Murray–Darling Basin
32.2 Surface water access entitlement for non-allocated diversions

The volumetric value for the line item for the 2011–12 year was 4,848,513 ML. The line item includes surface water entitlement or other arrangement for which no surface water liability was recognised in the 2012 Account. For the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) region, the line item includes surface water access entitlements that give access to unregulated flow, including supplementary entitlements (entitlements within regulated systems that give access to unregulated flow in New South Wales). 

The following table presents summarised information for the line item on Water Resource Plan (WRP) area basis. Subsequent tables provide breakdown information on sustainable diversion limit (SDL) area basis.

 

Summary of surface water access entitlement for direct diversion in the MDB region as applicable in the 2011–12 year

WRP area		State/Territory	Volume (ML)
Code	Name		Unregulated entitlements (excluding supplementary entitlements)	Supplementary entitlements	Total
SW19	Warrego–Paroo– Nebine	Qld	116,399	0	116,399
SW18	Condamine–Balonne	Qld	2,241,243	0	2,241,243
SW17	Moonie	Qld	76,480	0	76,480
SW16	Qld Border Rivers	Qld	400,452	0	400,452
SW15	NSW Border Rivers	NSW	32,421	120,001	152,422
SW11	Barwon–Darling Watercourse	NSW	181,102	0	181,102
SW12	NSW Intersecting Streams	NSW	32,764	0	32,764
SW14	Gwydir	NSW	45,356	177,347	222,703
SW13	Namoi	NSW	122,988	115,469	238,457
SW10	Macquarie–Castlereagh	NSW	69,090	49,899	118,989
Sub-total Northern Basin			3,318,295	462,716	3,781,010
SW9	Lachlan	NSW	26,723	0	26,723
SW8	Murrumbidgee	NSW	62,594	198,780	261,374
SW7	NSW Murray and Lower Darling	NSW	50,833	502,368	553,201
SW3	Northern Victoria	Vic.	137,716	0	137,716
SW2	Vic. Murray	Vic.	83,029	0	83,029
SW4	Wimmera–Malee	Vic.	0	0	0
SW6	Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges	SA	0	0	0
SW5	SA Murray	SA	0	0	0
SW1	ACT	ACT	5,460	0	5,460
Sub-total Southern Basin			366,355	701,148	1,067,503
Total for the region			3,684,650	1,163,863	4,848,513

Details of surface water access entitlements that give access to unregulated flow in the MDB region as applicable in the 2011–12 year

