Australian Natural Resources Atlas

Natural Resource Topics

Irrigation - Western Australia

Western Australia

Location map of Western Australia

How much water is used by irrigation compared to other uses in Western Australia?

The total consumption of water for irrigation in Western Australia represents 40% of the total water use in the State. 61% of the water used for irrigation is sourced from surface water and 39% from groundwater.

Extent to which water resources are committed within each river basin in Western Australia?

Chart of Total Water Use in State: Irrigation Water Use in State

NLWRA 2000

Table: Irrigation Water Use / Abstraction : Total Water Use / Abstraction in Western Australia, 1996/97
Surface Water Groundwater
Basin Total Water Use 96/97 (ML/yr) Irrigation Water Use 96/97 (ML/yr) Irrigation Use as % of toal (%) Total G/W Abstraction 96/97 (ML/yr) G/W Abstracted for Irrigation 96/97 (ML/yr) Irrigation Abstraction as % of total (%)
Western Australia 659 430 65.29 1,138 281 24.64
Nullarbor (WA) 0 0 0 22 0 0.00
Warburton (WA) 0 0 0 14 0 0.00
Salt Lake 11,406 41 0.36 147,971 881 0.60
Sandy Desert 0 0 0 4,694 780 16.61
Mackay (WA) 0 0 0 221 0 0.00
Esperance Coast 211 26 12.32 3,964 127 3.20
Albany Coast 3,320 1,084 32.65 2,569 228 8.85
Denmark River 1,071 482 45.00 2,615 293 11.18
Kent River 606 425 70.13 5 0 0.00
Frankland River 1,165 602 51.67 87 0 0.00
Shannon River 4,803 4,678 97.40 43 37 85.75
Warren River 7,963 7,415 93.12 342 253 73.80
Donnelly River 2,450 1,559 63.63 2,032 1,485 73.09
Blackwood River 17,421 11,049 63.42 27,321 18,023 65.97
Busselton Coast 6,547 5,654 86.36 38,494 18,332 47.62
Preston River 10,292 10,172 98.83 13,271 1,882 14.18
Collie River 61,894 59,176 95.61 39,493 4,056 10.27
Harvey River 51,500 45,980 89.28 22,727 14,349 63.14
Murray River (WA) 25,405 2,758 10.86 103,378 35,931 34.76
Avon River 17,736 175 0.99 9,982 no data 0.00
Swan Coast 145,765 12,431 8.53 330,595 67,845 20.52
Moore-Hill Rivers 3,472 2,691 77.51 169,217 98,693 58.32
Yarra Yarra Lakes 195 0 0.00 7,092 27 0.38
Ninghan 28 0 0.00 2,949 1 0.00
Greenough River 1,592 1,109 69.66 22,900 1,917 8.37
Murchison River 27 0 0.00 20,808 330 1.59
Wooramel River 0 0 0 9,360 162 1.73
Gascoyne River 0 0 0 16,045 3,078 19.18
Lyndon-Minilya Rivers 0 0 0 16,304 4,693 28.78
Ashburton River 0 0 0 12,313 0 0.00
Onslow Coast 0 0 0 2,626 0 0.00
Fortescue River 6,290 0 0.00 28,715 0 0.00
Port Hedland Coast 4,500 0 0.00 6,702 no data 0.00
De Grey River 0 0 0 43,680 0 0.00
Cape Leveque Coast 236 0 0.00 9,030 3,515 38.92
Fitzroy River (WA) 730 0 0.00 8,373 452 5.39
Lennard River 266 0 0.00 988 0 0.00
Isdell River 295 0 0.00 399 0 0.00
Prince Regent River 122 0 0.00 0 0 0
King Edward River 127 0 0.00 0 0 0
Drysdale River 127 0 0.00 0 0 0
Pentecost River 380 0 0.00 0 0 0
Ord River (WA) 270,087 262,138 97.06 3,249 0 0.00
Keep River (WA) 63 0 0.00 1,693 0 0.00

NLWRA 2000

How reliable are irrigation water entitlements in Western Australia?

The percentage of years when irrigation entitlements are fully delivered provides a measure of the reliability of the supply. On average, irrigation water entitlements in Western Australia are delivered in 90% of years. The percentage of the entitlement delivered in 1999/2000 was 54%.

Table: Entitlement : Irrigation Delivery 1999/2000 - for Irrigation Systems in Australia
State / System Irrigation Entitlement 1999/2000 (GL) % of Years when Entitlement Fully Delivered (%) Irrigation Deliveries 1999/2000 (GL) % of Entitlement actually delivered 1999/2000 (%)
Western Australia 24,871 248,660 115,536 90
WGCT 6,800 80 1,845 38
WORT 0 no data 170,000 no data
WSWT 108,736 100 76,815 71

ANCID 2000

Further information

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