Water resources - Allocation and Use - Queensland
Basin and Surface Water Management Area: Barron River
Introduction
The National Water Reform Framework requires the development of comprehensive systems of water allocations or entitlements, backed by separation of water property rights from land and clear specification of entitlements in terms of ownership, volume, reliability, transferability and, if appropriate, quality. In addition State and Territory agencies are required to undertake formal determination of water allocations or entitlements, including allocations for the environment as a legitimate user of water.
Water use estimates have been derived from a number of different methods including the use of licencing systems, information provided as part of the Australian Bureau of Statistics water account (with provider consent) and other information gathered from the State and Territory water agencies. In some cases water use was assumed to be the same as the allocation. For groundwater systems, it is well known that this assumption is often invalid (e.g. typically where use exceeds allocation significantly).
Options for conjunctive use are also described.
Please note: The tables set out below detailing Level 1 and Level 2 water use categories. The sum of the Level 2 water use volumes will not necessarily equal the total Level 1 water use volumes. This is primarily due to lack of more detailed water use data. However, where Level 2 use = Level 1 use then blank cells in the table does not indicate water use unaccounted for in these categories.
How has water used changed since 1985?
| Use type | 1983-84 surface water use (ML/yr) | 1996-97 surface water use (ML/yr) | % change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 8,080 | 57,789 | |
| Irrigation | 4,610 | 44,309 | 861 |
| - fruit | N/A | no data | |
| - grape | N/A | no data | |
| - system loss | N/A | no data | |
| - sugar | N/A | no data | |
| - other | N/A | no data | |
| - pasture | N/A | no data | |
| - cereal | N/A | no data | |
| - vegetables | N/A | no data | |
| - other crop | N/A | 44,309 | |
| - Cotton | N/A | no data | |
| Urban / Industrial | 4,280 | 12,340 | 188 |
| - municipal | N/A | no data | |
| - coal | N/A | no data | |
| - domestic unlicensed | N/A | no data | |
| - domestic | N/A | 11,271 | |
| - mining | N/A | no data | |
| - industrial | N/A | 370 | |
| - power | N/A | no data | |
| - comercial | N/A | 700 | |
| - system loss | N/A | no data | |
| - industrial commercial | N/A | no data | |
| - other | N/A | no data | |
| - recreation | N/A | no data | |
| Rural | 180 | 1,140 | 533 |
| - aquaculture | N/A | no data | |
| - system loss | N/A | no data | |
| - other | N/A | no data | |
| - water supply | N/A | no data | |
| - stock domestic | N/A | 1,140 |
PLEASE NOTE
Changes since 1985:
1985 Mean Annual Flow
This basin had long term streamflow records for an area greater than one third of the basin catchment area. The length of the record required to place a basin in this class varied from area to area but in each case was sufficiently long for the mean annual discharge for the gauged period to be considered as representing the long term mean.
Rainfall ratios were used to adjust the mean runoff to the standard period 1920 - 1969
Ungauged streamflows were estimated using rainfall standardised to the fifty year period 1920 - 1969 and regional rainfall runoff curves.
2000 Mean Annual Flow
The natural flows in the section were estimated using the Integrated Quantity-Quality Model (IQQM) of the catchment. IQQM is a daily time step system simulation model. The model was calibrated using measured flow at various stream gauges throughout the system and recorded use. Where necessary the gauged flows were extended using calibrated Sacramento Models.
The resulting SWMA catchment runoff is 977400ML/yr compared with the 1985 Audit runoff of 1153000ML/yr.
Divertible Yield
In 1985 this was determined by identification of possible storage sites and yield assessment of storage sites not previously analysed using a Gould Gamma method.
Development carried out since the 1985 study has shown this method and the selection of storage sites to be inappropriate for this study. Water Allocation Management Plans (WAMP) and Water Management Plans (WMP) are currently being developed for much of Queensland and consequently no response has been included in this study.
What are the uses of surface water in Barron River and to what is it allocated?
| Use type | Diversion Volume (ML/yr) | Allocation (ML/yr) | Diversion: Alloc (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 103,989 | 173,203 | |
| Irrigation | 158,063 | 90,509 | 57.26 |
| - sugar | 46,200 | 46,200 | 100 |
| - other crop | 111,863 | 44,309 | 39.61 |
| Rural | 1,140 | 1,140 | 100.35 |
| - stock | 1,136 | 1,140 | 100.35 |
| Urban / Industrial | 14,000 | 12,340 | 88.14 |
| - domestic | 12,929 | 11,271 | 87.18 |
| - industrial | 371 | 370 | 99.73 |
| - power | 700 | 700 | 100 |
Allocation for each SWMA represents the volume of the management area's surface water resources allocated for use both within the basin and for use in other SWMAs. The volume diverted is the total volume of the SWMA's surface water resources diverted for use both within the management area and for export to other management areas.
What are the sources of water within Barron River?
| Total use | ML/yr | % |
|---|---|---|
| Surface water - from this area | 57,789 | |
| Surface water - imported into this area | no data | |
| GMU: Atherton | no data | 11 |
| GMU: Barron Delta | no data | 0 |
PLEASE NOTE :
Options for conjunctive use:
The Barron SWMA is intersected by two subartesian Ground Water Management Units (GMU), which have metered abstraction. There is therefore potential for joint water use within the SWMA.
Subartesian GMU's are generally connected to the SWMA both physicaly and by management. Level of connectivity is considered medium based upon the extent of development in the SWMA, and utilisation of groundwater in the GMU's.
Further information
- Queensland Water Resources Assessment 2000 Report
- Queensland Water Resources Assessment 2000 Technical Report
- For more information about water and other natural resource issues link to www.nrm.qld.gov.au
- Link to data available for download on the Surface Water Management Areas
- Link to the Map Maker to make a map using this information.
Newsletter
What's new
New 'Land Use of Australia, Version 3' data showing irrigation, agriculture and landuse for the years 1992, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2001 have been added to the Map Maker.
More on land use data....
Australian Water Resources 2005 data has been added to the Map Maker.
More on the water data...
Key
Links to an another web site
Opens a pop-up window