On The Land
8 August, 2026
Water carryover trial in the works
FARMERS are being encouraged to hold off on temporary water transfers because of a proposed government trial of water carryover arrangements for the Mareeba-Dimbulah Water Supply Scheme.
The Tinaroo Water Committee has said it welcomes the proposal, which could start during the current water year while Tinaroo Falls Dam is spilling.
“We understand that many farmers are considering temporary water transfers instead of carryover this water year,” Tinaroo Water Committee chair Joe Moro said.
“We encourage irrigators to hold off doing temporary water trades until we receive final confirmation from the Department (of Local Government, Water and Volunteers DLGWV).”
The committee has been advocating for a practical trial of carryover arrangements for some time and believed the current conditions presented the ideal opportunity.
“Conducting the trial while the dam is spilling will allow valuable operational data and practical experience to be gathered, helping inform future water management decisions for the scheme,” Mr Moro said.
“It has the potential to improve water use efficiency, increase business certainty, and better support long-term agricultural productivity while ensuring water resources continue to be managed responsibly.”
Water carryover allows water entitlement holders to take their unused water allocation into the following season, providing greater flexibility for irrigators from one season to the next.
Mr Moro urged farmers to be patient while the DLGWV finalised the necessary approvals.
Deputy chair Claude Santucci said the committee acknowledged the depart-ment’s willingness to work collaboratively with industry to explore practical improvements to water management across the Mareeba-Dimbulah Water Supply Scheme.
“We sincerely appreciate the department’s continued support of the irrigation community and its commitment to investigating innovative and practical solutions that benefit both irrigators and the long-term sustainability of the scheme,” he said.
“The committee looks forward to continuing to work closely with the department throughout the trial and beyond. This is an important step towards developing a carryover framework that provides greater flexibility for irrigators while maintaining the integrity of the water supply scheme.”
