Catchments and water types in the EOI
Table 1: Catchments and water type in EOI Northern Basin (ATM_2026_5959)
| Catchment | Water source and water type |
|---|
| New South Wales |
| Barwon–Darling | Unregulated River Water Source: A, B and C class licences |
| Border Rivers | Regulated River Water Source: High Security, General Security A & B, and Supplementary |
| Gwydir | Regulated River Water Source: High Security, General Security, and Supplementary |
| Intersecting Streams | All water sources |
| Macquarie–Castlereagh | Macquarie and Cudgegong Regulated Rivers Water Source: High Security, General Security, and Supplementary |
| Namoi | Upper Namoi Regulated River: High Security and General Security
Lower Namoi Regulated River: High Security, General Security, and Supplementary
Peel Regulated River: High Security and General Security |
| Queensland |
| Border Rivers | Border Rivers WSS: High Priority and Medium Priority
Macintyre Brook WSS: High Priority and Medium Priority |
| Condamine–Balonne | All water sources and water types |
Source: DCCEEW, Restoring Our Rivers Expressions of Interest, Table 1 (last updated 11 September 2026). DCCEEW was not seeking a set volume from any particular state, catchment or water right type.
Level of interest received by catchment
DCCEEW has grouped responses into volume bands. The final column records whether a separate Bridging the Gap requirement also applies in that catchment.
Table 2: EOI interest by Catchment
| Catchment |
Interest offered
ML nominal / ML/y LTDLE |
DCCEEW's characterisation |
Bridging the Gap position |
| Namoi | >60,000
35,000 – 60,000 LTDLE | Potential opportunities | SDL gap bridged (subject to conveyance and MDBA accreditation) |
| Condamine–Balonne (Qld) | 35,000 – 60,000
35,000 – 60,000 LTDLE | Broad range of potential opportunities | Surface water bridged; 1.5 GL/y groundwater gap remains (Upper Condamine Alluvium Tributaries), tender Oct to Dec 2026 |
| Gwydir | 35,000 – 60,000
15,000 – 35,000 LTDLE | Potential opportunities | Not a Bridging the Gap catchment |
| Barwon–Darling | 15,000 – 35,000
15,000 – 35,000 LTDLE | Potential opportunities | SDL gap bridged |
| NSW Border Rivers | 15,000 – 35,000
5,000 – 15,000 LTDLE | Potential opportunities | 3.7 GL/y gap remains; DCCEEW states 450 GL purchases will not be prioritised while the gap remains. Tender Sep to Oct 2026 |
| Intersecting Streams | 5,000 – 15,000
<5,000 LTDLE | Potential opportunities | Not a Bridging the Gap catchment |
| Macquarie | <5,000
<5,000 LTDLE | Fewer opportunities | Not a Bridging the Gap catchment |
| Qld Border Rivers | <5,000
<5,000 LTDLE | Fewer opportunities | Not a Bridging the Gap catchment |
Source: DCCEEW, Restoring Our Rivers Expressions of Interest, Table 2 (last updated 11 September 2026); Bridging the Gap position from the Trading Strategy Addendum 2026-27 (as at 30 June 2026).
Rows are ordered by LTDLE volume offered. For catchments marked "potential opportunities" DCCEEW states that further assessment of environmental benefits, socio-economic considerations and value for money would be required before progression.
Nominal volume and LTDLE are different measures. Nominal volume is the entitlement volume shown on the licence. Long-term diversion limit equivalence (LTDLE) converts that entitlement to its long-term average annual contribution to the SDL, using factors that vary by water source and water type. DCCEEW assesses recovery in LTDLE terms. This is why the Gwydir and NSW Border Rivers bands are lower in LTDLE than in nominal terms, and why supplementary and general security entitlements contribute less per megalitre than high security.
