Water resource management

Lake Moondarra and Rifle Creek are important water resources for our Mount Isa Mines operations and the Mount Isa community.

Mount Isa Mines is the Resource Operating Licence holder of Lake Moondarra Dam. Details of monthly water allocations from Lake Moondarra are posted below.

If you live downstream of Lake Moondarra or Rifle Creek Dam, you have the opportunity to register and be added to an Emergency Notification Database in line with the Emergency Action Plans for the respective water sources.

Moondarra Dam water allocation table

Allocation and usage as of 1 June 2025 in megalitres (ML)

	Total water authority (ML)	Total water allocation for year (ML)	YTD allocation water usage (ML)	Remaining balance (ML)
Mount Isa City Council	12,430	12,430	6,786	5,644
Mount Isa Mines	12,500	12,500	7,297	5,203
Mount Isa Water Board (distribution)	1,250	1,250	730	520
Mount Isa Water Board (any)	120	120	81	39
Total	26,300	26,300	14,894	11,406

Dam Water Supply Scheme Operational Report announced allocation for the 2024-25 reporting year (effective 1 July 2024)

Medium priority announced allocation (AA_M) 100%
(model supplied by Department of Natural Resources, Mining and Energy)

Moondarra Dam

Elevation	325.30 metres (Australian Height Datum)
Current storage volume	90,407 megalitres
Nominal operating volume	26,708 megalitres
Current loss allowance	3,521 megalitres
Clear water lagoon projected storage loss	1,290 megalitres
Usable volume	26,300 megalitres

Additional parameters

Medium priority allocation	26,300 megalitres
Current storage surface area	1,907 hectares
Projected storage loss for MD	30,229 megalitres
Medium priority diverted volume	0 megalitres

To be added to the dam emergency notification database of your choice, please complete and submit this form. Fields marked with an * are mandatory.