Murray-Darling Basin
21.1 Surface water allocation announcements

The volumetric value for the line item for the 2010–11 year was 9,743,426 ML. The line item represents surface water allocation announcements (excluding urban water systems) associated with a number of entitlement classes in the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) region. Information on surface water allocation announcements for urban water systems is included in line item 21.2 Surface water allocation announcements – urban water system.

The following two tables provide a summary and breakdown information on surface water allocation announcements (excluding urban water systems) within the region. 

 

Summary of surface water allocation announcements (excluding urban water systems) in the MDB region

Surface water resource plan area		State	Volume (ML) for 2010–11
Code	Name
SW19	Warrego – Paroo – Nebine	Qld	2,612
SW18	Condamine–Balonne	Qld	114,981
SW17	Moonie	Qld	na
SW16	Qld Border Rivers	Qld	96,686
SW15	NSW Border Rivers	NSW	278,192
SW11	Barwon–Darling watercourse	NSW	na
SW12	NSW Intersecting Streams	NSW	na
SW14	Gwydir	NSW	439,864
SW13	Namoi	NSW	316,833
SW10	Macquarie–Castlereagh	NSW	655,009
Sub-total Northern Basin			1,904,177
SW9	Lachlan	NSW	772,092
SW8	Murrumbidgee NSW	NSW	2,144,048
SW7	NSW Murray and Lower Darling	NSW	1,738,175
SW3	Northern Victoria	Vic	1,214,664
SW2	Vic Murray	Vic	1,353,675
SW4	Wimmera–Mallee	Vic	123,130
SW6	Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges	SA	–
SW5	SA Murray	SA	493,465
SW1	ACT	ACT	na
Sub-total Southern Basin			7,839,249
Total for the region			9,743,426

– = Data not available, na = not applicable

 

Details of surface water allocation announcements (excluding urban water systems) in the MDB region

Water resource plan area	Sustainable diversion limit area		State	Entitlement class	Volume (ML) for the 2010–11 year
	Code	Name
Warrego – Paroo – Nebine	SS28	Warrego	Qld	Supplemented	2,612
Condamine–Balonne	SS26	Condamine–Balonne	Qld	Supplemented	114,981
Qld Border Rivers	SS24	Qld Border Rivers	Qld	Supplemented	96,686
Sub-total Queensland					214,279
NSW Border Rivers	SS23	NSW Border Rivers	NSW	High security	1,500
				General security	275,679
				Stock and domestic	1,013
				Sub-total	278,192
Gwydir	SS22	Gwydir	NSW	High security	14,818
				General security	422,242
				Stock and domestic	2,744
				High security – research	60
				Sub-total	439,864
Namoi	SS21	Namoi	NSW	High security	4,299
				General security	309,757
				Stock and domestic	2,288
				High security – research	489
				Sub-total	316,833
Macquarie–Castlereagh	SS20	Macquarie–Castlereagh	NSW	High security	13,828
				General security	631,246
				Stock and domestic	5,590
				High security – research	4,345
				Sub-total	655,009
Lachlan	SS16	Lachlan	NSW	High security	30,905
				General security	708,945
				Stock and domestic	14,331
				Conveyance	17,911
				Sub-total	772,092
Murrumbidgee NSW	SS15	Murrumbidgee NSW	NSW	High security	355,401
				General security	1,415,597
				Stock and domestic	35,946
				Conveyance	336,289
				High security – research	320
				High security – Aboriginal cultural	495
				Sub-total	2,144,048
NSW Murray and Lower Darling	SS18	Lower Darling	NSW	High security	7,211
				General security	76,058
				Supplementary	0
				Stock and domestic	1,383
				Sub-total	84,652
	SS14	NSW Murray	NSW	High security	168,040
				General security	1,192,609
				Supplementary	0
				Stock and domestic	17,219
				Conveyance	275,655
				High security – research	0
				High security – Aboriginal cultural	0
				High security – community and education	0
				Sub-total	1,653,523
Sub-total New South Wales					6,344,213
Northern Victoria	SS4	Ovens	VIC	High reliability water share	26,335
	SS5	Broken	VIC	High reliability water share	18,118
				Low reliability water share	3,376
				Combined high and low reliability	–3,953
				Sub-total	17,541
	SS6	Goulburn	VIC	High reliability water share	972,972
				Low reliability water share	0
				Combined high and low reliability	111,803
				Sub-total	1,084,775
	SS7	Campaspe	VIC	High reliability water share	37,116
				Low reliability water share	18,661
				Combined high and low reliability	5,501
				Sub-total	61,278
	SS8	Loddon	VIC	High reliability water share	22,423
				Low reliability water share	0
				Combined high and low reliability	2,313
				Sub-total	24,736
Vic Murray	SS2	Vic Murray	VIC	High reliability water share	1,171,982
				Low reliability water share	0
				Combined high and low reliability	181,693
				Sub-total	1,353,675
Wimmera–Mallee	SS9	Wimmera–Mallee	VIC	High reliability water share	123,130
Sub-total Victoria					2,691,469
Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges	SS13	Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges	SA	Regulated	–
				unregulated	–
				Sub-total	–
SA Murray	SS11	SA Murray	SA	Class 1  – stock and domestic	8,351
				Class 2 – other urban (country town) water supply	na
				Class 3 – irrigation and holding	436,489
				Class 4 – recreation	2,964
				Class 5 – industrial	5,520
				Class 6 – Metro-Adelaide water supply scheme	na
				Class 7 – environment	25,706
				Class 8 – environmental land management	14,435
				Combined classes urban	na
				Combined classes	0
				Sub-total	493,465
	SS10	SA Non-prescribed areas	SA	Regulated	–
				unregulated	–
				Sub-total	–
Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges	SS12	Marne–Saunders	SA	Regulated	–
				unregulated	–
				Sub-total	–
Sub-total South Australia					493,465
Total for the region					9,743,426

