Legislative Mechanisms for Managed Aquifer Recharge in Queensland, Australia: A Framework for Managing Risk and Unlocking Opportunities for Water

This article presents an examination of the legal mechanisms that regulate the most common types of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) projects in Queensland: infiltration basins and recharge dams using river water and direct injection using treated coal seam gas associated water. The article provides general guidance to potential MAR proponents and also reveals the opportunities as well as potential barriers to MAR projects in Queensland. The article reveals that complexity in relation to MAR regulatory mechanisms may be necessary to reflect the context and diverse impacts of the varied types of MAR. Entitlements for the process under the water legislation are missing in Queensland and deliberative reform on this issue could assist to strengthen integrated catchment management regimes. This research has relevance for the Queensland water, planning and environmental legislative framework but will also inform efforts for regulatory reform relating to MAR in other jurisdictions.