WRP area	SDL area		Entitlement class	State	Limit type	Volume (ML) for the 2011–12 year	Data source	Additional comments
	Code	Name
SW19 Warrego–Paroo –Nebine	SS29	Paroo	Unsupplemented water allocations with no flow conditions	Qld	Volumetric	70	Qld WAM 2011–12 data	The Warrego, Paroo, Bullo and Nebine Resource Operations Plan January 2006 (Attachment 4C) indicate that of the 70 ML on issue at the commencement of the plan, 30 ML for Balonne Shire Council: possibly for urban use; however WAM treats this as all irrigation, hence it is shown here as irrigation.
			Unsupplemented water licences – urban	Qld	Volumetric	5	Qld WAM 2011–12 data
	SS28	Warrego	Unsupplemented water allocations with flow conditions	Qld	Volumetric	103,300	Qld WAM 2011–12 data	Includes 16,050 ML environmental entitlement
			Unsupplemented water allocations with no flow conditions	Qld	Volumetric	3,630	Qld WAM 2011–12 data
			Unsupplemented water licences	Qld	Nominal	190	Qld WAM 2011–12 data
	SS27	Nebine	Unsupplemented water allocations with flow conditions	Qld	Volumetric	7,220	Qld WAM 2011–12 data	Includes 5,920 ML environmental entitlement
			Unsupplemented water allocations with no flow conditions	Qld	Volumetric	1,750	Qld WAM 2011–12 data
			Unsupplemented water licences	Qld	Volumetric	75	Qld WAM 2011–12 data
			Unsupplemented water licences – urban	Qld	Volumetric	159	Qld WAM 2011–12 data
SW18 Condamine–Balonne	SS26	Condamine–Balonne	Unsupplemented water allocations with flow conditions	Qld	Volumetric	2,197,745	Qld WAM 2011–12 data	Includes 35,031 ML environmental entitlement
			Unsupplemented water allocations with no flow conditions	Qld	Volumetric	36,788	Qld WAM 2011–12 data
			Unsupplemented water licences	Qld	Nominal	50	Qld WAM 2011–12 data
			Unsupplemented water licences – urban	Qld	Volumetric	6,660	Qld WAM 2011–12 data
SW17 Moonie	SS25	Moonie	Unsupplemented water licences – urban	Qld	Volumetric	10	Qld WAM 2011–12 data
			Unsupplemented water allocations with flow conditions	Qld	Volumetric	74,349	Qld WAM 2011–12 data	Includes 1,415 ML environmental entitlement
			Unsupplemented water allocations with no flow conditions	Qld	Volumetric	1,784	Qld WAM 2011–12 data
			Unsupplemented water licences	Qld	Volumetric	337	Qld WAM 2011–12 data
SW16 Qld Border Rivers	SS24	Qld Border Rivers	Unsupplemented water allocations with flow conditions	Qld	Volumetric	396,575	Qld WAM 2011–12 data	Includes 1,000 ML environmental entitlement
			Unsupplemented water allocations with no flow conditions	Qld	Volumetric	1,140	Qld WAM 2011–12 data
			Unsupplemented water licences	Qld	Nominal	60	Qld WAM 2011–12 data
			Unsupplemented water licences – urban	Qld	Volumetric	2,677	Qld WAM 2011–12 data
SW15 NSW Border Rivers	SS23	NSW Border Rivers	Domestic and stock	NSW	Entitlement	518	NSW Office of Water: water access licence statistics Water Sharing Plan for the NSW Border Rivers Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2012	Tenterfield Creek and unregulated Border Rivers
			Local water utility access licences	NSW	Entitlement	2014	NSW Office of Water: water access licence statistics Water Sharing Plan for the NSW Border Rivers Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2012	Tenterfield Creek and unregulated Border Rivers
			Unregulated river access licences	NSW	Entitlement	29,889	NSW Office of Water: water access licence statistics Water Sharing Plan for the NSW Border Rivers Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2012	Tenterfield Creek and unregulated Border Rivers. The value for Unregulated Border Rivers is based on long-term water availability. The value includes 92 ML of special additional high flow access licence volume.
SW11 Barwon–Darling Watercourse	SS19	Barwon–Darling Watercourse	Domestic and Stock	NSW	Entitlement	2,660	Draft Water Sharing Plan for the Barwon–Darling Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources
			Local water utility access licences	NSW	Entitlement	5,404	Draft Water Sharing Plan for the Barwon–Darling Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources
			Unregulated river access licences	NSW	Entitlement	173,038	Draft Water Sharing Plan for the Barwon–Darling Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources	Includes 22,275 ML environmental entitlements
SW12 NSW Intersecting Streams	SS17	NSW Intersecting Streams	Domestic and Stock	NSW	Entitlement	219	Water Sharing Plan for the Intersecting Streams Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2011	Moonie, Narran, Culgoa, Warrego and Paroo rivers, and Yanda Creek water sources
			Local water utility access licences	NSW	Entitlement	312	Water Sharing Plan for the Intersecting Streams Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2011	Culgoa and Paroo rivers water sources
			Unregulated licensed entitlements	NSW	Entitlement	32,233	Water Sharing Plan for the Intersecting Streams Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2011	(i) Moonie, Narran, Culgoa, Warrego and Paroo rivers, and Yanda Creek water sources (ii)includes 8,106 environmental entitlements in the Warrego River
SW14 Gwydir	SS22	Gwydir	Domestic and Stock	NSW	Entitlement	27	NSW Office of Water: water access licence statistics	Rocky Creek, Cobbadah, upper Horton and lower Horton water source
			Unregulated river access licences	NSW	Entitlement	45,329	NSW Office of Water: water access licence statistics	Rocky Creek, Cobbadah, upper Horton and lower Horton water source
SW13 Namoi	SS21	Namoi	Domestic and Stock	NSW	Entitlement	366	Water Sharing Plan for the Peel Valley Regulated, Unregulated, Alluvium and Fractured Rock Water Sources 2010 NSW Office of Water: water access licence statistics for Phillips Creek, Mooki River, Quirindi Creek and Warrah Creek
