The volume of irrigation water returned to the Ord River channel is not included as the information was not available at the time this water accounting report was published.
Irrigation drainage is returned to the Ord River at six locations from the Ord River Irrigation Area, and is measured by the Ord Irrigation Cooperative. Return flows from the irrigation area to the Ord River during the dry season (April–October) is representative of drainage as a result of irrigation. Flows during the wet season (November–March) are highly variable due to the large volume of rainfall in the region. Demand for water for irrigation is at its lowest during the wet season, and return flows reflect the run-off from the land surface.
Return flows to the Ord River from the Ord River Irrigation Area for the previous three dry seasons are shown in the table below.
Year |
Drainage volume (ML) |
---|---|
2009 |
34,196 |
2008 |
53,059 |
2007 |
69,189 |