Alluvium was engaged to determine the environmental water needs of the lower Mitchell River and the environmental effects of water extraction on the river.

This information is then used to assess where water that is currently allocated to consumptive uses, or available for allocation, could be extracted from the river’s flow regime in order to minimize the environmental impact of water extraction.

The project involved the determination of environmental flow requirements for the low-flow period, and an assessment of the environmental risk of maintaining existing low flow water extraction rules and options to mitigate this risk whilst accommodating existing consumptive water users.

The FLOWS method was applied to the study area and used to determine the environmental flow requirements for the low flow season (base flow and freshes) required to achieve agreed environmental objectives.