– = Data not available, na = not applicable

 

Queensland

In Queensland, the resource operation plans (ROPs) distinguish between high and medium priority of supplemented water allocation. The water audit monitoring (WAM) data, which are the data source for the 2011 Account, only distinguish between supplemented and unsupplemented entitlements. Both urban and non-urban supplemented entitlements are included within supplemented entitlement class. Supplemented urban and supplemented non-urban volumes on allocations, diversions and other attributes were received together and it was not possible for these to be separated out for two purposes. Therefore, this line item includes surface water allocation announcements for both urban and non-urban supplemented entitlements.     

Carry-over did not apply in the water resources plan (WRP) areas within Queensland in the 2010–11 year except in St George (Condamine–Balonne SDL area), Border Rivers and Macintyre Brook (Queensland Border Rivers sustainable diversion limit [SDL] area) water supply schemes which are continuous share schemes. Allocation announcement includes both the allocation announcement during the year and the remaining water available at the end of the previous year. No information was available to separate the water available at the end of the previous year from the allocation announced during the year.  The following information applies to Condamine–Balonne and Queensland Border Rivers WRP areas on allocation announcement:

• Condamine–Balonne WRP area: the water supply system associated with Beardmore storage is predominantly a capacity share scheme and doesn't have an annual announced allocation. Announced allocation is calculated on use plus available water remaining at the end of the water year.

• Queensland Border Rivers WRP area: Border River system is a continuous accounting scheme and doesn't have an annual announced allocation. Announced allocation is calculated on use plus available water remaining at the end of the water year. However, a part of Macintyre Brook scheme is subject to announced allocation but it is gradually moving to continuous accounting. Announced allocation is as announced for the bulk share component.

New South Wales

The volume for Murrumbidgee New South Wales includes the allocation announcements associated with river conveyance and bulk irrigation conveyance licences within the Coleambally and Murrumbidgee irrigation areas. These bulk irrigation conveyance licences are held by irrigation corporations to provide for losses within their distribution systems.

Similarly, the volume for Murray New South Wales includes the allocation announcements associated with river conveyance and bulk irrigation conveyance licences within the Murray irrigation area. This bulk irrigation conveyance licence is held by an irrigation corporation to provide for losses within the distribution system.

Victoria

Victorian allocation announcements are shown in the source valley, even if the water was taken in a different destination valley. Therefore all entitlements in the Goulburn SDL area have their allocation announcements shown in that area, rather than the destination valleys of the Loddon or the Campaspe.

In this line item, allocation announcements that could not be specified under high reliability water share or a low reliability water share were reported as combined high and low reliability water share. In the Broken system the application of the 50% carry-over limit rule meant that the adjusted allocation for the 2010–11 year was shown as combined high and low reliability.