			Local water utility access licences	NSW	Entitlement	6,600	Water Sharing Plan for the Peel Valley Regulated, Unregulated, Alluvium and Fractured Rock Water Sources 2010 NSW Office of Water: water access licence statistics for Phillips Creek, Mooki River, Quirindi Creek and Warrah Creek
			Unregulated river access licences	NSW	Entitlement	116,022	Water Sharing Plan for the Peel Valley Regulated, Unregulated, Alluvium and Fractured Rock Water Sources 2010 NSW Office of Water: water access licence statistics for Phillips Creek, Mooki River, Quirindi Creek and Warrah Creek NSW WAM 2011–12 data	Total entitlements have riparian rights of 4,148 ML deducted.
SW10 Macquarie–Castlereagh	SS20	Macquarie–Castlereagh	Domestic and Stock	NSW	Entitlement	413	NSW Office of Water: water access licence statistics Water Sharing Plan for the Castlereagh (below Binnaway) Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2011	Castlereagh River unregulated
			Local water utility access licences	NSW	Entitlement	2,779	NSW Office of Water: water access licence statistics Water Sharing Plan for the Castlereagh (below Binnaway) Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2011	Castlereagh River unregulated
			Unregulated Entitlement	NSW	Entitlement	44,501	NSW WAM 2011–12 data	Total unregulated entitlements of 69,090 ML for the region have other unregulated rights of 413 ML for stock and domestic, 2,779 ML for urban and 21,397 ML for Castlereagh unregulated deducted.
			Unregulated river access licences	NSW	Entitlement	21,397	NSW Office of Water: water access licence statistics Water Sharing Plan for the Castlereagh (below Binnaway) Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2011	Castlereagh River unregulated
Sub-total Northern Basin						3,318,295
SW9 Lachlan	SS16	Lachlan	Domestic and stock	NSW	Entitlement	94	NSW Office of Water: water access licence statistics	Mandagery Creek water source
			Unregulated entitlement	NSW	Entitlement	26,629	NSW Office of Water: water access licence statistics NSW WAM 2011–12 data	Mandagery Creek water source
SW8 Murrumbidgee NSW	SS15	Murrumbidgee NSW	Domestic and stock	NSW	Entitlement	181	NSW Office of Water: water access licence statistics	Adelong and Tarcutta creeks
			Local water utility access licences	NSW	Entitlement	30	NSW Office of Water: water access licence statistics	Adelong and Tarcutta creeks
			Unregulated entitlement	NSW	Entitlement	62,383	NSW Office of Water: water access licence statistics NSW WAM 2011–12 data
SW7 NSW Murray and Lower Darling	SS18	Lower Darling	Domestic and stock	NSW	Entitlement	29	Water Sharing Plan for the Lower Murray–Darling Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2011
			Unregulated river access licences	NSW	Entitlement	2,424	Water Sharing Plan for the Lower Murray–Darling Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2011
	SS14	NSW Murray	Domestic and stock	NSW	Entitlement	727	Water Sharing Plan for the Murray Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2011 NSW Office of Water: water access licence statistics	Murray unregulated and slluvial water sources and upper Billabong water source
			Local water utility access licences	NSW	Entitlement	639	Water Sharing Plan for the Murray Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2011	Murray unregulated and alluvial water sources
			Unregulated river access licences	NSW	Entitlement	47,014	Water Sharing Plan for the Murray Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2011 NSW Office of Water: water access licence statistics NSW WAM 2011–12 data	(i) Murray unregulated and alluvial water sources and upper Billabong water source (ii) includes 12,965 ML Poon–Boon environmental entitlements
SW2 Vic. Murray	SS3	Kiewa	Urban entitlements – unregulated Kiewa	Vic.	Entitlement	1,106	Vic. WAM 2011–12 data
			Unregulated licenses – Kiewa private diverters	Vic.	Entitlement	18,487	Vic. WAM 2011–12 data
SW3 Northern Victoria	SS4	Ovens	Urban bulk entitlements – unregulated	Vic.	Entitlement	3,397	Vic. WAM 2011–12 data	Bright 704 ML, Beechworth 1,100 ML, Glenrowan 90 ML, Harrietville 91 ML, Myrtleford 1,212 ML, Porpunkah 166 ML, and Whitfield 34 ML.
SW3 Northern Victoria			Spillage sales	Vic.	Entitlement	12,535	Victorian Water Register	This is an unregulated entitlement held by irrigators in the "regulated" part of the system. It is highly reliable, but can be accessed only until storages cease to spill (usually in December or January). Storages typically spill for 6–10 months of the year.
SW3 Northern Victoria			Unregulated licences	Vic.	Entitlement	25,006	Vic. WAM 2011–12 data
	SS5	Broken	Unregulated licences – Broken	Vic.	Entitlement	10,145	Vic. WAM 2011–12 data
			Urban bulk entitlements – unregulated Broken	Vic.	Entitlement	0	Vic. WAM 2011–12 data
	SS6	Goulburn	Unregulated licences – Goulburn	Vic.	Entitlement	39,695	Vic. WAM 2011–12 data
			Urban unregulated licences – Goulburn	Vic.	Entitlement	7,138	Vic. WAM 2011–12 data
	SS7	Campaspe	Urban bulk entitlements – unregulated Campaspe	Vic.	Entitlement	470	Victorian Water Register and Vic WAM 2011–12	Woodend bulk entitlement
			Unregulated licences – Campaspe	Vic.	Entitlement	8,121	Vic. WAM 2011–12 data
	SS8	Loddon	Urban bulk entitlements – unregulated Loddon	Vic.	Entitlement	1,416	Vic. WAM 2011–12 data
			Unregulated licences – Loddon	Vic.	Entitlement	29,793	Vic. WAM 2011–12 data
SW2 Vic. Murray	SS2	Vic. Murray	Urban entitlements – unregulated Murray	Vic.	Entitlement	866	Vic. WAM 2011–12 data
			Unregulated licenses – Murray private diverters	Vic.	Entitlement	62,570	Vic. WAM 2011–12 data	Includes 34,300 ML supplementary environmental entitlements
SW1 ACT	SS1	ACT	Private surface water irrigation diversions	ACT	Entitlement	5,460	ACT WAM 2010–11
Sub-total Southern Basin						366,355
Total for the region						3,684,650

