Murray-Darling Basin
5.2 Surface water allocation remaining - urban water system

Supporting Information

The volumetric value for the line item for the 2010–11 year was 25 ML. The line item represents surface water allocation remaining for urban water systems in the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) region as at 30 June 2011.

For the 2010–11 year, only the New South Wales Murray sustainable diversion limit (SDL) area that is within New South Wales Murray and Lower Darling water resources plan (WRP) area reported allocation remaining for the line item. The relevant entitlement class was high security – town water supply.

There were no advanced diversions for urban water systems in the 2010–11 year.  

Queensland

All allocation remaining at the end of the water year is forfeited and therefore allocation remaining is zero for Queensland WRP areas. While carry-over does not apply for urban water systems, most water supply schemes hold water in reserve for high priority urban use in Queensland.

New South Wales

Whilst some New South Wales water sharing plans remain suspended, there has been provision to carry-over high security class remaining allocations in the New South Wales Murray and Lower Darling WRP area.

Victoria 

There was allocation remaining for urban supplies in SDL areas within Victoria. However, reliable information was not available at the data collection stage of the 2011 Account.

South Australia

All allocation remaining at the end of the water year for urban entitlements is forfeited and therefore allocation remaining is zero for the WRP areas.

Australian Capital Territory

In the Australian Capital Territory, no formal allocation announcement is made to extract water from storages. The allocation announcement for the year is assumed to be equal to the total entitlement volume. The difference between the allocation announcement and the allocation diversion is considered as forfeited. Therefore, allocation remaining (carry-over) was zero for this line item.

Quantification Approach

Data Source

New South Wales: NSW Office of Water's Water Accounting section.

Provided by

Murray–Darling Basin Authority.

Method

Water sharing plans, water resource plans and the water legislation of each state specify the classes of licences that are permitted to carry forward any unused volumes and rules attached to the volume that may be carried forward.

Allocation remaining (carry-over) was calculated by the states and provided to the Murray–Darling Basin Authority.

Assumptions, Limitations, Caveats and Approximations

Nil.

Uncertainty Information

The uncertainty value for the New South Wales data provided in this line item is +/– 10%.

Comparative year

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.

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

 

Restatement of comparative year information made for the line item 5.2 Surface water allocation remaining – urban water system
Description

Northern Basin (ML)

Southern Basin (ML)

Whole region (ML)

Line item names and values reported as at 30 June 2010 in the 2010 Account 7.6 Non-physical surface water asset – other lumped 35 2 37
8.1.2.4 Allocation on regulated flows remaining – high security, urban holder 0 847 847
8.1.4 Allocation/claim on regulated flows remaining – urban water access entitlement/arrangement 0 0 0
8.1.9.4 Allocation on regulated flows remaining – urban holder 0 0 0
Total value reported for the 2010 Account (total for line items 8.1.2.4 to 8.1.9.4 less the value for line item 7.6) –35 845 810
Changes in the value reported in the 2010 Account due to regrouping of line items  0 –847 –847
Value reported for 30 June 2010 in the 2011 Account  –35 –2 –37

 

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

  • The high security entitlement classes within NSW for research, industrial, cultural, community and education were reported under urban line items in the 2010 Account.  Remaining allocations associated with these entitlement classes were designated as non-urban and excluded from this line item for the 2011 Account.