Northern Territory government was warned raising industry water allocation could threaten major river

A confidential document released under FoI warned that increasing water allocations for industry in the Northern Territory could eventually cause some water flows to the Roper River to move in the opposite direction. Photograph: Ted Mead/Getty Images

The Northern Territory government was warned that increasing water allocations for industry could change the flow to a major Top End river.

Conservationists say a confidential government memorandum, released under freedom of information laws to the Environment Centre NT, should prompt the territory government to be cautious as it drafts water allocation plans for the Beetaloo Basin.