– = Data not available, WAM = Water audit monitoring 

 

Details of surface water supplementary entitlements in the MDB region as applicable in the 2011–12 year

WRP area	SDL area		Entitlement class	State	Volume (ML) for the 2011–12 year	Data source	Additional comments
	Code	Name
SW15 NSW Border Rivers	SS23	NSW Border Rivers	Supplementary water	NSW	120,001	NSW Office of Water – Accounting	Regulated Border Rivers
SW14 Gwydir	SS22	Gwydir	Supplementary water access	NSW	177,347	NSW Office of Water – Accounting	Includes Gwydir Regulated River: Includes 19,540 ML environmental entitlements
SW13 Namoi	SS21	Namoi	Supplementary water access	NSW	115,469	NSW Office of Water – Accounting	Includes Upper Namoi, Lower Namoi and Peel regulated Rivers
SW10 Macquarie–Castlereagh	SS20	Macquarie–Castlereagh	Supplementary water access	NSW	49,899	NSW Office of Water – Accounting	Includes Macquarie regulated supplementary licences: Includes 3,340 ML environmental entitlements
Sub-total Northern Basin					462,716
SW8 Murrumbidgee NSW	SS15	Murrumbidgee NSW	Supplementary water	NSW	198,780	NSW Office of Water – Accounting	Includes Murrumbidgee regulated: Includes 33,227 ML environmental entitlements
SW7 NSW Murray and Lower Darling	SS18	Lower Darling	Supplementary water access	NSW	250,000	NSW Office of Water – Accounting	This is an environmental entitlement
	SS14	NSW Murray	Supplementary water access	NSW	252,368	NSW Office of Water – Accounting	Includes NSW Murray Regulated River: Includes 100,000 ML environmental entitlements
Sub-total Southern Basin					701,148
Total for the region					1,163,863

– = Data not available

As stated in the 'Additional comments' column, values provided in the above two tables include entitlement volumes held / owned by environmental managers in the MDB region as applicable in the 2011–12 year. 

 

Water restrictions

Information on water restrictions is included in Water access region note.

 

See the 'Data source' stated in the tables provided under 'Supporting information'.

Bureau of Meteorology (the Bureau).

Values were extracted from jurisdictional water sharing plans (see the table in 'Supporting information').

Information for some SDL areas has been extracted from draft water sharing plans (See the 'Data source' stated in the tables provided under 'Supporting information'). Values extracted from draft water sharing plans are estimations.

See 'Additional comments' in the breakdown table in 'Supporting information' for other assumptions, limitations, caveats and approximations.

 

The uncertainty estimate was not quantified.

 

This line item corresponds to line item 32.2 'Surface water access entitlement for direct diversion' reported in the 2011 Account. Availability of updated information resulted in including following information for the 2010–11 year in the 2012 Account:

• unregulated urban licences for Goulburn SDL area (7,379 ML)
• unsupplemented urban water licence volume for Paroo (5 ML), Condamine-Balonne (6,517 ML) and Qld Border Rivers (1,222 ML) SDL areas.

The respective volumes associated with the change are detailed in the following table.

 

Restatement of comparative year information made for the line item 32.2 Surface water access entitlement for non-allocated diversions

2011 Account line item	Segment	2012 Account volume for the 2010–11 year (ML)	2011 Account volume for the 2010–11 year (ML)	Difference due to updating information (ML)
32.2 Surface water access entitlement for direct diversion	Northern Basin	3,728,883	3,721,139	7,744
	Southern Basin	1,063,800	1,056,421	7,379
	Whole region	4,792,683	4,777,560	15,123