The Northern Territory Water Management Areas define the boundary extents of Water Management Zones within Water Allocation Plan areas and Water Control Districts as determined by the Minister as statutory instruments under the Water Act 1992, for the purpose of surface water and groundwater management.

WATER CONTROL DISTRICTS provide a basis for administering the management of the extent and distribution of surface water and groundwater resources.

WATER ALLOCATION PLAN AREAS apply to specific water resources within a Water Control District and ensure that water extraction of the resource is undertaken in a sustainable and equitable manner. Plans are declared by the Minister for a specific time frame with a maximum of ten years.

WATER PLAN MANAGEMENT ZONES apply to specific areas located within a Water Allocation Plan Area and are generally established to reduce local short term impacts of extraction. Rules for each zone are defined in water allocation plans to determine how water can be used and/or traded.

The boundary extents of DRAFT areas are subject to change. Individual maps and spatial data are available for each specific water management area.