(1) New South Wales: NSW Office of Water's Water Accounting section, and (2) WAM data received from Queensland (22 December 2011) South Australia (07 February 2012) and Victoria (31 January 2012). WAM data are stored in the Murray–Darling Basin Authority HYDRO database.

Murray–Darling Basin Authority.

Allocation announcements are usually the entitlements on issue multiplied by the percentage allocation announced.

Allocation announcement is calculated by the states and provided to the Murray–Darling Basin Authority.

WAM-supplied data are either measured, modelled or estimated.

NSW Office of Water supplied data are prepared on a water balance approach. It implies that the movement of values during the year will balance the opening and closing balances. The forfeitures and adjustments have been checked to ensure that the closing balance reconciles.

Uncertainty reported by NSW Office of Water includes possible errors in the data handling processes.

For Queensland, as the allocation announcement includes both the allocation and water available at the end of the previous year, the carry-over value may be understated and the allocation announcement may be overstated.

Information provided in this line item may have been based on Cap valleys in the HYDRO database which may not align perfectly with SDL areas.

Uncertainty of allocation announcements may in part be due to existing entitlements being converted into a different class, new entitlements issued, or entitlements cancelled following commissioning of a water saving infrastructure project.

The following table shows the WAM uncertainty percentages and the measurement method applied that relates to the reported percentage. 

 

WAM uncertainty percentages

Percentage  (%)	Accuracy description
10	Estimate based on user meter readings
20	Detailed estimate based on regional surveys
40	Estimate based on user returns

 

The table below outlines the WAM uncertainty percentage for each entitlement class for each jurisdiction.

 

Uncertainty percentages for the jurisdictions

Jurisdiction	Entitlement class	Uncertainty  (%)
SA	Class 3, Class 4, Class 5, Class 7, Class 8, Class 9 and Combined class metered	5
SA	Combined classes unmetered	20
NSW	All regulated non-urban	10
ACT	All regulated non-urban	5
Vic	Goulburn–Broken	5
Vic	Campaspe	5
Vic	Loddon	5
Vic	Ovens	18
Vic	Murray (including Kiewa)	11
Qld	Condamine–Balonne	5
Qld	Border Rivers	5
Qld	Warrego	5

 

This line item corresponds to line items listed in the following table and reported in the 2010 Account. In the 2011 Account, the following change was made that caused the 2009–10 year value to be restated:

• Presentation and classification of the line items has changed since the 2010 Account: line items were regrouped.

The changes and their respective values are detailed in the following table.

 

Restatement of comparative year information made for the line item 21.1 Surface water allocation announcements

Description		Northern Basin (ML)	Southern Basin (ML)	Whole region (ML)
Line item names and values reported as at the 2009–10 year in the 2010 Account	25.1 .2.5 Allocation announcement on regulated flows – high security, individual holder for stock and domestic	0	20,000	20,000
	25.1.2.7 Allocation announcement on regulated flows – high security, other lumped holders	34,178	528,883	563,061
	25.1.3.6 Allocation announcement on regulated flows – general and low security, other lumped holders	82,264	1,056,495	1,138,759
	25.1.9.1 Allocation announcement on regulated flows – bulk irrigator holder	0	486,658	486,658
	25.1.9.2 Allocation announcement on regulated flows – individual irrigator holder	147,028	0	147,028
	25.1.9.7 Allocation announcement on regulated flows – other lumped holders	0	2,617,313	2,617,313
	Total value reported for the 2010 Account	275,363	4,763,943	5,039,306
	Changes in the value reported in the 2010 Account due to regrouping of line items		4,894	–91,311	–86,417
Value reported for the 2009–10 year in the 2011 Account		280,257	4,672,632	4,952,889

 

Changes in the value reported in the 2010 Account due to regrouping of line items were due to the following reasons:

• The high security entitlement classes within New South Wales for research, industrial, cultural, community and education were reported under urban line items in the 2010 Account.  Allocation announcements associated with these entitlement classes were designated as non-urban and included in this line item for the 2011 Account.   

• In the 2010 Account, Victorian allocation announcements were not separated into urban and non-urban and reported under line item 25.1.9.7 Allocation announcement of regulated flows – other lumped holders. For the 2011 Account, these volumes were restated after separating into urban and non-urban entitlement classes.