MY ACCOUNT
STORAGE LEVELS
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Pioneer River
Scheme
Announced Allocations
Storages
Water Pricing
Scheme information
About
The Pioneer River Scheme provides a reliable supply of water for urban, industrial and agricultural users around Mackay and neighbouring districts.
How the scheme works
- The major storage of the scheme, Teemburra Dam, is comprised of a main dam and Saddle Dams 1 and 2, located 60km west of Mackay
- The main dam regulates flows into Teemburra Creek, whereas Saddle Dam 2 supplies water into Palm Tree Creek pipeline. The pipeline runs 1.8km and is about 180m lower in elevation than the reservoir full supply level
- The primary outlet is located at Saddle Dam 2 and delivers water to the adjacent Cattle Creek Valley where the irrigation demand is located.
Water uses
- Irrigation at Palm Creek and Cattle Creek
- Urban water supply for Mackay and surrounding townships
- Industrial
Scheme Management
Sunwater must comply with the conditions set out in the Pioneer River Water Supply Scheme Resource Operations Licence (ROL), issued to Sunwater in June 2005 by the Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water (DRDMW). The ROL outlines the infrastructure details, environmental release rules and all Sunwater’s monitoring and reporting obligations. The ROL also requires Sunwater to operate in accordance with an operations manual that is approved by DRDMW. The operations manual outlines rules for the operation of infrastructure associated with the Pioneer River scheme as well as water sharing rules and seasonal water assignment (temporary trade) rules.
The Pioneer Water Supply Scheme ROL Operations Manual was issued in October 2019.
Sunwater focuses our resources towards timely and cost-efficient delivery of water to customers in the Pioneer River scheme. We collaborate with our customers to ensure we understand their needs, adapt quickly to changes in the environment and make the most of the available water supply.
Taking water from the scheme
The water ordering system assists Sunwater in delivering water to its customers in an efficient and timely way, enabling them to plan and manage their water use.
Before taking any water, customers should place a water order so that Sunwater can release sufficient water and minimise losses.
Customers who take water without ordering may reduce Sunwater’s ability to supply customers who have ordered according to the above requirements.
To place an order
Customers can place their orders via:
- Sunwater Online
- Sunwater Customer Support on 13 15 89
Stopping or restricting supply
Sunwater may suspend or restrict supply in a number of circumstances, including:
- during maintenance of Sunwater’s assets
- during a peak demand period, when rosters or rations may apply
- when the demand for water is so small it is impractical to supply it
- when there is a need to make special releases to maximise efficiency at times of limited supply
- during rain shutdown
- infrastructure limitations which make delivery impractical
- if supply could cause Sunwater to break the law
- when operating under special notices or regulations issued by the Department of Natural Resources and Mines {e.g. Water Amendment Regulation (No.3) 2006}.
Weather events and emergency shutdowns
Sunwater asks that customers notify their duty Water Officer, as soon as possible, of any rain event or other circumstances that substantially lessens their water requirements. When wide spread general rain exceeds 40 mm in a day over the Pioneer River Water Supply Scheme, the duty Water Officer may shut the system down.
Customers are also asked to cancel orders if they no longer require ordered water.
For more information contact
If you experience an equipment or power failure emergency, please give immediate notice to Sunwater by calling Sunwater Customer Support on 13 15 89 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).
Announced Allocations
Water Year: 2024/2025
High priority A: 100%
High priority B: 100%
Announced Allocations effective 1 July 2024 and will be applicable until revised and communicated by Sunwater.
Customers are advised to obtain information about their remaining water allocation balance by accessing SunwaterOnline.
For more information or enquiries, phone 13 15 89 or email customersupport@sunwater.com.au.
Teemburra Dam Water Level Classification
As required under s13(2)(c) of the Pioneer River WSS Operations Manual:
| Teemburra Dam Storage Level | Stage | Effective Date |
| 290.081m AHD | 1 | 1 July 2024 |
| 290.008m AHD | 1 | 1 August 2024 |
| 289.979m AHD | 1 | 1 September 2024 |
| 289.848m AHD | 1 | 1 October 2024 |
| 289.681m AHD | 1 | 1 November 2024 |
| 289.392m AHD | 1 | 1 December 2024 |
History of Announced Allocations
Operational reports
Sunwater releases periodic operational reports detailing Announced Allocation levels and individual storages’ breakdowns within each scheme, the latest of which can be found below.
Service and Performance Plans
Sunwater prepares an annual Service and Performance Plan (S&PP) for each irrigation service contract area. S&PPs replace the former annual Network Service Plans and annual Performance Reports.
We have updated the naming convention for S&PPs to improve clarity and alignment with plan content. The new convention references the year in which the S&PP is published (or should have been published). Publication should occur within six months of the end of a financial year.
For further information about this service, please visit the Service and Performance Plan page.
Scheme history
Pioneer River Water Supply Scheme
The scheme supplies water for urban, industrial and agricultural users - mainly sugarcane growers - around Mackay.
It had its beginnings in the heart of the Pioneer Valley’s sugarcane industry at Marian, 24 km west of Mackay. In 1883, cane farmer David McEachran built a sugar mill and hired local girl Marian Smith to be a secretary. McEachran named the mill and its associated plantation after her, and subsequently the town that grew around it bears her name too.
Marian Smith’s name also lives on in the Marian Weir, built on the Pioneer River in 1952. The weir was the first building block of the scheme, which now includes Dumbleton Rocks Weir, added in 1982 and upgraded in 1993 and 1997, and Mirani Weir in 1987. The final piece to this sugar town story was Teemburra Dam, built on the creek of the same name in 1997.