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Water resources - Overview - Queensland

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Basin & Surface Water Management Area: Johnstone River

Introduction

The Johnstone SWMA has a catchment area of 2325 sq km and is located in North Queensland in the wet tropics. Its major river, the North Johnston River, flows from the Atherton Tablelands downstream through Palmerston National Park, to the coastal flats. The Beatrice River flows through Millaa Millaa into the North Johnstone River. Other Rivers and Creeks in the catchment are the South Johnston River, Taylor Creek, Liverpool Creek and Fisher Creek. Water use in the SWMA is for town water supply in South Johnstone, dairy farming in the Atherton Table lands and sugar cane production on the coastal flats.

The mean annual rainfall for the 50 year period 1920 to 1969 varies between 1600mm on the tablelands to 4000 mm near the ranges.

Vital Statistics:

Area:	2,325 Km2
Total storage volume:	no data
Total surface water use:	10,915 ML/yr
Development category:	LOW DEVELOPMENT
Mean annual run-off:	5,065,000 ML/yr

A four-class classification system was developed to provide a simple method to communicate the status of the use and allocation of Australia's water resources in relation to sustainable water management.

It is important to recognise that adequately quantifying a sustainable flow regime or sustainable yield and consequent operating rules is a complex matter. State, Territory and scientific agencies continue to develop and apply methods and measures for determining sustainable flow regimes and sustainable yields.

This categorisation provides a general guide only. Please refer to the State and Territory Overview and Technical reports for detail on the analysis methods used.

	Category	Development status
1	<30%	Low development
2	30 - 70%	Moderate development
3	70 - 100%	Highly developed
4	100%	Overdeveloped

* Water use as a percentage of sustainable flow regime (surface water) and sustainable yield (groundwater)

PLEASE NOTE:

Sustainable Yield:

No sustainable yield studies are available for this SWMA.

PLEASE NOTE:

Categorisation:

No sustainable yield studies are available for this SWMA.

There is a low level of development and hugh rainfall in this SWMA.

How saline are the surface water resources in the Johnstone River surface water management area?

No data were available about the salinity of surface water resources in the Basin / SWMA for the Australian Water Resources Assessment 2000.

Major water storages

Table: Major water storage areas:

There were no major water storages reported in this area as part of the assessment

Further Information

• View the Queensland Water Resources Assessment 2000 Report
• View the Queensland Water Resources Assessment 2000 Technical Report
• Link to data available for download on the:
• Surface Water Management Areas
• Data from the 1985 Review of Australia's Water Resources and Water Use
• Link to the Map Maker to make a map using this information.
• For more information about water and other natural resource issues link to www.nrm.qld.gov.au