Smarter Way to Capture Water:
The Warrill Valley Storage Opportunity
The Stage 2 investigations have identified a clear opportunity: capturing floodwater and storing it locally could deliver a step change in water reliability, productivity and economic growth for the Warrill Valley.
At the centre of this opportunity is a new off-stream storage, designed to capture high-flow events and make water available when it is needed most.
Turning Floodwater into Productive Water
The Stage 2 Report modelling shows that a 12,000 ML off-stream storage integrated into the Warrill Valley Water Supply Scheme could:
Improve reliability of existing irrigation allocations by 15–20%
Improve reliability of existing irrigation allocations by 15–20%
Improve reliability of existing irrigation allocations by 15–20%
Rather than relying on new dams in sensitive locations, the focus is on capturing water that is already flowing through the system — and putting it to work for growers and the local economy.
This is about taking water we currently lose during flood events and turning it into productivity, jobs and long-term growth for the valley.
A Game-Changer for Growers
For irrigators, reliability is everything.
The proposed storage would:
- Provide more consistent water supply across seasons
- Reduce exposure to dry-year risk
- Enable investment in higher-value cropping systems
- Support expansion of existing farm enterprises
Importantly, the modelling shows this can be achieved without reducing existing water reliability for other farmers in the valley or affecting environmental flows.
Part of an Integrated Water System
The storage is not a stand-alone solution.
It forms part of a broader, integrated water system approach that combines:
- Flood harvesting
- Existing scheme water
- Private on-farm storages (~8,000 ML potential)
- Future opportunities such as recycled water
This portfolio approach ensures water can be supplied at different price points and reliability levels, supporting a wide range of agricultural and industrial uses.
What the Engineering Work Shows
Early engineering investigations confirm that the opportunity is real and achievable, with:
- Multiple potential storage locations identified in the Warrill Valley
- Feasible sites particularly between Aratula and Warrill View
- Ability to construct a single large storage or multiple smaller storages
Initial analysis indicates:
- Two leading site options identified for further work.
- Order-of-magnitude costs between $70-100M
- Infrastructure would include pumping systems and pipelines to capture flood flows
These findings are based on preliminary, desktop investigations, with detailed assessment to follow.
Early engineering investigations confirm that the opportunity is real and achievable, with:
- Multiple potential storage locations identified in the Warrill Valley
- Feasible sites particularly between Aratula and Warrill View
- Ability to construct a single large storage or multiple smaller storages
Initial analysis indicates:
- Two leading site options identified for further work.
- Order-of-magnitude costs between $70-100M
- Infrastructure would include pumping systems and pipelines to capture flood flows
These findings are based on preliminary, desktop investigations, with detailed assessment to follow.