NSW LTDLE factors were updated in October 2025 and June 2026 as Water Resource Plans progressed through accreditation, and DCCEEW indicates further changes may occur. An entitlement's LTDLE value, and therefore its value to the Commonwealth, should be treated as subject to revision until the relevant plan is accredited.
Two Commonwealth purchase pathways
Two separate processes operate across these catchments. They have different legal bases, volumes and timing, and which one applies depends on the catchment.
450 GL pathway
- Purpose: additional environmental water towards the 450 GL target
- Status: EOI closed April 2026; interest published 11 September 2026; no purchase decision made
- Volumes: not fixed, and likely well below the volumes offered
- Timing: selling window to December 2027
Bridging the Gap pathway (SDL tenders)
- Purpose: close the remaining gap to the Sustainable Diversion Limits
- Status: 9.0 GL/y remaining across five catchments at 30 June 2026
- Volumes: fixed per catchment, bought through open and limited tenders
- Timing: staged tenders to mid-2027
Catchments with a remaining gap to be bridged (as at 30 June 2026)
Figure 1: Catchments with a remaining gap to be bridged as at 30 June 2026. Source: DCCEEW, Strategic Water Purchasing Framework (Bridging the Gap) Trading Strategy Addendum 2026-27.
Table 3: Bridging the Gap status and gap volumes remaining (as at 30 June 2026)
| Catchment |
Original 2023 target (GL/y) |
Updated target using NSW LTDLE factors (GL/y) |
Volume recovered (agreed to purchase) (GL/y) |
Gap remaining (GL/y) |
| Barwon Darling | 1.6 | 0 | 2.4 | Bridged |
| Condamine Balonne (surface water) | 14 | 14 | 14.3 | Bridged |
| Condamine Balonne (groundwater) | 3.2 ² | 3.2 | 1.7 | 1.5 ³ |
| Lachlan | 0.9 | 2.7 | 0.9 | 1.8 |
| Lower Darling | n/a | 1 | 0 | 1.0 |
| Namoi | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | Bridged |
| NSW Border Rivers | 5.1 | 5.4 | 1.7 | 3.7 |
| NSW Murray | 10 | 11 | 10.1 | 1.0 |
| ACT | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | Bridged |
| Total | 49.2 | 51.7 | 45.5 ⁴ | 9.0 |
All volumes are LTDLE GL/y. Source: DCCEEW, Strategic Water Purchasing Framework (Bridging the Gap) Trading Strategy Addendum 2026-27, Table 1.
1. Original targets as set out in the Strategic Water Purchasing Framework (2023).
2. Target comprises 0.25 GL/y in the Upper Condamine Alluvium (Central Condamine Alluvium) and 2.95 GL/y in the Upper Condamine Alluvium (Tributaries).
3. Gap remaining is in the Upper Condamine Alluvium (Tributaries) only.
4. There may be differences due to rounding; includes some over-recovery. Gaps in the NSW Murray, Lower Darling and Lachlan have arisen only through changes in NSW LTDLE factors. DCCEEW is considering SDLAM reconciliation outcomes and over-recovered volumes in its assessment of the NSW Murray and Lower Darling requirements.
Indicative tender key dates
Dates published by DCCEEW for purchasing activities to commence. They are indicative only.
September – October 2026
NSW Border Rivers (Bridging the Gap)
Surface water. 3.7 GL/y LTDLE remaining.
October – December 2026
Qld Condamine–Balonne groundwater (Bridging the Gap)
Upper Condamine Alluvium Tributaries. 1.5 GL/y LTDLE remaining.
November 2026 – March 2027
NSW Lachlan (Bridging the Gap)
Surface water. 1.8 GL/y LTDLE remaining. Not part of the Northern Basin EOI.
To December 2027
Northern Basin EOI window (450 GL)
Any purchase program arising from the EOI would follow Ministerial consideration under section 86ADB.
Source: DCCEEW, Trading Strategy Addendum 2026-27 (Tender key dates); Restoring Our Rivers Expressions of Interest page.
