Australian Natural Resources Atlas

Natural Resource Topics

Water resources - Allocation and Use - South Australia

Location map of SWMA Fleurieu Peninsula

Basin and Surface Water Management Area: Fleurieu Peninsula

Introduction

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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 type1983-84 surface water use (ML/yr)1996-97 surface water use (ML/yr)% change
Total2,160 3,741
Irrigation580 964 66
- fruitN/A15
- grapeN/A15
- system lossN/Ano data
- sugarN/Ano data
- otherN/Ano data
- pastureN/A934
- cerealN/Ano data
- vegetablesN/Ano data
- other cropN/Ano data
- CottonN/Ano data
Urban / Industrial1,070 2,443 128
- municipalN/Ano data
- coalN/Ano data
- domestic unlicensedN/Ano data
- domesticN/Ano data
- miningN/Ano data
- industrialN/Ano data
- powerN/Ano data
- comercialN/Ano data
- system lossN/Ano data
- industrial commercialN/Ano data
- otherN/Ano data
- recreationN/Ano data
Rural860 334 -61
- aquacultureN/Ano data
- system lossN/Ano data
- otherN/Ano data
- water supplyN/Ano data
- stock domesticN/A334

PLEASE NOTE

Changes since 1985:

Differences in the assessments are largely a result of differences in methodology.

Salinity shows a marginal increase, however this also is due to different methodologies. Both studies show that most water occurs in the fresh category.

 

What are the uses of surface water in Fleurieu Peninsula and to what is it allocated?

Use typeDiversion Volume (ML/yr)Allocation (ML/yr)Diversion: Alloc (%)
Total1,3600
Irrigationno data964
- fruitno data15
- pastureno data934
- grapesno data15
Ruralno data334
- stockno data334
Urban / Industrial

no data 

60

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.

Chart of proportion of surface water use by consumptive use class

What are the sources of water within Fleurieu Peninsula?

Total useML/yr %
Surface water - from this area1,358 16
Surface water - imported into this area2,383 27

PLEASE NOTE :

Options for conjunctive use:

Seasonal high stream flows from the Southern Mt Lofty Ranges may occur too rapidly in some regions for natural recharge to provide economically viable groundwater resources. The artificial diversion of surface flow to settlement ponds and thence to underground aquifers could supplement groundwater resources and also be used to improve more saline groundwater. This opportunity would be contingent on minimal adverse impacts on the environmental water requirements of the stream.

Further information

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