Adelaide

The volume reported in the water accounting statement (19,926 ML) represents groundwater extraction associated with irrigation allocations in the prescribed areas of the Adelaide region: Barossa Prescribed Water Resource Area (PWRA), McLaren Vale Prescribed Wells Area (PWA) and Northern Adelaide Plains PWA. The groundwater extraction for 2009–10 is itemised by management area in the table below.

Data source

South Australian Department for Water (DFW): Water Information and Licensing Management Application (WILMA) database and Drillhole Enquiry System.

Data provider

South Australian Department for Water.

Method

Groundwater allocations occur in the Barossa PWRA, Northern Adelaide Plains PWA and McLaren Vale PWA. Metered extraction for 2009–10 was obtained from the WILMA licensing database for these areas. Licence purpose information was obtained for the Northern Adelaide Plains PWA and Barossa PWRA, but was not available for the McLaren Vale PWA. McLaren Vale PWA irrigation licences were identified from the bore purpose recorded at the time of construction in the Drillhole Enquiry System.

Some groundwater extraction was unmetered in the Barossa PWRA. Metered groundwater extraction in the Barossa was increased by 20% to account for the unmetered extraction (DFW Planning and Management, pers. comm. 2010).

Uncertainty

Ungraded.

Assumptions, approximations and caveats/limitations

Extraction associated with allocations due to managed aquifer recharge was not included in this item.

This method is based on the following assumptions:

• The purpose at construction recorded within the Drillhole Enquiry System represents the current purpose of the groundwater licences in the McLaren Vale PWA.
• All bores in the McLaren Vale PWA with an irrigation purpose were captured in the Drillhole Enquiry System.
• Bores in the McLaren Vale PWA with an irrigation purpose were used entirely for irrigation use.
• Bores without a purpose specified as industrial or commercial were used for irrigation.
• In the Barossa PWRA and the Northern Adelaide Plains PWA, where more than one allocation purpose applied to a licence holder, extraction purpose was assumed to be proportional to the volume on each allocation purpose.
• Unmetered groundwater extraction in the Barossa PWRA was assumed to equate to 20% of metered extraction.